Disability Pride: Recommended Reading for Adults

Celebrate Disability Pride Month with new and recommended Fiction and Nonfiction for adults.

Updated June 24, 2026
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ADHD 2.0 : new science and essential strategies for thriving with distraction-from childhood through adulthood
Hallowell, Edward M.
Paper Book
A revolutionary new approach to ADD/ADHD featuring cutting-edge research and strategies to help readers thrive, by the bestselling authors of the seminal books Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction "An inspired road map for living...
ADHD is awesome : a guide to (mostly) thriving with ADHD
Holderness, Penn
Audiobook
All the little bird-hearts
Lloyd-Barlow, Viktoria
Ebook
"A poetic debut which masterfully intertwines themes of familial love, friendship, class, prejudice and trauma with psychological acuity and wit." ─ The 2023 Booker Prize Judges I lived for and loved a bird-heart that summer; I only knew it afterwards....
Being Heumann : an unrepentant memoir of a disability rights activist
Heumann, Judith E.
Paper Book
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...
The boys of Riverside : a deaf football team and a quest for glory
Fuller, Thomas (Journalist)
Audiobook
NAMED A BEST BOOK BY BOOK RIOT, AND MORE! * The incredible story of an all-deaf high school football team's triumphant climb from underdog to undefeated, their inspirational brotherhood, a fascinating portrait of deafness in America, and the indefatigable head coach who spearheaded the...
Cassandra in Reverse
Smale, Holly
Audiobook
The complete IEP guide : how to advocate for your special ed child
Siegel, Lawrence M.
Paper Book
Recipient of the 2017 BRONZE Winner for Education Award from Foreword Indies. Get the educational services and support your child deserves Federal law guarantees every child a free appropriate education, and the goal of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is to assure...
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,...
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 only 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...
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...
Disability pride : dispatches from a post-ADA world
Mattlin, Ben
Paper Book
An eye-opening portrait of the diverse disability community as it is today, and how disability attitudes, activism, and representation have evolved since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) In Disability Pride, disabled journalist Ben Mattlin weaves...
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...
Funny, you don't look autistic : a comedian's guide to life on the spectrum
McCreary, Michael
Paper Book
Like many others on the autism spectrum, 20-something stand-up comic Michael McCreary has been told by more than a few well-meaning folks that he doesn't "look" autistic. But, as he's quick to point out in this memoir, autism "looks" different for just about everyone with Autism Spectrum...
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 hard parts : a memoir of courage and triumph
Masters, Oksana
Paper Book
A 2024 Christopher Award Winner "A gut-wrenching, wildly inspiring story about overcoming the most daunting obstacles through steely tenacity, sheer will, and a great big dose of motherly love." --Jeannette Walls, #1 New York Times bestselling author of<...
Hunchback : a novel
Ichikawa, Sa?
Ebook
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE JOHN LEONARD PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST BOOK FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES ART SEIDENBAUM AWARD FOR FIRST FICTION LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD, THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE, THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE...
Laughing at my nightmare
Burcaw, Shane
Paper Book
With acerbic wit and a hilarious voice, Shane Burcaw's Laughing at My Nightmare describes the challenges he faces as a twenty-one-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy. From awkward handshakes to having a girlfriend and everything in between, Shane handles his situation with humor and a...
A little less broken : how an autism diagnosis finally made me whole
Schembari, Marian
Ebook
Look me in the eye : my life with Asperger's
Robison, John Elder.
Paper Book
Look Me in the Eye is the moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Aspergers at a time when the diagnosis simply didnt exist. A born storyteller, Robison takes readers inside the head of a boy who teachers and other adults regarded as defective. Its a strange, sly, indelible account; sometimes...
My body is not a prayer request : disability justice in the church
Kenny, Amy
Paper Book
Midwest Book Review 2023 Silver Book Award (Nonfiction - Religion/Philosophy) "A convincing case for all Christians to do more to meet access needs and embrace disabilities as part of God's kingdom. . . . Inclusivity-minded Christians will cheer the...
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...
No time like the future : an optimist considers mortality
Fox, Michael J.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A moving account of resilience, hope, fear and mortality, and how these things resonate in our lives, by actor and advocate Michael J. Fox. The entire world knows Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, the teenage...
Once Smitten, Twice Shy
Liese, Chloe
Ebook
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER! Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic,...
Raising kids with sensory processing disorders : a week-by-week guide to helping your out-of-sync child with sensory and self-regulation issues
Whitney, Rondalyn Varney
Paper Book
Taking a look at the most common sensory issues kids face, Raising Kids With Sensory Processing Disorders offers a compilation of unique, proven strategies that parents can implement to help their children move beyond their sensory needs. This updated second edition: Shows parents how to...
The reason I jump : the inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism
Higashida, Naoki
Paper Book
"One of the most remarkable books I've ever read. It's truly moving, eye-opening, incredibly vivid."--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR * The Wall Street Journal * Bloomberg Business * Bookish
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...
A special education : one family's journey through the maze of learning disabilities
Buchman, Dana.
Paper Book
Dana Buchman knew almost nothing about "learning differences" when her oldest daughter, Charlotte, was diagnosed with neurological, spatial, and motor skill disabilities as a toddler. Furthermore, from the Ivy League to the launch of her own fashion label, Buchman had encountered few obstacles...
Special needs trusts : protect your child's financial future
Urbatsch, Kevin
Paper Book
Leave money to a loved one with a disability--without losing benefitsUse a special needs trust to provide financial security for your child (or anyone) with a disability, without jeopardizing important government benefits. Funds in a special needs trust, when used correctly, do not count...
Strangers assume my girlfriend is my nurse
Burcaw, Shane
Paper Book
With his signature wit, twenty-something author, blogger, and entrepreneur Shane Burcaw is back with an essay collection about living a full life in a body that many people perceive as a tragedy. From anecdotes about first introductions where people patted him on the head instead of shaking his...
Stronger
Bauman, Jeff.
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling memoir of the 27-year-old Boston Marathon bombing survivor and the basis of the major motion picture starring Jake Gyllenhaal. When Jeff Bauman woke up on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013 in the Boston Medical Center, groggy from a series of...
Thunder dog : the true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust
Hingson, Michael
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An instant New York Times bestseller, Thunder Dog 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 Trade...
True Biz
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...
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity
Price, Devon
Paper Book
A deep dive into the spectrum of Autistic experience and the phenomenon of masked Autism, giving individuals the tools to safely uncover their true selves while broadening society's narrow understanding of neurodiversity "A remarkable work that will stand at the...
Visual thinking : the hidden gifts of people who think in pictures, patterns, and abstractions
Grandin, Temple
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE NAUTILUS GOLD AWARD "A powerful and provocative testament to the diverse coalition of minds we'll need to face the mounting challenges of the twenty-first century." --Steve Silberman "An absolute eye...
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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