When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair

"Focused on a child’s shifting self-image, it’s a complex exploration of autonomy, identity, and support" – Publishers Weekly

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.

Ryan Rae Harbuck's award-winning debut memoir When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair offers a keen look into her life after a spinal cord injury in her teens made her a wheelchair user. She’s on a mission to change the narrative of disability, one word at a time. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, USA, Ryan has been a teacher, coach, and a mentor, but likes being Mom the most.

Barry Lee is an illustrator and writer based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. They love using a bright palette and fun shapes to create characters that tell meaningful stories rooted in collective care and freedom. Beyond making art, Barry loves cooking, being in community with others, and stargazing among the trees.