Sam's Super Seats

by Keah Brown, Sharee Miller (Illustrator), Keah Brown (Read by)

Overview

A joyful picture book about a disabled girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends, from #DisabledandCute creator and The Pretty One author Keah Brown.

Sam loves herself, learning, and making her family and friends laugh. She also loves comfortable seats, including a graceful couch named after Misty Copeland and Laney, the sassy backseat of Mom’s car.

After a busy morning of rest, Sam and her friends try on cute outfits at the mall and imagine what the new school year might bring. It’s not until Sam feels tired, and the new seat she meets isn’t so super, that she discovers what might be her best idea all day.

With hilarious, charming text by Keah Brown and exuberant illustrations by Sharee Miller, Sam’s Super Seats celebrates the beauty of self-love, the power of rest, and the necessity of accessible seating in public spaces. Includes narrative description of art for those with low/limited vision.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593323908
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/23/2022
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	918,947
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
File size:	28 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Keah Brown is a journalist, author, and screenwriter. She is the creator of #DisabledAndCute, and her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire UK, and The New York Times, among other publications. Her debut essay collection The Pretty One (Atria Books) published in 2019, and her writing has appeared in the anthologies Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong and You Are Your Best Thing, edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown.

Sharee Miller is the author-illustrator of Princess Hair, Don't Touch My Hair!, and Michelle's Garden (Little Brown for Young Readers). She is also the illustrator of The Shai and Emmie series, written by Quvenzhané Wallis and Nancy Ohlin (Simon and Schuster). Her colorful, happy characters are created using watercolor, colored pencil and pen. 

Editorial Reviews

06/27/2022

Supported by a series of “super seats,” Sam, a Black child who has cerebral palsy, goes back-to-school shopping in an exuberant picture book that centers ease and rest. Preparing to meet up with two best friends, Sam acknowledges that “I overdid it on the swings” the day before, so sits on their favorite super seat—“comfortable and graceful” living room couch Misty, named for ballerina Misty Copeland. En route to the mall, they next perch on “funny, cool, and kind” Laney, the car’s back seat. After assembling outfits (including pieces of adaptive clothing) and posing in new duds that make them feel “good on the inside and outside... strong... and ready to learn,” Sam needs a rest. The group sits down together on a wooden bench that befriends Sam. (“I know I’m not that comfy,” says Maya the bench, “but I can help you rest when you are tired.”) Brown’s (The Pretty One, for adults) candid prose matches the characters’ affectionate demeanors and open expressions, while Miller’s (Michelle’s Garden) pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add playfulness to an assured story about accommodation and self-love. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Alexander Slater, Trident Media Group. Illustrator’s agent: Monica Odom, Odom Media Management. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR SAM'S SUPER SEATS

"A warmhearted, necessary affirmation of disability and self-love through a multifaceted, endearingly imaginative narrator. ... A spirited celebration of self-confidence and self-care." —Kirkus Reviews

"An exuberant picture book that centers ease and rest ... Brown’s (The Pretty One, for adults) candid prose matches the characters’ affectionate demeanors and open expressions, while Miller’s (Michelle’s Garden) pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add playfulness to an assured story about accommodation and self-love." —Publishers Weekly

“Keah Brown, author of The Pretty One and founder of the #DisabledAndCute hashtag on Twitter, writes a delightful story centering disabled joy in her debut picture book.” – BookRiot
 
“Cheerful and conversational, Sam’s Super Seats is an intersectional addition to the back-to-school picture book canon.” – BookPage

"Beautiful, whimsical, and heartfelt. A gorgeously illustrated reminder that our strengths come in many different shapes and that rest can be part of the adventure." — Ashley Lukashevsky, New York Times bestselling illustrator 

From the Publisher

07/29/2022

PreS-Gr 3—This back-to-school story has a welcoming spin for those who are differently-abled; Brown, who identifies as a disabled activist, introduces readers to Sam, a little girl with a big personality who does not allow her physical condition to affect her negatively. Sam has cerebral palsy and sometimes requires rest for her tired legs. When it's time for a break, she finds a super seat, any spot where she and her friends when they are around can rest. In the story, Sam's mom takes her and two friends shopping. They find new outfits, give plenty of compliments, and look forward to their new school year. Brown's lively text carries the plot and allows the reader to hear Sam's voice and personality. Miller creates spirited scenes that offer a glimpse of Sam's movements, immerse readers in Sam's world, her matter-of-fact attitude, her kind and very mainstream friends (a diverse group, while Sam and her family are Black), and the overlap of Sam's normal with everyone else's. VERDICT Regardless of differences, this is a back-to-school tale that captures the excitement and anticipation of this special time of year; the treatment of Sam's working with her particular body while surpassing expectations and living life to the fullest is one every child can relate to. Recommended for all those teaching acceptance and tolerance in all aspects of life.—Brittany McMahon

School Library Journal

2022-05-11
A child with cerebral palsy describes how resting helps them to have fun.

Every morning, as Daddy combs Sam’s hair, Sam, a Black child sporting glasses, lists qualities they like about themselves. Today, Sam likes their dance skills, their eyes, and their fingers, which are slightly crooked on their right hand. But cerebral palsy makes Sam’s legs tired if they overdo things. And Sam has a busy day ahead: Mommy is taking them and their best friends, Sydney and Sarah, shopping for back-to-school clothes! Fortunately, Sam has a team of “super seats,” which she creatively anthropomorphizes, so she can rest up and join the fun. Misty, a couch named for ballerina Misty Copeland, is a partner for pirouetting and playing I Spy. And Laney, the back seat of Mommy’s car, tells hilarious jokes. At the mall, Sam and their supportive friends don clothes that make them feel strong and confident, and Sam “walk[s] the runway, limping with pride,” in adaptive clothing. As the day winds down, Sam declares that “being me is the best, and sometimes I need a little rest.” Brown offers a warmhearted, necessary affirmation of disability and self-love through a multifaceted, endearingly imaginative narrator. Miller’s bright cartoon illustrations radiate joy and affection; Sam’s grin is infectious. Sydney has light skin and curly brown hair; Sarah is Asian. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A spirited celebration of self-confidence and self-care. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews