Disability

This collection features titles that offer insight into disability, offering guidance for generating meaningful discussion about topics including blindness, deafness, autism spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, dyslexia, and Down syndrome.

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability


Publication year 2001

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Social Justice, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Disability, Education, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Rain Reign is a work of middle-grade contemporary fiction written by American author Ann M. Martin and published in 2014. The novel was chosen for the 2014 New York Times Notable Children’s Books list. Martin is the original author of the best-selling Baby-Sitters Club series of books and has written over 100 books for young readers. She has received numerous awards over the course of her career, including the Newbery Medal in 2013 and a... Read Rain Reign Summary


Publication year 24

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Gender / Feminism, Disability, Relationships, Children's Literature, Education, Education

American author, educator, filmmaker, and civil rights activist Toni Cade Bambara published her short story “Raymond’s Run” in 1971. It first appeared in a collection edited by Bambara, Tales and Short Stories for Black Folks, and later in her first short story collection, Gorilla, My Love in 1972. During this time, Bambara became prominent in the contemporary Black women’s literature space, emerging as a notable writer and editor alongside contemporaries such as Toni Morrison and... Read Raymond's Run Summary


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Natural World: Environment

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Disability, Science / Nature, Technology, American Literature

Riddley Walker (1980) is a dystopian science fiction novel by Russell Hoban. The novel is famous for its use of a phonetic, idiosyncratic version of English, spoken by the characters who live in a post-apocalyptic society. Riddley Walker won numerous awards, including the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1981.Plot SummaryA young boy named Riddley Walker lives in Inland, the name given to the south of England 2,000 years after a nuclear war sent human... Read Riddley Walker Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography

Riding the Bus With My Sister: A True Life Journey is the New York Times bestselling author Rachel Simon’s 2002 memoir chronicling her experiences with her intellectually disabled sister, Beth. Over the course of a year, Simon rides the bus with Beth and writes about the journey. She learns to confront her own ignorance about her sister’s condition and forms a close bond with her. The book chronicles Rachel’s emotional and spiritual growth, as Rachel’s... Read Riding The Bus With My Sister Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Parenting, Disability, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Inspirational, Christian literature, Sports, Disability, Biography, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Shaken is a 2018 book by NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. In his book, Tebow shares personal experiences, inspirational stories, and biblical scriptures and parables to encourage readers to develop a strong Christian faith. Tebow reveals how his faith has helped him develop a strong identity, find his life’s purpose, and remain hopeful throughout life’s challenges. He coaches the reader to remain open to God’s influence in their life by maintaining strong friendships and asking for... Read Shaken Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Disability


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Disability, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Biography


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Food, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 2004, Sarah Weeks’s middle grade novel So B. It follows 12-year-old protagonist Heidi as she sets out to discover the truth about her background and family. Heidi grows up not knowing her own birthday, her father’s name, or how she came to live in Reno, Nevada with her mentally disabled mother. When she finds an old roll of film from Mama’s past, the photos inspire her to begin a journey to uncover the... Read So B. It Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, Inspirational, Disability, Relationships, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Community, Identity: Gender

Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Politics / Government, Animals, Education, Diversity, Disability, Food, Health / Medicine, Internet Culture / Social Media, Military / War, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice, Technology, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Disability


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Gender / Feminism, Humor


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction

Stuck in Neutral is a young adult (YA) fiction novel about Shawn McDaniel, a fourteen-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. To the outside world, Shawn is in a kind of vegetative state: his condition makes it so that he has no control over any of his motor function, from moving his lips to evacuating his bowels. Shawn cannot communicate with the outside world, and so people—including his family members—believe him to have the brain function and... Read Stuck In Neutral Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Disability, Animals, Inspirational, Agriculture, Children's Literature, Science / Nature, Biography

Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery’s Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World (2012) is a biography of the animal behaviorist, animal rights advocate, and autism activism Temple Grandin. The biography is intended for young adult readers and discusses Grandin’s life from early childhood to the present day. It explores the challenges she faced with autism, the development of her creativity and her passion for animals, and the persistence... Read Temple Grandin Summary