Kids Books Celebrating Disability Pride

Updated June 8, 2026
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Ali and the sea stars
Stroker, Ali
Paper Book
Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker captures the magic and community of theater in her debut picture book, about a spirited girl in a wheelchair who stages a show for her hometown. Based on the pivotal summer Ali performed in her first musical by the Jersey Shore! Ali...
Aniana del Mar jumps in
Me?ndez, Jasminne
Paper Book
Pura Belpre Author Honor Award ** Four starred reviews!** A powerful and expertly told novel in verse, by an award-winning poet, about a twelve-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. Aniana del Mar belongs in the water...
Aven Green, sleuthing machine
Bowling, Dusti
Ebook
Third-grader Aven Green has been solving mysteries for a really long time--a whole month!  She's solved many important cases like The Mystery of the Cranky Mom, The Mystery of the Missing Ice Cream, and The Mystery of the Smelly Feet. Her record is nearly 100% (only The...
Benny on the case
King, Wesley
Paper Book
Two starred reviews! A New York Public Library Best Kids Book of 2025 A School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book of 2025 A boy with Mosaic Down syndrome navigates entering a mainstream classroom, making new friends, and standing up to...
The chance to fly
Stroker, Ali
Paper Book
From Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz, The Chance to Fly is an inspiring and heartfelt middle-grade novel about a theater-loving girl who uses a wheelchair for mobility and her quest to defy expectations--and gravity. "The perfect read for...
Deer run home : a novel in verse
LeZotte, Ann Clare
Paper Book
Effie is Deaf, and no one in her family speaks sign language, her language. This moving story of survival and found family, inspired by a true court case and told in verse, is perfect for fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind. * "Quietly extraordinary." --...
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...
Down syndrome out loud : 20+ true stories of disability and determination
Hart, Melissa
Paper Book
"In a society that often overlooks those with intellectual and developmental disabilities...this book will inspire readers to befriend and champion people with Down syndrome." - JACQUELINE JODL, Special Olympics International In this illustrated biography collection, meet over twenty...
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! ...
Emmanuel's dream : the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Thompson, Laurie Ann
Paper Book
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story-which was turned into a film, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey-is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people-but not by his mother, who taught him to reach...
I hear the snow, I feel the sea
Milusich, Janice
Paper Book
In this lyrical picture book illustrated by a two-time Caldecott Medalist, share in a blind child's joyful experience of the changing seasons. A SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD HONOR Where I live, seasons change. I know because my fingers and toes, my ears, my...
Hummingbird
Lloyd, Natalie
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book From the bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic comes a heartfelt story about a girl who -- armed with her trusty, snazzy wheelchair -- refuses to let her brittle bone disease stand in the way of adventure. ...
In the meadow of fantasies
Muh?ammadi?, Muh?ammad Ha?di?
Paper Book
A young girl with a physical handicap gazes up at a mobile of spinning horses from her little pink bed in her room filled with leafy plants. As she watches them prance about, the tufted snout of a real live horse peeks through her bedroom door. Soon enough, our bright protagonist is off and...
Insignificant events in the life of a cactus
Bowling, Dusti
Paper Book
"Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned." --School Library Journal (Starred review)The paperback edition of the bestselling middle grade novel about a spunky girl born without arms and a boy with Tourette...
Just ask! : be different, be brave, be you
Sotomayor, Sonia
Paper Book
Justice Sonia Sotomayor and award-winning artist Rafael Lopez create a kind and caring book about the differences that make each of us unique. A #1 New York Times bestseller! Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award! Feeling different,...
Lila and Hadley
Keplinger, Kody
Paper Book
Can a lost girl save a found dog? Find out in this unforgettable story about discovering true friendship, finding home, and the possibilities of forgiveness. Hadley is angry about a lot of things: Her mom going to jail. Having to move to another state to live with her older sister,...
A little like magic
Kurpiel, Sarah
Paper Book
Winner of the Schneider Book Award and glistening with winter charm, this is an exhilarating, tender story of pushing past your comfort zone and finding inspiration in art and natural beauty. Our young narrator doesn't like itchy hats or cold wind, and she especially doesn't like...
Logan's Greenhouse
Brown-Wood, JaNay
Paper Book
Logan searches for carrots in his wheelchair-accessible greenhouse in this vibrant exploration of gardening and healthy eating, from the Where in the Garden? picture book series. Logan is organizing a pet playdate at his greenhouse for all of his friends, and his treats...
Maybe just ask me!
Mazeika, Katie
Paper Book
Based on the author's own childhood experience, this clever and heartfelt picture book follows a young girl who wants to bring discussion of her disability into the open, exploring themes of acknowledging and celebrating differences. Mazie wears an eyepatch and a head scarf, and...
More than words : so many ways to say what we mean
MacLean, Roz
Paper Book
A CBC Kids Reads Competition Finalist In the tradition of All Are Welcome and The Day You Begin comes a touching picture book about the many unique ways we communicate, and how we can better listen to and respect these different modes of expression, from the author...
My city speaks
Lebeuf, Darren
Paper Book
A young girl, who is visually impaired, finds much to celebrate as she explores the city she loves. A young girl and her father spend a day in the city, her city, traveling to the places they go together: the playground, the community garden, the market, an outdoor concert. As they...
Not so different : what you really want to ask about having a disability
Burcaw, Shane
Paper Book
Not So Different offers a humorous, relatable, and refreshingly honest glimpse into Shane Burcaw's life. Shane tackles many of the mundane and quirky questions that he's often asked about living with a disability, and shows readers that he's just as approachable, friendly, and funny as...
Out of my mind
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
This special movie tie-in edition showcases a new cover with an image from the original movie now available on Disney+! A New York Times bestseller for three years and counting! "Unflinching and realistic." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ...
Outside Amelia's window
Nastro, Caroline
Paper Book
New friends to meet, new worlds to explore... Amelia is a shy little girl with a big imagination. After an injury, she finds solace in stories--fairy tales about faraway lands and magical creatures. When two children move in next door, Amelia wonders: Can she play with them? Can she...
Please pay attention
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
Three starred reviews! A girl with cerebral palsy navigates loss, grief, and the aftermath of trauma following a school shooting in a world that wasn't built for her in this "intimate, lyrical" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) novel in verse from Jamie Sumner, the...
Rescue & Jessica : a life-changing friendship
Kensky, Jessica
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A 2019 Schneider Family Book Award Winner Based on a real-life partnership, the heartening story of the love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog will illuminate and inspire. Rescue thought he'd grow up to be a...
Roll with it
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 "A big-hearted story that's as sweet as it is awesome." --R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder In the tradition of Wonder and Out of My Mind, this big-hearted middle grade debut tells the...
Rolling warrior : the incredible, sometimes awkward, true story of a rebel girl on wheels who helped spark a revolution
Heumann, Judith E.
Paper Book
Judy Heumann, one of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong. "If I didn't fight, who would?" Judy Heumann was only 5 years old when she was first denied her right to attend school. Paralyzed from...
A sky-blue bench
Rahman, Bahram
Paper Book
It's Afghan schoolgirl Aria's first day back at school since her accident. She's excited, but she's also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic "helper-leg." Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning...
Song in the city
Bernstrom, Daniel
Paper Book
From Daniel Bernstrom, the acclaimed author of One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree, comes a charming and irresistibly fun picture book about a young blind girl and her grandmother who experience the vibrant everyday music of their busy city. A young girl, filled with...
Tenacious : fifteen adventures alongside disabled athletes
Cisneros Prevo, Patty
Paper Book
Meet fifteen remarkable athletes who use adaptive equipment in this beautiful and truth-telling picture book. A downhill skier whose blindness has sharpened her communication skills. An adaptive surfer who shreds waves while sitting down. A young man who excels at wheelchair...
Unstoppable : women with disabilities
Wolfe, Helen
Paper Book
Around the world, people living with disabilities face barriers in the built environment, in employment and education, and in social attitudes and policies that can make it hard to live a full and satisfying life. The ten women we meet in this book face physical and mental health...
Wanda hears the stars : a blind astronomer listens to the universe
Hansen, Amy
Paper Book
A nonfiction picture book biography of astrophysicist Wanda Diaz Merced and how losing her sight didn't stop her from studying the stars. This 2026 Schneider Family Book Award winner is an inspiring true story of a woman scientist of color and a riveting, intersectional STEM read for...
Whale eyes : a memoir about seeing and being seen
Robinson, James (Filmmaker)
Ebook
★ 5 STARRED REVIEWS ★ ★ "Lively, interactive...truly eye-opening." --Booklist ★ "A sincere reflection on childhood...growing up in a world not built with him in mind." --Publishers Weekly ★ "A superb middle grade memoir that...
What happened to you?
Catchpole, James
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor book! This accessible, funny, and groundbreaking story addresses the questions children often ask, as well as a disabled child's choice not to answer. What happened to you? Was it a shark? A burglar?...
You're so amazing!
Catchpole, James
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor book! ​In this authentic and humorous picture book, a child with a limb difference is tired of being told how amazing he is for doing normal things. Joe and his friend Simone are practicing their best playground...

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