By Jamie Sumner prose novel
Moving on to high school is a leap of faith for any teenager, but for Ellie, it is a chance to show the world that life on wheels never stops rolling forward.
Jamie Sumner concludes her celebrated trilogy with Rolling On, a contemporary middle grade novel that hits on the bittersweet tension of finishing eighth grade. Recently honored as a Junior Library Guild selection, the story centers on Ellie Cowan, a sharp-witted girl who uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy. As she prepares for the intimidating jump to high school, Ellie also finds herself dealing with a changing relationship with her best friend, Bert, and the heavy emotional weight of her grandfather’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Through a mix of humor and personal letters, Sumner crafts a story that feels honest and chaotic, capturing the transition into adolescence while highlighting the resilience required to face both physical and emotional hurdles.
For educators looking to build a Changemaker collection, this book offers a direct link to SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. Ellie’s journey moves beyond simple representation; it provides a model for empathy and inclusion in action. The narrative can be used to ground a middle school unit on accessibility, by having students perform an “Inclusive Spaces Audit.” After reading about Ellie’s experiences, students could investigate their own campus for barriers and draft proposals for more equitable social or physical spaces. This ties directly into the IB Learner Profile trait of being caring, as characters demonstrate how to show up for friends and family during times of loss. By connecting Ellie’s advocacy for her own needs to real-world school environments, the book helps students realize they have the agency to identify and fix inequalities in their own backyard.
