Review Detail

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.