Disability Inclusive Book List
{Image description: looking down at a child and adult reading a book together about a fox} Photo by Lina Kivaka from Pexels
These books have been peer-reviewed and recommended as a good representation of disability. Many titles have great lesson plans attached to them, others have read aloud videos.
Find many of these books, and more, being read on our YouTube Read Aloud Playlist.
This list is ever-growing so check back soon and let us know what other books should be on this list. Let us know by emailing us!
Consider disability portrayal in books not listed here
The movement for disability conversation in the classroom is growing.
Books for Younger Children
Ali and the Sea Stars by Ali Stroker - PreK-2
A book by Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker based on the pivotal summer she performed in her first musical. This picture book captures the magic and community of theater and is about a spirited girl in a wheelchair who stages a show for her hometown.
Ali and the Sea Stars Read Aloud read by Ali Stroker
All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopman - K-3
A book about dealing with anxiety.
All Birds Have Anxiety Read Aloud
The “All Kinds of Friends” Series - K-3
A series of books about children with different types of disabilities.
All the Way to the Top by Annette Bay Pimentel, Foreword by Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins - K-4
A true story of Jennifer Keelan, the activist whose participation in the Capitol Crawl at just eight years old encouraged Congress to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All the Way to the Top Lesson Plan
All the Way to the Top Read Aloud
Benji, The Bad Day and Me by Sally Pla - K-4
Sammy and his Autistic brother Benji are having a bad day, but they realize that their family is there for them even on bad days.
Benji, The Bad Day and Me Read Aloud
Come Over to My House by Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin - PreK-3
Come Over to My House Read Aloud with Auslan (Australian Sign Language)
The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger & Paul Dubois Jacobs - PreK-3
A group of Deaf musicians form a band.
Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin - K-3
A deaf boy and his father walk along the beach.
Dad and Me in the Morning Read Aloud
Dad and me in the Morning Lesson Plan
Don’t Call Me Special by Pat Thomas - K-3
A first look at disability. Explains assumptions and inclusion.
Don’t Call Me Special Read Aloud
Don’t Call Me Special Lesson Plan
Erik the Red Sees Green by Julie Anderson
Erik always tries his best, but he just can’t understand why he’s missing homework questions at school and messing up at soccer practice. Then one day in art class everyone notices that Erik’s painted a picture of himself with green hair! It turns out he’s not just creative, he’s color blind, too. Once Erik is diagnosed, he and his parents, teachers, coach, and classmates figure out solutions that work with his unique way of seeing, and soon he’s back on track.
Fighting for YES!: The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann - by Maryann Cocca-Leffler - K - 5
Picture book about disability rights activist Judy Huemann
Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown - K-3
A book based on the life of one of the world's most influential painters and the animals that inspired her art and life.
Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos Read Aloud
Frida Kahlo Lesson Plan
Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell - K-3
Molly Lou Melon plays with a new friend Gertie, who uses crutches.
Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari
Book about a dog who becomes a therapy dog
How I Learn by Brenda Miles & Colleen Patterson - K-3
An introduction to learning disabilities. Everyone learns differently!
King for a Day by Rukhsana Khan - 1-4
Malik, a boy in a wheelchair, participates in Basant, a kite festival in Pakistan.
The Moose Who Doesn’t Fit by Catherine Rayner - PreK-1
When Ernest is too big to fit in the book, his friend helps him build a bigger book. An example of the social model.
The Moose Who Doesn’t Fit Read Aloud
My Travelin’ Eye by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw - K-4
A young girl with a “lazy” eye gets new glasses and an eye patch.
My Travelin’ Eye Lesson Plan
Not So Different by Shane Burcaw - 1-4
A man with a disability answers questions about being disabled.
Lesson Plan using Not So Different
Sam’s Super Seats by Keah Brown
A joyful picture book about a disabled girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends.
Six Dots by Jen Bryant - K-4
History of Braille
Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis - PreK-2
A young girl does all the things kids do! At the end it is revealed she uses a wheelchair.
Lesson Plan using Susan Laughs
The “Understanding Differences” Series by Lola M Scheafer - PreK-2
A series of books about children with different types of disabilities.
We Want to Go to School!: The Fight for Disability Rights - by Maryann Cocca-Leffler - K - 5
Children in the United States weren’t always allowed to go to public school. This story is about the case Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia which led to laws that gave children that right.
We Want to Go to School Read Aloud (with image descriptions)
We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire
We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community.
Where Did My Dream Go? by Nahjee Grant - K-3
Jasmine is determined to remember her dream. She is a wheelchair user.
Where Did My Dream Go? Read Aloud
Will the One-Winged Eagle by Jimmy Curan - K-4
A one-winged eagle learns to be proud of his differences
Will the One-Winged Eagle Read Aloud
What Happened to You - by James Catchpole - preK - 3
This accessible, funny, and groundbreaking story addresses the questions children often ask, as well as a disabled child's choice not to answer.
Middle Grade and Young Adult (YA) Books
All for One by Lillie Lainoff - grades 7-9
One for All is a gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers, in which a girl with a chronic illness trains as a Musketeer and uncovers secrets, sisterhood, and self-love.
Breath and Count Back from Ten - Natalia Sylvester - grades 8 and up
In this Own Voice novel, Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior year, all while figuring out her first real boyfriend and how to feel safe in her own body.
Can You See Me?, Do You Know Me? And Ways to Be Me by Libby Scott & Rebecca Wescott - grades 3-7
Inspired by young coauthor Libby Scott's own experiences with autism, specifically with a PDA profile (pathological demand avoidance also known as pervasive drive for autonomy) this is an honest and moving story of friends, family, and finding one's place.
Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacey Davidowitz - grades 3-7
A heartfelt middle-grade novel about a theater-loving girl who uses a wheelchair for mobility and her quest to defy expectations—and gravity.
The Degererates by J Albert Mann - grades 9-12
Historical novel follows four young women in the early 20th century whose lives intersect when they are locked up by a world that took the poor, the disabled, the marginalized and institutionalized them for life.
El Deafo by Cece Bell - grades 3-7
A girl gets hearing aids and finds out she has secret powers because she is Deaf.
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit - grades 3-7
In this novel-in-letters story, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen wants to play baseball and nothing can stop her with her knuckleball and a major-league star as her pen pal
Hear Me by Kerry O’Malley Cera - grades 5-8
Based on the author's own hearing loss/deaf experience, this contemporary middle-grade novel follows 12-year-old Rayne who--at odds with her parents over her sudden hearing loss and looming cochlear implant surgery--sets off on a journey where she discovers that even though her ears may be broken, she is not.
Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly - grades 3-7
In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.
The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit - grades 3-7
Middle-grade novel about two autistic sisters, their detective agency, and life's most consequential mysteries.
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper - grades 4-9
A young girl with Cerebral palsy uses facilitated communication. Bullying, friendship, family
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida - grades 4-9
Told from the perspective of a 13 year old Autistic boy. He tells the story of his life.
A movie version is available on Netflix
Rolling Warrior by Judith Heumann and Kristin Joiner - grades 5-9
Young listeners’ edition of her acclaimed memoir, Being Heumann, Judy shares her journey of battling for equal access in an unequal world.
Show Me A Sign trilogy by Ann Clare LeZotte - grades 3-7
Deaf author Ann Clare LeZotte weaves a riveting story inspired by the true history of a thriving deaf community on Martha's Vineyard in the early 19th century. This piercing exploration of ableism, racism, and colonialism will inspire readers to examine core beliefs and question what is considered normal.
Sick Kids in Love - Hannah Moskowitz - grades 10-12
Sick Kids in Love follows Isabel as she tries to navigate life, being a teenager while also managing her chronic illness. to do this Isabel has a rule – no dating. All is going well until she meets another sick kid. And he might just change her mind – because he understands. Sasha understands what it’s like to be sick, what it’s like to feel alone. For once Isabel might consider breaking her rules.
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais - grades 7-12
A Deaf teenager navigates going to a hearing school and developing feelings for a hearing boy.
Someday Birds by Sally Pla - grades 4-9
Equal parts wild road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis.
Tru Biz by Sara Novic - grades 9-12
This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, disability and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection.
Books for Adults and Older Students
These books cover a wide range of topics and content warnings include Rape and Sexual Assault, Suicide and Abuse
A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen
The first book to cover the entirety of disability history, from pre-1492 to the present
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner
A story of fighting to belong in a world that wasn’t built for all of us and of one woman’s activism—from the streets of Brooklyn and San Francisco to inside the halls of Washington—Being Heumann recounts Judy Heumann’s lifelong battle to achieve respect, acceptance, and inclusion in society.
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice Paperback by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
In this collection of essays, longtime activist and performance artist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice, a movement that centers the lives and leadership of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black, and brown people, with knowledge and gifts for all.
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong
One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.
Fading Scars: My Queer Disability History by Corbette Joan O’Toole
Uncovering stories about disability history and life, OToole shares her firsthand account of some of the most dramatic events in Disability History, and gives voice to those too often yet left out. From the 504 Sit-in and the founding of the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, to the Disability Forum at the International Woman's Conference in Beijing; through dancing, sports, queer disability organizing and being a disabled parent, OToole explores her own and the disability community's power and privilege with humor, insight and honest observations.
Good Kings, Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum
This powerful novel invites us into the lives of a group of typical teenagers―alienated, funny, yearning for autonomy―except that they live in an institution for juveniles with disabilities. This unfamiliar, isolated landscape is much the same as the world outside: friendships are forged, trust is built, love affairs are kindled, and rules are broken. But those who call it home have little or no control over their fate. Good Kings Bad Kings challenges our definitions of what it means to be disabled in a story told with remarkable authenticity and in voices that resound with humor and spirit.
Haben by Haben Girma
The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more accessible, inclusive place.
The Sign for Home by Blair Fell
When a young DeafBlind man learns the girl he thought was lost forever might still be out there, he embarks on a life-changing journey to find her—and his freedom.
Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw: Reimagining Success as a Disabled Achiever by Eddie Ndopu
A memoir penned with one good finger, Ndopu writes about being profoundly disabled and profoundly successful. This evocative, searing, and vulnerable prose will leave you spellbound by Ndopu’s remarkable journey to reach beyond ableism, reminding us of our own capacity for resilience.
Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous or angelic. None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling. In this book, she reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life
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Such a Pretty Girl: A Story of Struggle, Empowerment, and Disability Pride by Nadina LaSpina
Nadina LaSpina's story begins with her as a young child in Sicily where she recounts being made the object of well-meaning pity; the move her family made to America, to pursue a cure and the endless hospital stays where she meets other disabled people and her best friend to her activism in the disability rights movement and her personal life.
Tru Biz by Sara Novic
This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, disability and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection.
What We Have Done: An Oral History of the Disability Rights Movement by Fred Pelka
Fred Pelka takes the slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us” at face value. He presents the voices of disability rights activists who, in the period from 1950 to 1990, transformed how society views people with disabilities, and recounts how the various streams of the movement came together to push through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the most sweeping civil rights legislation since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Beginning with the stories of those who grew up with disabilities in the 1940s and '50s, the book traces how disability came to be seen as a political issue, and how people with disabilities―often isolated, institutionalized, and marginalized―forged a movement analogous to the civil rights, women's rights, and gay rights movements, and fought for full and equal participation in American society.
Other Book Lists to Explore
There are also some lists that we encourage you to check out. They are curated by neurodivergent and disabled people as well.
Books on Autism and Neurodiversity – Not an Autism Mom: Their book lists are crowd-sourced by members of the book club, and Autistic opinions are prioritized in their decision-making process.
While they have yet to find a perfect book on autism, all of the books they recommend have been discussed and chosen with care.
The Ability Toolbox’s Lists of children’s books with good disability representation:
23 Children’s Books About Disabilities That Are Educational and Fun
These Children’s Books Get Characters with Down Syndrome Just Right
Disability in Kidlit Honor Roll: Though no longer posting new content, Disability in Kidlit is dedicated to discussing the portrayal of disability in middle grade and young adult literature. They publish articles, reviews, interviews, and discussions examining this topic from various angles — and always from the disabled perspective.
Washington State's One Out of Five Book Resource Guide: This list of eighty-five fiction, nonfiction, anthologies, poetry, and more books was compiled from Diverse Book Finder, The Schneider Family Book Awards, Disability in KidLit, Ramp Your Voice!, Disability Visibility Project, Undoing Ableism, and recommendations from the Office of the Education Ombuds. There are a variety of picture books, chapter books, memoirs, anthologies, and novels listed for a range of reading levels and interests, organized by grade level. Media resources including blogs, podcasts, and videos are provided separately at the end of each lesson plan
A Novel Mind: a resource for exploring children's literature that deals with mental health and neurodiversity issues.
Julia Bascom's Pinterest Board: Books Julie recommends for explaining autism/disability/neurodiversity to younger kids.
Books for Littles lists:
Tenacious Instigators - Kids Books Celebrating Disabled Heroes
De-Stigmatizing Disability: Stereotype-Smashing Kids Books
5 Things Every Kid Should Know About Disability - Raising Anti-Ableist Kids
Influential Kids Books Featuring Capable Disabled Characters
4 Ways to Fight Ableism With Kids Books: #LiberatingWebinars
Updated 12/09/23
Lesson plans and resources using books:
