Jamie Sumner is the author of Roll with It, Time to Roll, Rolling On, Tune It Out, One Kid’s Trash, The Summer of June, Maid for It, and Deep Water. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications. She loves stories that celebrate the grit and beauty in all kids. She is also the mother of a son with cerebral palsy and has written extensively about parenting a child with special needs. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at Jamie-Sumner.com.
“A big-hearted story that’s as sweet as it is awesome.” —R.J.
Palacio, author of Wonder
"Ellie is filled with ideas for delicious baked goods, but she
can’t quite figure out the recipe to make her family feel whole
again. Filled with heart and spirit—I love this book.” —Kristin
O'Donnell Tubb, author of The Story Collector series and A Dog Like
Daisy
"My son Jacob says: 'I usually read books about wizards and magic,
but I liked this a lot. I liked the scenes and I wanted to hang out
with Ellie. I'm reading it a second time now.'"—Deb Perelman,
creator of Smitten Kitchen
* "Drawing on her own experiences with her son, who has cerebral
palsy, debut author Sumner doesn’t sugarcoat Ellie’s daily
challenges—social, emotional, and physical—including navigating
showers and crowded classrooms. . . . Ellie is easy to
champion, and her story reminds readers that life’s burdens are
always lighter with friends and family—and a good piece of pie—at
the ready."
*Publishers Weekly, starred review*
* “Her voice equal parts vulnerable, reflective, and deliciously
wry, Ellie is refreshingly complex. Kids navigating disabilities
may find her frank frustration with inaccessibility, illness, and
patronization particularly cathartic, but readers with and without
disabilities will recognize her desire to belong. The mother of a
son with CP, the author portrays Ellie and her mom's loving but
fraught relationship with achingly vivid accuracy, bringing the
tension between Ellie's craving for independence and her mother's
fears to a satisfying resolution. . . . An honest, emotionally rich
take on disability, family, and growing up.”
*Kirkus Reviews, starred review*
* “Ellie takes on life head first, and her first-person,
present-tense narrative reveals a feisty, dynamic character
surrounded by well-rounded characters just as appealing as she is.
The plot moves swiftly, and it's refreshing that the story's focus
is less on Ellie's disability and more on her gradual ability to
learn how to ‘roll with’ the situations that life throws one's
way.”
*Booklist, starred review*
“A heartfelt and humorous glimpse into the life of a girl with
cerebral palsy who is determined to make her mark on a world that
often perceives her as limited because of her disability. . . . The
challenges faced by youth like Ellie are underrepresented in
children’s literature; highly recommended for middle grade
collections.”
*School Library Journal*
“Sumner, whose son has cerebral palsy, writes Ellie without sitcom
clichés and with authentic near-teen sass. The telling details of
wheelchair use, health risks, and social challenges ring true but
don’t overshadow the characterization of Ellie as a person, who
loves to bake even more than she likes to snark and whose narration
is spirited and inviting. Fans of Kate DiCamillo will especially
appreciate this story of unexpected friendship and belonging.”
*BCCB*
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