Katrina Tangen is the author of the new children's picture book Ramp It Up!, part of the Steamworks series. She also has written the book Copy That, Copy Cat!. She lives in Southern California.
Q: What inspired you to write Ramp It Up!, and how did you create your character Zoe?
A: When I saw Charlesbridge’s call for Steamworks submissions, I looked at the list of topics they were especially interested in and brainstormed a few. Pretty quickly, I knew I wanted to write about wheelchairs and ramps, because there’s so much hands-on science involved and it’s something I have real-life experience with!
At first, I thought I’d have a kid build a ramp for her wheelchair-using dog. But when I started researching, I discovered that dogs only use wheelchairs for short periods of time, to exercise outside. There are ramps to help little dogs get up on beds or couches, but since there’s no rolling involved, they’re not really like wheelchair ramps.
Plus, I wanted Zoe to experiment with different ramps, but I didn’t want the dog to get hurt. So, I started thinking about who could test ramps safely and realized toys would be perfect!
Then I had to figure out what kind of wheelchair Zoe should use. I have some experience being pushed in a manual hospital-style wheelchair, and I currently use a power wheelchair. But power chairs don’t roll freely, and you wouldn’t want them to—they weigh several hundred pounds!
Instead, I gave Zoe a modern, lightweight manual wheelchair designed for an active user. Since Zoe self-propels, she can use her own wheelchair ramp to see what a safe angle feels like.
Q: What do you think Wendy Wen’s illustrations add to the book?
A: I love how colorful and happy Wendy’s illustrations are! She did a great job bringing Zoe and her world to life.
It’s always interesting to see what new things an illustrator brings to a story. For example, I based Zoe’s building brick house on a Lego beach house I have, but Wendy made it a castle, which is even more fun!
Wendy also brought her experience as a wheelchair user to the illustrations—she definitely knows her way around a ramp!
Q: The School Library Journal said that the book “turns accessibility into practical, joyful problem-solving at a rooftop pool party.” What do you think of that description?
A: I love that! It captures so many elements of Ramp It Up!. Disability joy is important—we need more of that in the world.
I hope Ramp It Up! shows that accessibility is an everyday problem with real solutions. Problem-solving is empowering, whether it’s a STEM problem like figuring out how to build a ramp or an advocacy problem like convincing people to install one in real life!
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: I hope Ramp It Up! helps kids see themselves as scientists and problem-solvers. I hope it empowers disabled kids and expands non-disabled kids’ understanding of disability and accessibility. And I hope it shows kids that STEAM is fun and inspires them to build something awesome!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I always have a million picture books in the works! I’m deep into research on Florence Nightingale, who had a long chronic illness similar to mine. And I’m learning to write a graphic novel script, which is fun.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Ramp It Up! almost didn’t exist! When the Steamworks submission window opened, I submitted another story I already had. I also wanted to write something specifically for Steamworks, but I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to submit two manuscripts.
I finally decided the worst they could say was no! It’s easy to psych yourself out over all of the rules around querying and submitting, but sometimes it’s good to take a chance. I’m sure glad I did!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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