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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Always remember / Ben's Story
Balogh, Mary
Paper Book
Lady Jennifer Arden and Ben Ellis know that a match between them is out of the question. Yet their hearts yearn for the impossible. Discover a new heartwarming story from New York Times bestselling author and beloved "queen of Regency romance" Mary Balogh. Left unable to...
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice
Kolb, Rachel
Paper Book
Named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews Named a Notable Book of 2025 by the Washington Post A deaf writer's exploration of language, communication, and what it means to be articulate--and her journey to reclaim her voice ...
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...
Brittle joints
Sweeney, Maria
Paper Book
2025 Eisner Award Nominee! New York Public Library Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2024 American Library Associate Top 10 Best Graphic Novels for Adults of 2024 Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. "It's a revealing visualization of a rare,...
But everyone feels this way : how an autism diagnosis saved my life
Layle, Paige
Paper Book
Autism acceptance activist and TikTok influencer Paige Layle shares her deeply personal journey to diagnosis and living life autistically.  "For far too long, I was told I was just like everyone else. But knew it couldn't be true. Living just seemed so much...
Cassandra in Reverse
Smale, Holly
Paper Book
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK from the author of the GEEK GIRL series, now on NETFLIX!  "Fascinating...witty...self-deprecating...We meet Cassandra on the worst day of her life. She's getting fired, her boyfriend dumps her, and her roommates hate her. On that same day, she...
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 appropriateeducation, and the goal of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is...
The country of the blind : a memoir at the end of sight
Leland, Andrew
Paper Book
We meet Andrew Leland as he's suspended in the liminal state of the soon-to-be blind: he's midway through his life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that ushers those who live with it from sightedness to blindness over years, even decades. He grew up with full vision, but starting in his...
Death of the Author (Standard Edition)
Okorafor, Nnedi
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER Order now and receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last--featuring a special alternate cover design on the hardcover case, gorgeous sprayed edges, and exclusive endpapers. This breathtaking edition is only available on a limited first...
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,...
Disability visibility : 17 first-person stories for today : adapted for young adults
Wong, Alice (EDT)
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<...
How to ADHD : an insider's guide to working with your brain (not against it)
McCabe, Jessica
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In this honest, friendly, and shame-free guide, the creator of the award-winning YouTube channel How to ADHD shares the hard-won insights and practical strategies that have helped her survive, even thrive, in a world not built for her brain. ...
The Jellyfish
Boum/ Lang, Robin (TRN)/ Dascher, Helge (TRN)
Paper Book
Winner of an Eisner Award, Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize Honor Book, Doug Wright Nipper Award, Graphic Medicine Award, Sophie Castille Award, and more! "A deeply moving meditation on disability, diversity, and joy."--Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) "One...
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...
Neurotribes : the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity
Silberman, Steve.
Paper Book
This New York Times-bestselling book upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently. "Beautifully told, humanizing, important."--The New York Times...
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...
Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability : Getting & Keeping Your Benefits
Morton, David, III.
Paper Book
Qualify for Social Security disability benefits, quickly and easily This comprehensive and compassionate book covers both SSDI and SSI, shows you how to prove a disability, and explains how your age, education, and work experience affect your chances. Parents will find special...
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
Leavemoney to a loved one with a disability--without losing benefits Use a special needs trust to provide financial security foryour child (or anyone) with a disability, without jeopardizing importantgovernment benefits. Funds in a...
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...
That's Not How It Happened
Thomas, Craig.
Paige didn't set out to be a stay-at-home mom, but when her husband's screenwriting career took off right before they had a son with Down syndrome, the decision was made for her. Now, with their children nearly grown, Paige writes a memoir about raising a child with a disability. When a producer...
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...
Unfit parent : a disabled mother challenges an inaccessible world
Slice, Jessica
Paper Book
"Beautiful and razor-sharp...cannot recommend highly enough." --Ann Helen Petersen, Culture Study "Cuts boldly and beautifully through that silence, inviting readers to imagine what our world might look like if we met every family where they are." --Vogue
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...
Upward bound : a novel
Brown, Woody
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY * A wondrous, deeply affecting portrait of the interlocking lives at an adult day care center in Southern California, depicting an often overlooked community with extraordinary wit and grace--a...
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...

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