This book really hit me, and you may be asking yourself, why? This book was sweet, cute and short. Yes, it was but it was also a story about friendship with someone with a disability and I don't think there is enough representation of that in literature. being someone who uses a wheelchair I thought this was a sweet and touching story about a friend who wanted their friend to be able to enjoy the things that they do and wanted to enjoy it together and made it happen.

A decent picture book, but perhaps too personal a project for those involved and therefore lacking somewhat in the narrative oomph. It's about how a real-world school managed to raise funds for a fully-accessible playground, including one of those mahoosive swings you can park a wheelchair – and a wheelchair user – and a friend – on while it does its swinging business. The story is conveyed here in nice picture book fashion, but the narrative is kids-don't-have-accessible-swing, they-raise-funds, they-do-the-end. There's no drama in that, and while this is clearly a sign that this can be done, and achieved at the grass-roots level by community goodwill and hard amounts of volunteering to raise funds, that's all this is – there's no spice to the story as it's pitched so young and it doesn't have much campaigning clout either. It's a nudge to inclusivity that leaves the old and the young alike in a position where they don't really get much from these pages. I don't even see word that this (at $20) is raising funds for further such equipment. It's a back-slapping memento for this happy school and its children.

A Swing for Samara is a loving story about accessibility and making sure all of our friends have somewhere to play! I absolutely love that this was inspired by a true story and I believe the bright colors and animal characters would make this a wonderful introduction to any age when discussing accessibility and how we can lead with empathy.

There are not many options out there depicting relationships between friends where one has a severe disability and one who is able-bodied. I loved the dynamic between the characters, which is sweet and respectful. And the care that fellow students show to rally and get Samara playground equipment to accommodate her wheelchair, is heartwarming. The reader is left proud of the students and happy for Samara that she can feel the joy every other kiddo feels flying through the air on the swing!

The story is simple for kids to understand and the illustrations are colorful and skew traditional. I would say that this book skews preschool level. I know the story is based on the experiences of 5th- and 6th-grade classes, who are a bit older than the audience I would recommend for this book.

Thank you for sharing this story!

For some reason, the pictures didn’t show up in my ARC copy. But, aside from that, the story was great! I use a wheelchair myself for long distances, and it’s sad when certain things aren’t accessible. So this children’s book and the message it taught was awesome! 😊

Touching and captivating story, where Samara also gets to swing, while still being on her wheel chair. Nice one for kids to accept those with inabilities and trying to make a space for them also in all fields of life.

A Swing for Samara, written by Nancy Carlson, is an inspiring picture book written about friends who do everything together, but they face a problem when they realize that wheelchairs can not fit on the swings at their school. In the book the children have to come up with a plan to fix their problem, which they are able to do together to make their school and playground more accessible to all children.

This book is based on the story of real children, fifth and sixth graders, who realized that not all children could play together at recess, and worked to do something about it. I love that these kind, empathetic, and smart children were able to come up with a solution, and that their solution is being told through this book.

I really enjoyed this book, but would have loved more illustrations as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'A Swing for Samara' by Nancy Carlson is a about Marco who helps out his best friend, Samara, be included in a fun activity.
I think the art style will appeal to children, a plus given how it's for children, along with teaching them the values of kindness and taking actions to help those they care about.
It's only 4/5 since I feel like the story's missing more impact and buildup to the solution. Such as Marco having a conversation with his parents and from communication, he realizes what should be done to help out his best friend. A few panels feel as though they don't fit the flow.
Nitpicks aside, I think this book will help teach future readers about the values of kindness, pro-activeness and friendship.

I used to work in a special needs classroom and this story felt so true. We had kids with different abilities including one nonverbal girl in a wheelchair. The other kids spent the days talking to her, telling her they loved her, and making sure she had everything she needed. And she made it so clear she knew she was loved.
In this story, the classmates realize their friend Samara can't get on the swing with her wheelchair, so they make a plan to build a swing she can use. At the end, we meet the real life people who inspired this beautiful story.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

A swing for Samara is inspired by the true story of an elementary school
in Minnesota. The story follows two friends, Samara and Marcus while they attend school and participate in many of their favorite activities together. However while playing at the park one day, they the duo realize that they are unable to swing together, since Samara’s wheelchair will not fit on the swings. This upsets Marcus and Samara, and the two work together along side the school to fundraise for more inclusive and accessible playground equipment.

In addition to adding this book to your list of spring reads, be sure to check out The Compass Program!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Swing for Samara comes out April 1st!

This is a very short book which shows how Samara, a child who is nonverbal and in a wheelchair, is understood by her friends and classmates. They strive to get her a wheelchair so she can participate in the same activities as her friends.

Oh my god, this is sooooo precious story that i ever read
I love the idea of universal design for All about. A love samara and their friends. All kids should read this to gain awareness about disability and acceptance

With a minimal use of words, Carlson provides an informative and easy to read experience to help children and adults alike understand the need for inclusion.

What a great book that teaches young children the importance of inclusivity and kindness. Such a sweet story that children can understand and even show them how they can help others. Kudos to those children for raising the money for the playground equipment and to the author for sharing this story for others!

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I love this story partially because it's true and in part because it's a wonderful look at what friendship can accomplish. The pictures really bring the story to life, all the hard work that was put into this endeavor and the long time it took to happen. Also they give a good idea of what these swing look like.

This book beautifully illustrates that children who use wheelchairs share the same dreams and desires as all other kids. Through its engaging story, it opens our eyes to the universal childhood experience of wanting to play, explore, and join in the fun. The informative section at the back introduces readers to remarkable innovations in accessible playground equipment - including wheelchair-adaptive swings, which were a delightful discovery for me. Not only does this book entertain, it educates and advocates for inclusive play spaces where every child can experience the simple joy of being a kid. A short meaningful read that celebrates accessibility while gently raising awareness about the importance of inclusive design!

Thank you North Star Editions, Flux & NetGalley for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review!

Samara and Marco are the very best of friends and they do everything together -- everything, that is, except swing. Samara uses a wheelchair, which means that she can't fit on the swings that everyone else uses. Marco is mad at how unfair this is, so he and their other friends plan to raise enough money to make sure that *everyone* can swing and have fun on their playground!

Based on a true story, A Swing for Samara is a heartfelt story of accessibility, disability justice, and the power of a compassionate community. Paired with adorably sweet illustrations, this story will instill in children early on that just because someone is different doesn't mean they should be excluded. What ultimately brings us together as a community is often what makes us unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay. To start off, I loved the art style. It was cute and bright the way I appreciate. Secondly, the plot was great and the emphasis on how important inclusion for disabled people mattered even in recreation made me happy. More people need to understand that advocating for others is just the right thing to do, and it shouldn’t be prompted by morality but instead compassion and love. Disabled people deserve to be loved and have that love reflected in their world though attention and accommodations. This book just hit the nail on the head, and in a digestible way for children.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and North Star Editions for an advanced read copy of this wonderful book by Nancy Carlson!

A Swing for Samara is a sweet story about the power of inclusive practices in school communities. Rabbit friends Marco and Samara do many things together at school. One thing that they can't do together is swing at their school's playground. The school community comes together to make sure that their playground is accessible for all students and Samara can finally fully join her friends at recess!

As a special education teacher working with students that have multiple disabilities, this book made my heart so happy! At the start of each school year I spend time with my special education students' grade level inclusion classrooms to help educate their peers on how they can include my students and answer any of their questions to help them be more comfortable and confident in their interactions with all of their peers. I think this would be a great resource to share with the classrooms at that time. I love how the book focuses on everything Samara can do instead of what she can't. I also love how it educates children on accessibility and also mentions how Samara is non-verbal but can still develop meaningful friendships at school.

I loved hearing the back story behind this book and the wonderful programs and initiatives this school community in Michigan started!

I would highly recommend this book to my colleagues and I am looking forward to purchasing a copy for my elementary school!

Amazing story about a bond between two children where one happens to be in a wheelchair. They face a problem that they can't do everything together (swing). They come up with a solution to fix this problem! The best part is this is a real life story and in the back of book shows off the dedicated children, along with their Teachers, helped find the solution! This is a great book about inclusion and should be read in all classrooms at an early age!

Thank you to NetGalley, North Star Editions, and Jelly Fish Press for the advanced reader copy. This book is set to be published on Apr 01 2025. Excellent book!