Middle Grade Reads: Celebrate Disability Pride Month!

July is Disability Pride Month - Check out these chapter book and nonfiction titles for middle grade readers that center the stories of people with disabilities.

Updated July 7, 2026
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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...
Where only storms grow
Colman, Alyssa
Paper Book
SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD WINNER ● For Fans of the I Survived series and The War That Saved My Life, this gripping middle grade novel is set during one of the most dangerous storms in American history. It's been four years since rain fell on the Oklahoma...
The strongest heart
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honoree From beloved middle grade author Saadia Faruqi comes a poignant exploration of the impact of mental illness on families--and the love and hope that it takes to begin telling a different tale. Mo is used to his father's fits of rage. When Abbu's...
Popcorn
Harrell, Rob
Paper Book
Winner of The Schneider Family Book Award The beloved author of Wink is back with a hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety on a day when everything is going wrong Andrew's just trying to make it through Picture Day, which is easier said...
Wildoak
Harrington, C. C.
Paper Book
When the fates of a snow leopard, a child, and an ancient forest collide, the unimaginable can happen. Perfect for fans of Pax and The One and Only Ivan. A great gift for nature and animal lovers. **Winner of the 2023 Schneider Family Book Award!** *...
The storyteller
Hobson, Brandon
Paper Book
From National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson, a kaleidoscopic middle-grade adventure that mixes the anxieties, friendships, and wonders of a Cherokee boy's life with Cherokee history and lore. Ziggy has ANXIETY. Partly this is because of the way his mind works, and how overwhelmed he...
Good different
Kuyatt, Meg Eden
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book An extraordinary novel-in-verse for fans of Starfish and A Kind of Spark about a neurodivergent girl who comes to understand and celebrate her difference. Selah knows her rules for being normal. She always, always...
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 Twelve...
Aniana del Mar jumps in
Méndez, 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...
The unforgettable Logan Foster
Peters, Shawn
Paper Book
Packed with superheroes, supervillains, and epic showdowns between good and evil, The Unforgettable Logan Foster from debut author Shawn Peters shows that sometimes being a hero is just about being yourself. Logan Foster has pretty much given up on the idea of ever being adopted. It could...
The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn
Pla, Sally J.
Paper Book
Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? This contemporary novel is a must-read for fans of Leslie Connor and Ali Standish. A Schneider Family Book Award winner! ...
Octopus moon
Pyron, Bobbie
Paper Book
A deeply moving middle grade novel in verse about a girl struggling with depression when she starts fifth grade amidst a sea of changes. A 2025 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Pearl loves watching the majestic loggerhead turtles and octopuses...
Louder than hunger
Schu, John
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book "Every so often a book comes along that is so brave and necessary, it extends a lifeline when it's needed most. This is one of those books." --Katherine Applegate, author of the Newbery Medal-winning,...
Shark teeth
Winston, Sherri
Paper Book
From National Book Award longlisted author Sherri Winston comes an important middle grade novel about a girl's tumultuous journey to keep her family together, even when she's falling apart. Schneider Family Book Award: Best Middle Grade Honor Book Kirkus Prize...

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