Being scrappy is a great thing. It means a person is adaptable, resourceful, and creative. But a person’s scrappiness may be a sign of living in a challenging environment. Big Read 2025 author, Kansas Citian Rebekah Taussig, is very scrappy; she lost the use of her legs as a toddler.

Taussig reads her new children’s book, We Are the Scrappy Ones, an ode to those who navigate a world that isn’t designed with them in mind. The book, illustrated by Kirbi Fagan, says that the variation among the community of different bodies is part of what makes it so strong – especially in “A world starved for creativity and flexibility,” as Taussig writes.

Contribute to a collaborative art project inspired by the book, ask Taussig questions after she reads, and get a free copy of the book to take home while supplies last.

Recommended for ages three and up.

Big Read 2025 is supported in part by The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, the City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, and the Estelle S. and Robert A. Long Ellis Foundation. NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. El Proyecto NEA Big Read es una iniciativa del National Endowment for the Arts (el Fondo Nacional para las Artes de Estados Unidos) en cooperacion con Arts Midwest.