Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July, the month when the Americans with Disabilities Act was first signed. It’s a time to celebrate advances in inclusion. Whether your story includes a physical disability, a neurodiversity or neither, we invite you to celebrate our differences with these youth titles. More titles can also be found on booklists in our youth floor booklist spinner – or ask a librarian!
picture books
You’re So Amazing by James Catchpole / Picture Books CAT
A young boy with a limb difference wishes people could see him for who he is, rather than treating him as “so amazing” due to his disability.
Do I Have to Go to the Party? by Jonathan Fenske / Picture Books FEN
Poppy the puffer fish is invited to Baby Guppy’s birthday party, but she is nervous imagining all the things that can go wrong–but at the party it is Poppy who saves the day.
Flap Your Hands: A Celebration of Stimming by Steve Asbell/
Picture Books ASB
Four neurodivergent kids, who face stressful moments throughout their day, use body movements, called stims, to self-regulate their emotions.
The Moonlight Zoo by Maudie Powell-Tuck/ Picture Books POW
Eva searches for Luna, her missing cat, when she discovers the Moonlight Zoo, a magical place for lost animals, but she must find Luna before the zoo fades at dawn. Features breathtaking illustrations and a wonderful representation of diversity with a hearing-impaired heroine.
Ninja Nate by Markette Sheppard / Picture Books SHE
Nathaniel, or, as his friends call him, Ninja Nate, has been dressing like a ninja all summer long–even sleeping in his suit. And he doesn’t plan on stopping for his first day of fifth grade, especially when he has been hiding his robotic leg under his ninja costume. His friends may know about his accident, but they’ve never seen the new him. What if they treat him differently?
My Ocean is Blue by Darren LeBeuf/ Picture Books LEB
A girl with a disability explores every facet of the ocean during a day at the beach. A keen observer, she sees the ocean as both “big” and “small” and both “sparkly” and “dull. It’s also “dotted and spiraled and wavy and straight.” Her ocean is full of sounds — it “splashes and crashes” and “laughs and hums.” But, at times, it’s silent. She is inspired to examine and celebrate every part of her ocean and doesn’t let anything hold her back.
youth non-fiction
My Life with Tourette Syndrome by Mari C. Schuh / Youth Non-Fiction J 616.83
Meet Emma! She loves riding roller coasters and playing at the beach. She also has Tourette syndrome. Emma is real and so are her experiences. Learn about her life in this illustrated narrative nonfiction picture book for elementary students.
The Autistic Guide to Adventure by Allie Mason / Youth Non-Fiction J 796.087 M
An A-Z guide for children 8+ in how to navigate the world of sports and adventure as an autistic person. Learn bow active hobbies can develop your strengths and skills, how to accomodate your sensory needs, what you need to get started in a new hobby, and be inspired by some amazing autistic athletes along the way.
I Live with Diabetes by Christina Early / Youth Non-Fiction J 362.43 E
Meet Dayce! He goes to school and plays baseball. He also has diabetes. Learn about his family, his favorite activities, and his dreams for the future. Includes a support page of teaching tips for caregivers and teachers.
My life beyond asthma : a Mayo Clinic patient story by Hey Gee / Youth Non-Fiction J 616.238 G
Rafael loves being outdoors with his family. But when his cat, Alfredo, disappears on a camping trip, Rafael finds himself on an unexpected adventure in search of his furry friend. Ancient traps, wild weather swings, and a touch of magic are around every turn! Through it all, Rafael must also be careful to manage his asthma and avoid triggers, such as smoke and catching a cold, that could cause breathing problems. How can Rafael keep his symptoms under control to find Alfredo – and a way back home? Find out as he explores life beyond this common childhood disease.
Tenacious : fifteen adventures alongside disabled athletes by Patty Cisneros Prevo/ Youth Non-Fiction J 796.04 P
An introduction to fifteen fascinating disabled athletes and their many achievements, daily challenges, and joys. Includes an Author’s Note, glossary, and history of the Paralympics
Where does my mind go during science class? : a story about ADHD by Barbara Esham / Youth Non-Fiction J 618.928 E
Have you ever started to think about one thing and ended up thinking about something completely different? Emily does it all the time. For example, today her science class was learning about the Arctic Circle. Emily was following along, but then she suddenly became distracted by one of her adventurous ideas. Her teacher is worried that Emily isn’t paying attention to the information in class. Will Emily find a way to–she just needs an outlet for her extra thoughts
youth fiction & Graphic Novels
Maya Plays the Part by Calyssa Erb / Youth Fiction ERB
Maya lives and breathes musicals. When her chance to finally be a part of the summer musical program at the community theater comes up, Maya is convinced she will get the lead. After all, who knows The Drowsy Chaperone better than she does? However, things don’t turn out exactly the way Maya’s planned, and the summer turns out to be jam-packed with problems: dealing with her best friend’s move, her parents’ busy jobs, and–since her autism diagnosis–the ongoing puzzle of how to be Maya in Public. But perhaps most important of all, Maya has to figure out how to play the part that truly feels like her own.
The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz / Youth Fiction NETZ
In this debut spooky adventure, Jerry and her trusty wheelchair move into a creepy motel at the edge of the woods where nothing is as it seems. When her mom disappears, it’s up to Jerry to brave the forest and its demons so she can save what’s left of her family.
Louder Than Hunger by John Schu/ Youth Fiction SCHU
Even though he likes helping people, Jake, who avoids kids his own age, mirrors and food, must help himself when the destructive voices inside get to be too much, in this raw and transformative novel-in-verse about managing and articulating pain, and embracing self-acceptance, support and love.
Figure It Out, Henri Weldon by Tanita S. Davis / Youth Fiction DAVIS
Henri has attended a special school for her learning disability, dyscalculia, but when she is mainstreamed, she finds herself struggling to balance other parts of her life, and not just in math class–a family feud, drama on the soccer team, and a passion for poetry.
Rune 1: The Tale of a Thousand Faces by Carlos Sánchez/ Youth Graphic Novels SAN
Chiri (who wears a hearing aid) and best friend Dai live in an orphanage right next to the deepest, darkest forest. On a scavenging mission to find some amazing new ingredients for her many culinary experiments, Chiri plunges both her and her best friend into the secret kingdom of Puddin’, a secret place plagued by the Thousand Faces Monster and inhabited by all sorts of magical people and critters. Befriending witches, bards, ogres and sorcerers, can our two protagonists make it home and more importantly, can they evade the darkness that has awoken on their arrival?
Rossi Guides the Way by Mari Bolte / Youth Graphic Novels SER
Rossi is a yellow Labrador retriever in training to be a service dog like his great-grandma, Roselle, who was at the World Trade Center on 9/11–but sometimes he finds it difficult to focus on his job, and would rather be chasing tennis balls.