Review: Mia Lee is Wheeling Through Middle School by Melissa and Eva Shang

438 words

3 minute read

[Image: The cover of Mia Lee is Wheeling Through Middle School]

So, it's a rare occasion when I get the opportunity to post a positive review on media here.  But believe me when  I say that Mia Lee is Wheeling Through Middle School is a book you definitely want to check out, especially if you have a kid who uses a wheelchair.  (Or, if you use a wheelchair yourself.  Or if you love a good story.  Basically, everybody could benefit from reading this.)

Mia Lee is brand new 6th grade student at the start of this book.  She has a best friend from elementary school, and she is pretty excited and intimidated by all of what sixth grade will bring.

This book is a rare find, in that, its protagonist is disabled and its written by an author with a disability - a middle school girl with Charcot Marie-Tooth disease, a form of Muscular Dystrophy (Melissa Shang) and her older sister Eva.  That authenticity carries through the entire story.  Because while we don't forget that Mia is in a wheelchair, the story does not center around it.  She's not a hero or an inspiration.  Accessibility issues are not nonissues here, as we are with Mia when she goes to a friend's house and navigates stairs.  She does not face ableism that is dropped or unacknowledged by the author.

Mia is a normal kid.  She stands up to bullies, and she also makes bad choices, too, like taking her aide's keys and seriously considering breaking into a locker.  She has a hobby that she likes a lot - making stop-motion videos.  She has friend problems.  She has crushes.  She has a mom that is sometimes overprotective, and with whom she clashes at times culturally.  (Mom speaks Chinese and Mia understands it well but does not speak it well.  Mom loves Chinese food, Mia doesn't.)  We always know how the ableism Mia faces makes her feel, and because of that, the reader never ever gets the sense that it's okay to treat someone the way Mia is treated at times.

This is a very real portrayal of being a middle schooler with a disability.  But it's also funny and light  She has a great relationship with her older sister, too, which was nice to see.

Seriously if you have a 9-12 year old in your life (but especially one with a disability) check out this book with them!  It's not expensive, and I'll even link you, so you know exactly where to find it:

Mia Lee is Wheeling Through Middle School

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