Disability Pride: Books for Teens

Updated June 28, 2025
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Find more Mental health resources for teens here. This list includes self-help guides, novels, nonfiction, memoirs, graphic novels, websites, and help lines.

Love from A to Z
Ali, S. K.
Paper Book
A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick "The bighearted, wildly charming, painfully real love story I've been waiting for." --Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda From William C. Morris Award...
Ab(solutely) normal : short stories that smash mental health stereotypes
Carpenter, Nora Shalaway
Paper Book
Channeling their own experiences, sixteen exceptional authors subvert mental health stereotypes in a powerful and uplifting collection of fiction. A teen activist wrestles with protest-related anxiety and PTSD. A socially anxious vampire learns he has to save his town by (gulp)...
Ariel crashes a train
Cole, Olivia A.
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD . A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YA BOOK OF THE YEAR . A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Exploring the harsh reality of OCD and violent intrusive thoughts in stunning,...
All the noise at once
Davis, DeAndra
Paper Book
A Black, autistic teen tries to figure out what happened the night his older brother was unjustly arrested in this "propulsive" (Jas Hammonds, award-winning author of We Deserve Monuments), moving story about brotherhood, identity, and social justice. All Aiden has ever...
Tilly in technicolor /
Eddings, Mazey.
Paper Book
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings's sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer. Tilly Twomley is desperate for change. White-knuckling her way through high school with flawed executive functioning has left her burnt...
Maybe we're electric
Emmich, Val
Paper Book
From Val Emmich, the bestselling author of Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel, comes a deeply affecting story of two teens who find themselves thrown together overnight during a snowstorm and discover a surprising connection--perfect for fans of Nina LaCour, David Arnold, and Robin Benway.
Where you see yourself
Forrest, Claire (Young adult author)
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book What does it take to follow your dreams? Where You See Yourself is a relatable, romantic, and necessary story about a girl who has to figure out what--and who--will bring her the happiness she deserves. By the time Effie...
The silence between us
Gervais, Alison
Paper Book
"The Silence Between Us is eminently un-put-down-able." (NPR) Schneider Family Book Award, Best Teen Honor Book 2020 "This is a great YA contemporary (clean) romance that follows Maya as she navigates a new school and plans for her future. The addition of...
The first thing about you
Hayden, Chaz
Paper Book
A high school student with spinal muscular atrophy is determined to reinvent himself in a hilarious and poignant debut from an exciting new voice. When fifteen-year-old Harris moves with his family from California (home of beautiful-but-inaccessible beaches) to New Jersey (home...
Let's call it a doomsday
Henry, Katie
Paper Book
AnĀ engrossing and thoughtful contemporary tale that tackles faith, friendship, family, anxiety, and the potential apocalypse from Katie Henry, the acclaimed author of Heretics Anonymous. There are many ways the world could end. A fire. A catastrophic flood. A super...
Sunshine /
Krosoczka, Jarrett.
Paper Book
The extraordinary -- and extraordinarily powerful -- follow-up to Hey, Kiddo. When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into it, Jarrett was worried:...
Conditions of a heart
Mangle, Bethany
Paper Book
Two starred reviews! "Achingly touching, heartfelt, and true, Brynn's story of reinvention and self-discovery resonates on every page. A book to savor and hold dear." --Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and The Agathas<...
Just Breathe /
McGovern, Cammie.
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of Say What You Will and A Step Toward Falling comes a deeply emotional new novel, perfect for fans of Five Feet Apart and The Fault in Our Stars. David Scheinman is the popular president of his senior class, battling cystic fibrosis. Jamie...
My brain is different : stories of ADHD and other developmental disorders
Monzusu
Paper Book
In this manga essay anthology, follow the true stories of nine people (including the illustrator) navigating life with developmental disorders and disabilities. This intimate manga collection follows nine adults with developmental disorders as they outline their struggles and...
Sensory : life on the spectrum : an autistic comics anthology
Ollerton, Bex
Paper Book
A colorful and eclectic comics anthology exploring a wide range of experiences in autism presented by autistic artists, from diagnosis journeys to finding community. From artist and curator Bex Ollerton comes an anthology featuring comics from thirty autistic creators about their...
Ellie Haycock is totally normal
Schreiber, Gretchen
Paper Book
The Breakfast Club meets Five Feet Apart in this big-hearted novel from debut author Gretchen Schreiber. Ellie Haycock has always separated her life into sections: Ellie at home and Ellie at the hospital. At home, Ellie is a proud member of her high school's...
Give me a sign
Sortino, Anna
Paper Book
Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp. Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to...
On the bright side
Sortino, Anna
Paper Book
A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign. "Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt." -Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be Ellie's Deaf boarding...
Stronger at the seams
Stocker, Shannon
Paper Book
2025 Crystal Kite Honor Winner for Midsouth RegionĀ  From Schneider Award-winning author Shannon Stocker comes a moving and empowering YA novel that explores what it means to find your voice and learn to advocate for yourself. Twyla has always believed things happen for a reason, but...
Chronically Dolores
Van Wagenen, Maya
Paper Book
Winner of The Schneider Family Book Award, for excellence in portraying the disability experience! Maya Van Wagenen, bestselling author of Popular, tells Dolores's story with humor, heartache, and an occasional bit of telenovela flair. "A striking...
Navigating with you
Whitley, Jeremy
Paper Book
Neesha Sparks is a disabled, vocal community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is an optimistic surfer - and, like Neesha, a new kid at school. When the two girls discover that they like the same manga series, Navigator Nozomi, they become more than just fellow new kids. But...
Sunrise nights
Zentner, Jeff
Paper Book
Two young artists have a chance meeting on the last night of summer arts camp in this YA novel in verse and dialogue cowritten by acclaimed authors Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro. Jude loves photography, and he's good at it, too. Between his parents' divorce and his...

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