Disability Pride Month

This book list highlights books about disability that are instructive, own voices (written by people who have disabilities), or that have disability representation that isn't from the abled gaze (i.e. disability is not just a plot point to overcome, a curse, a punishment, or a sign that a character is evil or strange).

Disability pride is about embracing people with disabilities as fully human. Being proud to be disabled isn’t about liking your disability. It isn’t about pretending that disability doesn’t present challenges. Rather, claiming disability pride is a rejection of the notion that disabled people should feel ashamed their bodies or their disabilities. It’s a rejection of the idea that disabled people are less able to contribute and participate in the world.

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

Updated July 12, 2023
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Lake Oswego Public Library
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https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/impacts/oregon.html
Percentages and characteristics of adults with disabilities in Oregon compared to national estimates.
https://www.pbs.org/articles/disability-pride-month-and-the-disability-rights-movement/
Watch documentaries about the history of the disability rights movement and meet artists and families whose stories examine their disability experiences.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/07/22/observing-disability-pride-month-july
I only recently learned that July is Disability Pride Month. 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.
A quiet kind of thunder
Barnard, Sara
Paper Book
A girl who can't speak and a boy who can't hear go on a journey of self-discovery and find support with each other in this gripping, emotionally resonant novel from bestselling author Sara Barnard. Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Jandy Nelson. Steffi doesn't talk, but...
Beauty is a verb : the new poetry of disability
Bartlett, Jennifer
Paper Book
A ground-breaking anthology that will bring fresh understanding to the American experience of poetry, beauty, the body, and disability. Beauty is a Verb is a ground-breaking anthology of disability poetry, essays on disability, and writings on the poetics of both. Crip...
El deafo
Bell, Cece
Paper Book
The beloved #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor winning graphic novel memoir from Cece Bell   Starting at a new school is scary, especially with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece's class was deaf....
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
Ebook
About us : essays from the disability series of the New York times
Catapano, Peter
Audiobook
No excuses : growing up deaf and achieving my Super Bowl dreams
Coleman, Derrick, Jr.
Audiobook
In this inspirational memoir, Derrick Coleman, Jr., the Seattle Seahawks fullback who won the 2014 Super Bowl with the Seahawks in his second year in the NFL, relates his inspirational story of hard work and determination in his own words. Showcasing his unlikely and challenging journey to become...
Invisible differences : a story of Asperger's, adulting, and living a life in full color
Dachez, Julie
Paper Book
2020 ALA TOP GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR ADULTS Translated for the very first time in English, Invisible Differences is the deeply moving and intimate story of what it's like to live day to day with Asperger Syndrome. "This soulful and serious look at Asperger's...
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...
The sign for home : a novel
Fell, Blair
Paper Book
Longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize 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. Arlo Dilly is young, handsome, and...
All our families : disability lineage and the future of kinship
Fink, Jennifer Natalya
Ebook
A provocation to reclaim our disability lineage in order to profoundly reimagine the possibilities for our relationship to disability, kinship, and carework Disability is often described as a tragedy, a crisis, or an aberration, though 1 in 5 people worldwide have a disability....
How to be human : an autistic man's guide to life
Fleming, Jory
Ebook
A "beautiful and astonishing" (Walter Isaacson, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker) 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,...
Marbles : mania, depression, Michelangelo, & me : a graphic memoir
Forney, Ellen.
Paper Book
Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between "crazy" and "creative" in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.   Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder....
Ten steps to Nanette : a memoir situation
Gadsby, Hannah
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Multi-award-winning Hannah Gadsby broke comedy with their show Nanette. Now they take us through the defining moments in their life and their powerful decision to tell the truth--no matter the cost. Don't miss Hannah Gadsby's...
Mean little deaf queer : a memoir
Galloway, Terry.
Ebook
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...
The autistic brain : helping different kinds of minds succeed
Grandin, Temple
Paper Book
A cutting-edge account of the latest science of autism, from the best-selling author and advocate When Temple Grandin was born in 1947, autism had only just been named. Today it is more prevalent than ever, with one in 88 children diagnosed on the spectrum. And our thinking about it has...
So lucky
Griffith, Nicola
Audiobook
I live a life like yours : a memoir
Grue, Jan
Ebook
* 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...
Life on delay : making peace with a stutter
Hendrickson, John (Atlantic senior editor)
Audiobook
A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * USA TODAY BOOK CLUB PICK * ONE OF AUDIBLE'S BEST BIOS AND MEMOIRS OF 2023 * "A raw, intimate look at [Hendrickson's] life with a stutter. It's a profoundly moving book that will reshape the way you think about people living with this...
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
The bride test
Hoang, Helen
Paper Book
Khai Diep has no feelings. Well he can't feel big emotions like love. He thinks he's defective. His mum knows that his autism means he just processes emotions differently, and goes to Vietnam to find him a wife. As a mixed race girl living in Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place,...
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 2018 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...
Demystifying disability : what to know, what to say, and how to be an ally
Ladau, Emily
Ebook
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 inclusive place   ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: NPR, Booklist<...
Always only you
Liese, Chloe
Audiobook
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.
Ebook
Critically acclaimed and award-winning actress Marlee Matlin reveals the illuminating, moving, and often surprising story of how she defied all expectations to become one of the most prolific and beloved actresses of our time. Marlee Matlin entered our lives as the deaf...
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...
Knot My Type
Mitchell, Evie
Audiobook
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....
Ain't that a mother : postpartum, palsy, and everything in between
Nelson, Adiba
Paper Book
From pasties to postpartum and everything in between No one said motherhood would be easy. For Adiba Nelson, the journey to parenthood started with a big bang and continues with a breakdown (or two) and several "why?" questions for God. Witty and bold, Afro-Latina Adiba grew up in...
A disability history of the United States
Nielsen, Kim E.
Paper Book
The first book to cover the entirety of disability history, from pre-1492 to the present Disability is not just the story of someone we love or the story of whom we may become; rather it is undoubtedly the story of our nation. Covering the entirety of US history from pre-1492 to...
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,...
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
Audiobook
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
Ebook
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...
Code of conduct
White, April
Audiobook
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
Ebook
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
Ebook
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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