Roll With It

Published in 2019, Roll with It is a middle-grade novel by Jamie Sumner, who is also an adult nonfiction author. Like the protagonist, Ellie Cowan, Sumner’s son has cerebral palsy (CP). Sumner’s experience and advocacy for those living with this disability is genuine. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee which appears as an important setting in this novel. Roll with It focuses on central issues of disability, diversity in the disability community, inclusivity, the treatment of elderly people with disabilities, and the search for belonging.

This study guide refers to the 2019 Kindle eBook edition.

Plot Summary

The novel opens in Nashville, Tennessee where readers meet Ellie, an adolescent with cerebral palsy, and her mother, Alice Cowan, who is a teacher. Ellie’s maternal grandpa, Jonah Cowan, has Alzheimer’s and his memory loss is beginning to endanger both Ellie’s grandmother, Marianne (whom she calls Mema) and himself. When Mema calls to report that he locked her out of the house and the neighbors had to help her break in, Alice and Ellie are even more concerned for their wellbeing.