Katrina Tangen

Children’s Author

Ramp It Up!

Unboxing RAMP IT UP!

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Unboxing RAMP IT UP! and the Spanish version, ¡ELEVA LA RAMPA!

My first author copies of RAMP IT UP! were a big surprise! I wasn’t expecting to get author copies so soon—June for an October release. Plus, the box seemed too small for author copies! It turned out to be a bit of an amuse-bouche—one copy of the English hardcover and one of the Spanish hardcover. Plus, a really sweet note from my editors and art director.

It’s so fun to see it become a real book! The spot gloss doesn’t come through that well in the pictures, but it looks great in person. There’s even a shiny LEGO!

Only having one copy of each version makes me feel very protective of them, like they’re the only copies in the world. 😆 I’m looking forward to seeing the paperbacks and having a few more copies on hand!

You can watch a short video of the unboxing on Instagram or YouTube.

Thank you note
Katrina holding picture book titled “Ramp it Up!”

Cover Reveal: Ramp It Up!

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Cover of picture book titled Ramp It Up!, written by Katrina Tangen, illustrated by Wendy Wen, part of Charlesbridge’s Steam Works series.

I’m excited to share the cover of RAMP IT UP!

Isn’t it cute? It’s fun to see how Wendy brought everyone to life!

RAMP IT UP! is about a girl named Zoe who uses a wheelchair and loves building with LEGO (well, technically, unnamed toy building blocks 😁). Her latest creation is a castle with a rooftop pool perfect for parties—but it’s not accessible for her toys with wheels.  With the help of her toys Miles and Car (and a lot of trial and error), Zoe builds her way to the best party ever!

RAMP IT UP! will be published October 6, 2026 by Charlesbridge as part of their STEAMWORKS line, which shows all kinds of kids using math and science in their everyday lives.

Pre-order RAMP IT UP! now anywhere books are sold! Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads.

Also available in Spanish as ¡ELEVA LA RAMPA!: Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreaads.

Book #2 Announcement!

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I’m excited to announce that my second picture book has been acquired by Charlesbridge Publishing!

It’s part of their new STEAMWORKS collection, showing all kinds of kids using science and math in their everyday lives. It’s a partnership with Count Play Explore, an initiative by the Office of Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Early Care and Education Department. So that’s kind of cool because Charlesbridge is in the Boston area, my college stomping grounds (I have often crossed bridges over the Charles River!). And the other is in my home state—if not anywhere near my hometown. 🙂

RAMP IT UP! combines my experience as a wheelchair with my love of LEGO! It includes simple machines (specifically inclined planes), geometry, and spatial reasoning. It’s illustrated by Wendy Wen, who also uses a wheelchair.

RAMP IT UP! is about a girl named Zoe who uses a manual wheelchair. She builds an awesome castle (with a pool on the roof!) from bricks that are technically not LEGOs for legal reasons. 🙂 Zoe wants to throw a pool party for her toys and her friends’ toys. But she realizes there’s no way for her toys that use wheels to get to the pool! So Zoe builds a ramp, experimenting with different angles to design one that’s safe. Car and Miles (a toy that uses a wheelchair) take on the exciting job of helping her test them!

RAMP IT UP! will be available in both Spanish and English. Look for it this fall!