‘Pinned’ by Sharon G. Flake

Update, March 11, 2018: I was able to connect with Scholastic, the publisher, concerning use of the phrase “confined to a wheelchair” in descriptive copy that appeared on the book’s back cover. (See my original review, below.)

I was told that Scholastic will change the phrasing for future printings of this book, and wish to express my appreciation to Scholastic for being receptive to concerns about ableism shaping how people with disabilities are perceived.

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My reaction was mixed to Pinned by Sharon G. Flake (Scholastic, 2014). I empathized with Autumn’s plight as she struggled to unlock reading, because one of the people closest in my life is dealing with a print-disability.

Both of the protagonists, Autumn and Adonis, seemed to be well fleshed-out characters. I was able to relate and empathize with ways that the characters grew and developed.

One area where I struggled to keep up with the story was the two of them ending up together. (I don’t think that’s a spoiler, because I think the publisher’s description made clear that they were headed toward that pairing.)

Autumn was pretty clear with her feelings: she was attracted to Adonis and aggressively acted upon that attraction. (Another reviewer on Goodreads addressed, with concern, Autumn’s trampling upon consent and legitimately asked, how this book would read if the two character’s genders were reversed.) But throughout much of the book, Adonis expresses that he does not like Autumn. So going from not-liking to liking, even loving someone: it was hard to keep up with those changes.

One thing I felt that I needed to address is the publisher’s choice of language when describing the book’s protagonists. In its back-cover copy, Scholastic states that Adonis is “confined to a wheelchair." This judgement is ableist, and it goes against the stated experiences of many people who rely upon wheelchairs.

I’d like Scholastic to consider the views of one such user, Heather McCain: that a wheelchair, far from being “confining,” offers mobility, freedom, and independence.

“Without a wheelchair I would have been stuck at home for an entire decade. With my wheelchair I was able to start a non-profit organization, volunteer in the community, be active in sports, have a great social life, and be independent. At no point, in my ten years of using a wheelchair, did I ever feel confined or bound. I felt free, independent, and able to participate as a productive member in our society thanks to my wheelchair.”

The publisher’s description will serve, for many readers, as an entry-point to this story, and provides readers with a first impression of the characters Ms. Flake has created. And the most terrifying past experience of Adonis’ life involved his being suddenly without the mobility that he derives with his wheelchair.

Beyond the story, the publisher’s choice of words helps to shape the way that disability is understood, and discussed in our society.

In McCain’s words, again: “It is true that there are a lot of accessibility issues that create barriers for people who use wheelchairs, but the barriers stem from the inaccessibility of communities that aren’t inclusive, not the wheelchair itself.”

Disclosure of material connection: My taxes support local libraries’ acquisition of this and other resources. I consider the access I enjoy to be a “priceless” return on my investment.