Disability Pride Month

Every July, the city of Lake Oswego, Oregon recognizes Disability Pride Month with events throughout the city.

Disability Pride Month promotes acceptance of disability as an identity, community, and culture. It honors the history, achievements, and experiences of people with disabilities while challenging ableism and discrimination.

Disability pride is about embracing people with disabilities as fully human. It is not about denying challenges or “liking” one’s disability but rejecting shame and the idea that disabled people are less capable of contributing to society.

At Lake Oswego Public Library, we are proud to support Disability Pride Month with a growing collection of books by and about disabled people. These include works that reflect authentic disability experiences, often written by disabled authors themselves, avoiding stereotypes that reduce disability to plot devices or negative tropes. This month, explore our curated booklist that highlights diverse perspectives on disability:.


Updated June 24, 2025
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Access state-level health and demographic data about adults with disabilities.
Watch documentaries about the history of the disability rights movement and meet artists and families whose stories examine their disability experiences.

Although not yet officially recognized in the United States, since 2004 Disability Pride Month has been celebrated with parades in cities including New York, Chicago, Madison, and Los Angeles.

Love from A to Z
Ali, S. K.
Paper Book
A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick "The bighearted, wildly charming, painfully real love story I've been waiting for." --Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda From William C. Morris Award...
A quiet kind of thunder
Barnard, Sara
Paper Book
Steffi doesn't talk, but she has so much to say.Rhys can't hear, but he can listen.Their love isn't a lightning strike, it's the rumbling roll of thunder.Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy...
El deafo
Bell, Cece
Paper Book
Cece Bell's #1 New York Times Bestseller graphic novel El Deafo is the origin story of a student with hearing loss and a hearing aid becoming a superhero. A John Newbery Medal Winner Now an Apple+ Animated TV Series! ...
Mean baby a memoir of growing up
Blair, Selma, 1972-
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERĀ * Selma Blair has played many roles: Ingenue in Cruel Intentions. Preppy ice queen in Legally Blonde. Muse to Karl Lagerfeld. Advocate for the multiple sclerosis community. But before all of that, Selma was known best as ... a mean baby. In a...
Beautiful people my thirteen truths about disability
Blake, Melissa (Blogger)
Paper Book
Well-known disability activist and social media influencer Melissa Blake offers a frank, illuminating memoir and a call to action for disabled people and allies. In the summer of 2019, journalist Melissa Blake penned an op-ed for CNN Opinion. A conservative pundit...
Shouting won't help : why I - and 50 million other Americans - can't hear you
Bouton, Katherine
Paper Book
For twenty-two years, Katherine Bouton had a secret that grew harder to keep every day. An editor atThe New York Times, at daily editorial meetings she couldn't hear what her colleagues were saying. She had gone profoundly deaf in her left ear; her right was getting worse. As she once put...
The pretty one : on life, pop culture, disability, and other reasons to fall in love with me
Brown, Keah
Paper Book
From the disability rights advocate and creator of the #DisabledAndCute viral campaign, a thoughtful, inspiring, and charming collection of essays exploring what it means to be black and disabled in a mostly able-bodied white America. Keah Brown loves herself, but that hadn't...
Mermaid : a memoir of resilience
Cronin, Mary Eileen.
Paper Book
At the age of three, Eileen Cronin first realized that only she did not have legs. Her boisterous Catholic family accepted her situation as "God's will," treating her no differently than her ten siblings, as she "squiddled" through their 1960s Cincinnati home. But starting school, even wearing...
Invisible differences : a story of Asperger's, adulting, and living a life in full color
Dachez, Julie
Paper Book
Meet Marguerite. She feels awkward, struggling everyday to stay productive at work and keep up appearances with friends. She'ssensitive, irritable at times. She makes her environment a fluffy, comfortingcocoon, alienating her boyfriend. The everyday noise and stimuli...
Deaf utopia : a memoir-- and a love letter to a way of life
DiMarco, Nyle
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A heartfelt and inspiring memoir and celebration of Deaf culture by Nyle DiMarco, actor, producer, two-time reality show winner, and cultural icon of the international Deaf community Before becoming the actor, producer, advocate, and model...
How to be human : an autistic man's guide to life
Fleming, Jory
Paper Book
An unforgettable, unconventional narrative that examines the many ways to be fully human, told by the first young adult with autism to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. As a child, Jory Fleming was wracked by uncontrollable tantrums, had no tolerance for...
Where you see yourself
Forrest, Claire (Young adult author)
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book What does it take to follow your dreams? Where You See Yourself is a relatable, romantic, and necessary story about a girl who has to figure out what--and who--will bring her the happiness she deserves. By the time Effie...
Mean little deaf queer : a memoir
Galloway, Terry.
Paper Book
In 1959, the year Terry Galloway turned nine, the voices of everyone she loved began to disappear. No one yet knew that an experimental antibiotic given to her mother had wreaked havoc on her fetal nervous system, eventually causing her to go deaf. As a self-proclaimed "child freak," she acted out...
We're not broken : changing the autism conversation
Garcia, Eric
Paper Book
"This book is a message from autistic people to their parents, friends, teachers, coworkers and doctors showing what life is like on the spectrum. It's also my love letter to autistic people. For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another...
You're welcome, universe
Gardner, Whitney
Paper Book
A vibrant, edgy, fresh new YA voice for fans of More Happy Than Not and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, packed with interior graffiti. When Julia finds a slur about her best friend scrawled across the back of the Kingston School for the Deaf, she covers it up...
The silence between us
Gervais, Alison
Paper Book
"The Silence Between Us is eminently un-put-down-able." (NPR) Schneider Family Book Award, Best Teen Honor Book 2020 "This is a great YA contemporary (clean) romance that follows Maya as she navigates a new school and plans for her future. The addition of...
Haben : the deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law
Girma, Haben
Paper Book
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. Haben grew up spending summers with her family in the enchanting Eritrean city of Asmara. There, she...
So lucky
Griffith, Nicola
Paper Book
From the author of Hild, a fierce and urgent autobiographical novel about a woman facing down a formidable foe So Lucky is the sharp, surprising new novel by Nicola Griffith--the profoundly personal and emphatically political story of a confident woman forced to...
I live a life like yours : a memoir
Grue, Jan
Paper Book
* A New York Times Editors' Choice * Publishers Weekly Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 * I am not talking about surviving. I am not talking about becoming human, but about how I came to realize that I had always already been human. I am writing about all that I...
Being Heumann An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
Heumann, Judith.
Audiobook
Soon to be an Apple feature movie directed by CODA's Sian Heder and starring BAFTA-nominated actress Ruth Madeley as Judy Heumann "This important book will help ensure that every person gets a chance to live up to their full potential and will always have a place at the...
Get a life, Chloe Brown a novel
Hibbert, Talia
Paper Book
Thunder dog : the true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at Ground Zero
Hingson, Michael
Ebook
#1Ā NEW YORK TIMESĀ BESTSELLER An instantĀ New York TimesĀ bestseller,Ā Thunder DogĀ tells the true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the life-changing power of faith and trust in the face of terror. When one of four hijacked planes flew into the World...
The kiss quotient
Hoang, Helen
Paper Book
From the author of The Bride Test comes a romance novel hailed as one of The Washington Post's 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2018Ā and one of Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2018! "This is such a fun read and it's also quite original and sexy and sensitive."--Roxane Gay,...
A curse so dark and lonely
Kemmerer, Brigid
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! "Has everything you'd want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale." - Jodi Picoult In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance...
But what will people say? navigating mental health, identity, love, and family between cultures
Kohli, Sahaj Kaur
Paper Book
A Harvard Public Health Best Public Health Book of 2024 "This wonderful book is a compass, a blueprint, a mirror, and a friend. Kohli gives language to what many of us feel but can't yet articulate."--Erika L. SƔnchez, New York Times bestselling author of I am Not...
Demystifying disability : what to know, what to say, and how to be an ally
Ladau, Emily
Paper Book
An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and whatnotto do) andhow you can help make the world a more inclusive place ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR- NPR, Booklist . "A candid,...
Disfigured : on fairy tales, disability, and making space
Leduc, Amanda
Paper Book
A CBC BOOKS BEST NONFICTION OF 2020 AN ENTROPY MAGAZINE BEST NONFICTION 2020/21 A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK OF THE DAY (07/23/2022) Fairy tales shape how we see the world, so what happens when you identify more with the Beast than Beauty? If every disabled...
Not if I see you first
Lindstrom, Eric
Paper Book
In the tradition of Gayle Forman and John Green comes this extraordinary YA debut about a blind teen girl navigating life and love in high school. Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently...
I'll scream later
Matlin, Marlee.
Paper Book
The compelling memoir of the Academy Award-winning actress and role model for 30 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people serves as an inspiration and a lesson in overcoming adversity. color photos.
What doesn't kill you : a life with chronic illness-lessons from a body in revolt
Miller, Tessa
Paper Book
"Should be read by anyone with a body. . . . Relentlessly researched and undeniably smart." --The New York Times Named one of BuzzFeed's "Best Books of 2021" What Doesn't Kill You is the riveting account of a young journalist's...
Sick kids in love
Moskowitz, Hannah
Paper Book
An ALA Sydney Taylor Award Honoree A Junior Library Guild Selection Isabel has one rule: no dating. It's easier-- It's safer-- It's better-- --for the other person. She's got issues. She's got secrets. She's got rheumatoid arthritis....
Divergent mind thriving in a world that wasn't designed for you
Nerenberg, Jenara
Paper Book
AUDIBLE EDITOR'S PICK The bestselling, paradigm-shifting study of neurodivergent women--those with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorder--exploring why these traits are overlooked in women and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths...
The oracle code : a graphic novel
Nijkamp, Marieke
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp and artist Manuel Preitano unveil a graphic novel that explores the dark corridors of Barbara Gordon's first mystery- herself. After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon undergoes physical and...
Unbroken : 13 stories starring disabled teens
Nijkamp, Marieke
Paper Book
This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today's teen readers a glimpse into the lives of...
True biz : a novel
Novic?, Sara
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * A "tender, beautiful and radiantly outraged" (The New York Times Book Review) novel that follows a year of seismic romantic, political, and familial shifts for a teacher and her students at a boarding school for the deaf, from the...
Sensory life on the spectrum : an autistic comics anthology
Ollerton, Bex
Paper Book
A colorful and eclectic comics anthology exploring a wide range of autistic experiences--from diagnosis journeys to finding community--from autistic contributors. From artist and curator Bex Ollerton comes an anthology featuring comics from thirty autistic creators about their...
Neurotribes : the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity
Silberman, Steve
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller Winner of the 2015 Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction A groundbreaking book that upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who...
Fortune Favors the Dead A Novel
Spotswood, Stephen.
Paper Book
A wildly charming and fast-paced mystery written with all the panache of the hardboiled classics, Fortune Favors the Dead introduces Pentecost and Parker, an audacious new detective duo for the ages. "Razor-sharp style, tons of flair, a snappy sense of humor, and all the most...
Sitting pretty : the view from my ordinary resilient disabled body
Taussig, Rebekah
Paper Book
A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most. Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and...
A time to dance
Venkatraman, Padma
Paper Book
Padma Venkatraman's inspiring story of a young girl's struggle to regain her passion and find a new peace is told lyrically through verse that captures the beauty and mystery of India and the ancient bharatanatyam dance form. This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of...
Something to talk about
Wilsner, Meryl
Paper Book
Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet and the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time - threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie. The gossip starts to affect all areas of their lives; paparazzi are...
Disability visibility : 17 first-person stories for today : adapted for young adults
Wong, Alice
Paper Book
Disabled young people will be proud to see themselves reflected in this hopeful, compelling, and insightful essay collection, adapted for young adults from the critically acclaimed adult book, Disability Visibility: First Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century that "sheds light on...
Disability visibility : first-person stories from the Twenty-first century
Wong, Alice
Paper Book
A groundbreaking collection of first-person writing on the joys and challenges of the modern disability experience- Disability Visibility brings together the voices of activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and everyday people whose daily lives are, in the words of playwright...
Year of the tiger : an activist's life
Wong, Alice
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS * This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project ...

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