When I Grow Up I Want to be a Chair

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4.8

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Author(s)

Ryan Rae Harbuck

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Barry Lee

Publisher Name

Barefoot Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

April 07, 2026

ISBN13

979-8888599051

ISBN10 or ASIN

A bold story of self-discovery

Vo wanted to believe that if she were a chair, she could change the world.

She wanted to believe that she could choose that path for herself.

Vo is a thinker and a creator and knows that she doesn't want a grumpy grown-up job. She wants to change the world, and she knows just how she’s going to do it. “When I grow up I want to be a chair!” Vo proclaims. Others don’t understand. Why would she want to be sat on? Where would she sleep? Who would want to be a chair?

Vo believes her chair makes her world a better place, so being a chair will make the whole world even better, right? When Vo faces the path ahead of her, she can see that there may be more to her wish than she ever understood. Join Vo as she discovers that just one part of her identity doesn’t have to define her whole future, but it does give her the power to be so much more.

Lively text written by Ryan Rae Harbuck, who wrote the award-winning and critically acclaimed adult memoir of the same name about her experience becoming a wheelchair user as a teenager after a car accident.
Vibrant, quirky art illustrated by debut picture book illustrator Barry Lee who draws on their own experience of living with a disability.
Representation of lived experience using a mobility device told through the eyes of Vo, a unique, unforgettable character.

Editor review

1 review

Quirky and Vibrant book about being a Wheelchair User

June 23, 2026

Overall rating

4.8

Plot

5.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Vo knows that she doesn’t want a grumpy grown up job, she wants to change the world, and she believes that she could do that if she was a chair. Vo is discouraged though when others don’t understand and question why she would want to be a chair. While Vo is on this journey she discovers that her chair is just a part of her identity but she doesn’t have to be a chair to change the world.
What I Liked: This book does a great job of introducing you to Vo and showcasing her perspective when she expresses that she wants to be a chair. It’s fascinating to see as things shift for Vo as she experiences more and more, and as she gives herself time to think about what it means to be a chair along with why she wants to be a chair.

Through the vibrant and lively illustrations, you see that Vo’s chair means a lot to her, and how she sees the chair as an extension of her. Due to this, the chair has various expressions and different decorations depending on how Vo is feeling. While Vo sees her chair as herself, this changes throughout the story as she learns that while her chair provides her freedom and the ability to explore the world, it isn’t all that she is.

There are notes at the end of the book about creating your own vision board and information about mobility aids. The activity in the back of the book is perfect to get children thinking about their future and what they want in that future. This activity is also great for adults to engage in as they can reflect on what they want for their own future and how to accomplish that.

Final Verdict: When I Grow Up I Want to be a Chair is a colorful, lively book about embracing yourself and the experience of being a wheelchair user. This is a great book to start a discussion with children about mobility devices and what those devices mean to the users. Children ages 6 and up will enjoy the delightful illustrations and the way that things come to life in the images.