The Double Life of a Wheelchair User by Rob Keeley
| The Double Life of a Wheelchair User by Rob Keeley | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Jill Murphy
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| Summary: The story of a young boy who uses a wheelchair navigating the transition from SEND to mainstream school. Beautifully done and children - in or out of chairs - will recognise Will's trials and tribulations, as well as his hopes and dreams. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 200 | Date: November 2025 |
| Publisher: Troubadour | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1836285496 | |
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Will is a keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and a supportive friend. But most of all, he is an aspiring writer. English is his favourite lesson at his school, Marlowe Park, and one at which he excels. This hasn't gone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, and she has suggested to Will and his mum that he spends a couple of afternoons a week at a different school, Station Road, where his ability might be better extended.
Will is excited and also, unsurprisingly, a little apprehensive. New environments are always testing and it's hard to go from being a big fish in a little pond to a much bigger pond with a lot more fish. But Will also feels a special responsibility. Because Will uses a wheelchair and Marlowe Park is a SEND school while Station Road is a mainstream school. If Will's placement goes well, it might lead to more integration between the schools and show that kids like him can flourish in the mainstream.
This all sounds rather heavy, doesn't it? Well, don't worry. The Double Life of a Wheelchair User isn't heavy at all. Will navigates his double life fairly well, albeit with a few hiccups, such as balancing his friendships with two girls, and he has lots of adventures and mishaps - an hilariously disastrous school trip, a Santa Claus mix up, a competition to collect the most cereal box tokens. He also has to deal with some challenges including bullying, and becoming a bit too big for his boots. It's a fun read with serious undertones rather than a serious read with a few light moments.
As you all know by now, we here at Bookbag Towers are big fans of Rob Keeley. He writes lovely, accessible, entertaining stories full of the real bread and butter of children's lives. He gets kids and we give a big thumbs up to all his work. But we're going to give The Double Life of a Wheelchair User our biggest thumbs up yet. It's such an ordinary story of a boy who loves to write, has friends who he sometimes lifts up and sometimes lets down because he's not perfect, and who has all the quotidian worries - including juggling two girls who like him! - that any child has. He's also a wheelchair user and while this is intrinsic to the story, it's Will's story, not a wheelchair's story. I love this careful balance of educating readers about life in a chair and avoiding patronising or lecturing them, which Keeley navigates with ease.
When Will gets bullied, for instance, the bully uses his chair as a tool in the bullying. That's what bullies do - pick a thing that might make you vulnerable or that might cause embarrassment, and use it. But kids in and out of chairs get bullied. To the bully, it doesn't matter what the thing is, just that there is a thing to use. But Keeley makes clear that this particular bully is an equal opportunity offender so readers will see that anyone could be Will and take notice of how it's described and learn lessons in how to respond, whether it's them or someone else who is being bullied.
Some gentle lessons about children with disabilities having challenges to overcome but, notwithstanding them, still have more in common with other children than not, some hilarious adventures, some trials and tribulations and an ending full of optimism. What more could you want in a middle grade story?
Highly, highly, recommended.
Rob Keeley has also written some great humorous short stories for newly confident readers to enjoy. Childish Spirits is the first in his ghost story series for middle graders.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Double Life of a Wheelchair User by Rob Keeley at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free. (Paid link)
You can read more book reviews or buy The Double Life of a Wheelchair User by Rob Keeley at Amazon.com. (Paid link)
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