Children's Book Suggestions | Disability Pride Month Chapter Books

A diverse selection of chapter books, graphic novels, and nonfiction books for readers in Grades 2-7 that celebrates a variety of disabilities, including neurodivergence. While most of the books center children with disabilities, there are also a couple of books including the experiences of children who have a sibling or parent with a disability.

Looking for more children's books about the disability experience? Try our Disability Pride Month Picture Books list for younger readers and the American Library Association's Schneider Family Book Award winners & honor books.

Updated May 17, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
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Flipping forward twisting backward
Fullerton, Alma
Paper Book
A high-energy novel in verse starring a fifth grader who is almost as devoted to competitive gymnastics as she is to hiding her poor reading skills. What happens when Claire's secret starts unraveling? Claire is by far the best gymnast on her team, and she's well on her way to...

A talented young gymnast learns to advocate for herself when her mom prevents her from seeking a dyslexia diagnosis in this novel in verse. Plenty of white space and a dyslexia-friendly font make this a great choice for readers with dyslexia as well! (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Everyone here is lying
Lapena, Shari
Paper Book
Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door "The most addictive book I've read in ages--so slick and disquieting and clever. Just brilliant." --Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of...

Disability in KidLit founder Kayla Whaley is at the helm for this reboot of the classic A to Z mysteries for newly independent readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Race for the ruby turtle
Bramucci, Stephen
Paper Book
A heartfelt middle grade eco-adventure story full of friendship and self-discovery, perfect for fans of Dan Gemeinhart and Gary D. Schmidt. Jake Rizzi is about to spend the summer at his great-aunt's cabin in the mossy, sodden Oregon backwoods. His parents seem to need a break...

A fast-paced adventure set in the Oregon Coast Range in which a boy with ADHD helps protect an endangered species from international trophy hunters. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Marshmallow & Jordan
Chau, Alina
Paper Book
Alina Chau's Marshmallow & Jordan is a middle-grade graphic novel about a disabled, sports-loving Jordan, and the magical elephant named Marshmallow who she befriends. Jordan's days as star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her...

A mysterious white elephant helps an Indonesian girl navigate friendship and disability when she takes up a new sport after a life-changing injury. (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Show me a sign
LeZotte, Ann Clare
Paper Book
Don't miss the companion book, Set Me Free CRITICS ARE RAVING ABOUT SHOW ME A SIGN Winner of the 2021 Schneider Family Book Award * NPR Best Books of 2020 * Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2020 * School Library Journal Best Books of 2020 * New York Public...

Deaf author/educator LeZotte crafts a suspenseful historical fiction tale set on Martha's Vineyard in 1805, in a real-life community where many residents were Deaf and everyone communicated using a unique form of sign language. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The chance to fly
Stroker, Ali
Paper Book
A heartfelt middle-grade novel about a theater-loving girl who uses a wheelchair for mobility and her quest to defy expectations-and gravity-from Tony award-winning actress Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz Thirteen-year-old Nat Beacon loves a lot of things: her dog Warbucks,...

Tony award-winning performer Ali Stroker co-authors a novel inspired by her own experiences of getting involved in musical theater as a wheelchair-using middle schooler. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

A boy called Bat
Arnold, Elana K.
Paper Book
The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum. For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises--some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a...

A boy on the autism spectrum convinces his veterinarian mom to let him adopt a pet skunk in the first installment in this popular chapter book series. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

What stars are made of
Allen, Sarah Elisabeth
Paper Book
"This is a brilliant book. I don't think I've ever read anything like it." - NetGalley review "A celebration of difference, a masterclass of empathy - just a massive warm hug of a book!" - NetGalley review "I loved this book . . . A female 'Wonder'."...

A science-loving middle schooler with Turner syndrome enters a contest, hoping that her research will earn a cash prize to help her older sister out financially as she and her husband await the birth of a new baby. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

No matter the distance
Baldwin, Cindy
Paper Book
An unexpected animal companion helps a girl with cystic fibrosis learn to write her own story in this captivating novel in verse by award-winning author and disabled activist Cindy Baldwin. Penny Rooney has cystic fibrosis, which means she has to do breathing treatments to...

A young girl with cystic fibrosis finds her poetic voice when she assists an injured dolphin stranded in the creek behind her house. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Secrets of Camp Whatever. 1
Grine, Chris
Paper Book
"Just the right amount of chills for tweens who enjoy supernatural suspense." -- KIRKUS Perfect for fans of Lumberjanes and Brain Camp, there's more than mosquitos at Camp Whatever and Willow will need to face truths about herself and...

A tween who uses hearing aids encounters unusual and unsettling things at her dad's creepy old summer camp in this spooky mystery. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Figure it out, Henri Weldon
Davis, Tanita S.
Paper Book
Tanita S. Davis, author of Partly Cloudy and Serena Says, has written another funny, warm story featuring middle school and family life--all about the complex calculations it takes for everyone to balance the equations of their lives and what it takes to be part of a team while...

A middle schooler with dyscalculia, a math disability, struggles with schoolwork, family conflicts, and friend drama after she leaves her school for kids with learning disabilities to attend a traditional public school. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Roll with it
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
"A big-hearted story that's as sweet as it is awesome." --R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder "An honest, emotionally rich take on disability, family, and growing up." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) In the tradition of Wonder and Out of My...

A middle school girl with cerebral palsy and a passion for baking blossoms when she and her single mom relocate to Oklahoma to care for her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The storm runner
Cervantes, J. C.
Paper Book
"A perfect storm of inspiring heroes, surprising twists, and some seriously scary monsters. This hilarious, expertly-plotted adventure keeps you racing through the pages and leaves you desperate for the next book (and craving a steaming mug of hot chocolate)!" --Shannon Messenger, New York...

A teen boy discovers that his disability is linked to his Mayan heritage as son of a deity and central figure in a powerful prophecy related to a war between the gods. From the Rick Riordan Presents imprint featuring stories from world mythology that appeal to fans of the Percy Jackson series. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Get a grip, Vivy Cohen!
Kapit, Sarah
Paper Book
In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won't let anything stop her from playing baseball--not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal. Vivy Cohen is determined. She's had enough of playing catch in the park. She's ready to pitch...

A baseball-loving middle school girl with autism begins writing letters to her MLB idol in social skills class, while also navigating sexism and ableism when she becomes the first girl to join her school baseball team. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Wink
Harrell, Rob
Paper Book
Surviving school with one eye open. Ross Maloy just wants to fit in But after he is diagnosed with a rare eye cancer in Year Seven, he suddenly becomes the 'cancer kid' of his school. Now he has to deal with weird hats, a squinty eye and - hardest of all - disappearing...

A young teen navigates the twin challenges of middle school and a cancer diagnosis that threatens his sight in this novel inspired by the author's adolescent experiences. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Song for a whale
Kelly, Lynne
Paper Book
The award-winning and USA Today bestselling story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him. "Fascinating, brave, and tender...a triumph." --Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award-winning author of...

When she learns of a whale whose song can't be heard by other whales, an empathetic Deaf girl sets out to help him find a way to communicate. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Daisy Woodworm changes the world
Hart, Melissa
Paper Book
Thirteen-year-old Daisy Woodward loves insects, running track, and hanging out with her older brother, Sorrel, who has Down syndrome and adores men's fashion. When her social studies teacher assigns each student an oral report and project to change the world for the better, Daisy fears the class...

A middle school girl secretly helps her fashionable older brother, who has Down syndrome, launch a YouTube channel after his parents restrict his Internet access after a bullying incident. A great look at positive, supportive sibling relationships between disabled and non-disabled siblings. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The war that saved my life
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker
Paper Book
*Newbery Honor book *Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award  *Forbes 25 Top Historical Fiction Books Of All Time selection This #1 New York Times bestseller is an exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War II,...
An award winner with lots of kid appeal, this historical fiction novel about a girl from London who finds freedom when she's evacuated to the English countryside during WWII. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Will on the inside
Eliopulos, Andrew
Paper Book
"An honest, sophisticated look at the myriad emotions surrounding chronic illness and growing up 'not straight' in a religious Georgia town." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Relatable, real, and utterly engrossing." --School Library Journal (starred review) ***<...

One of several books for middle schoolers about Crohn's/IBD that have been published in the last year! For more representations of this experience, try The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow or Gut Reaction by Kirby Larson & Quinn Wyatt.

Lila and Hadley
Keplinger, Kody
Paper Book

Sent to live with her sister after their mom goes to jail, an angry young teen with a degenerative eye disease bonds with a hard-to-adopt pit bull at the local animal shelter. (Young Teen Grades 5-7)

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....
Author/artist Cece Bell explores her experiences growing up as a D/deaf child in the 70s in this award-winning graphic novel. It's also an animated series on AppleTV! (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)
Aniana del Mar Jumps In
Mendez, Jasminne.
Paper Book
Pura Belpre Author Honor Award ** Four starred reviews!** A powerful and expertly told novel-in-verse by about a 12-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis by an award-winning poet. Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like a...

A young swimmer diagnosed with juvenile arthritis pursues her passion for the water in spite of her mother's fears. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Rules
Lord, Cynthia.
Paper Book
This Newbery Honor Book is a heartfelt and witty story about feeling different and finding acceptance -- beyond the rules. Rules joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content! Twelve-year-old Catherine...
Siblings of kids with disabilities often struggle to find stories that mirror the complexities of their family life! This award-winning novel explores the experiences of a non-disabled sibling of a kid with autism. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Speak up!
Burgess, Rebecca
Paper Book
For fans of Click and Brave, this touching coming-of-age middle grade graphic novel debut follows an autistic girl who finds friendship where she least expects it and learns to express her true self in a world where everyone defines her by her differences. Twelve-year-old Mia...

A middle school girl with autism struggles to navigate social situations in real life but shines online as an anonymous social media singing star. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Slug days
Leach, Sara
Paper Book
On slug days, Lauren feels slow and slimy. She feels like everyone yells at her, and that she has no friends. Today there is a different bus driver; Dan and Sachi are sitting in Lauren's seat on the bus; and Lauren's teacher interrupts her reading time. It is definitely a slug day. But not every day...

A short chapter books series focusing on the everyday life of a young girl on the autism spectrum. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Button pusher
Page, Tyler
Paper Book
A memoir-driven realistic graphic novel about Tyler, a child who is diagnosed with ADHD and has to discover for himself how to best manage it. Tyler's brain is different. Unlike his friends, he has a hard time paying attention in class. He acts out in goofy, over-the-top ways....

An author/illustrator crafts a memoir of his childhood and adolescent experience with ADHD in the 80s and 90s. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Buzzing
Sattin, Samuel
Paper Book
2024 Eisner-Nominated for Best Publication for Kids * A 2024 ALA Notable Children's Book * New York Public Library Best Book of 2023  ★ "Heartwarming [and] authentic" --Shelf Awareness, starred review

A middle schooler with OCD finds solace in a role-playing games group, one of several graphic novels on this topic for tween readers in recent years. For more perspectives on this experience, try Just Roll With It! by Veronica Agarwal & Lee Durfey-Lavoie, Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee, and Puzzled by Pan Cooke.

Chunky
Mercado, Yehudi
Paper Book
In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican...

Hudi, who lost a lung due to a childhood illness, follows his doctor's advice and tries a variety of sports--even though he'd rather be practicing for his SNL debut in this colorful, hilarious graphic novel memoir. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)


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