Disability & Neurodivergent Read in Color Recommended Reads

Dog Watch by C.L. Reid, illustrated by Elena Aiello (32 pp, Picture Window Books, 2022). Emma loves animals and can’t wait to babysit a neighbor’s dog for the weekend.

But Emma has no idea how hard it is to take care of a dog!

Hopefully Emma can keep things under control and still have some fun!

Emma is Deaf and often uses sign language to communicate, and this early chapter book includes an ASL fingerspelling chart and a sign language guide. Ages 5 – 7.

The Girl Who Figured It Out: The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming an Ironman World Champion by Minda Dentler, illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin (48 pp, Sourcebooks Explore, 2024). Minda Dentler made history when she became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the world’s toughest triathlon, using only her arms to finish a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile marathon. But the journey there wasn’t easy. Minda was paralyzed as an infant in India after contracting polio, and was left in the care of an orphanage. After she was adopted by an American family and moved to Washington, she underwent surgeries to enable her to walk with leg braces and crutches.

As she grew, she faced many challenges, but remained undeterred by her disability. Her decision to begin training and competing in triathlons was no different. Despite the obstacles and failures she experienced along the way, Minda’s persistence and determination in the face of setbacks helped her to make sports history and inspire people around the world to rethink what’s possible! Ages 5 – 10.

Maybe Just Ask Me! by Katie Mazeika (40 pp, Beach Lane Books, 2025). Mazie wears an eyepatch and a head scarf, and on her first day at a new school she’s prepared for her classmates to wonder why. And they do, but no one talks to her about it. Instead, wild rumors fly around the classroom that she’s a pirate or a dragon burned off her hair! Mazie doesn’t mind explaining her disability, but can she find the courage to tell the other kids to just ask her? Ages 4 – 8.

My Brain is a Race Car by Nell Harris (28 pp, Nell Harris, 2023). A story to help understanding a neurodivergent brain. Created and inspired by her daughter’s ADHD diagnosis, Harris wanted to gift her a book that help explained her brain’s processes and needs. No big words or acronyms that result in ‘what does that mean’ and bring the child out of the story. Ages 4 – 8.

Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability by Danna Zeiger, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon (32 pp, Millbrook Press, 2025). They left his office for good and found a new doctor.

As Kathleen grew up, she found her own methods to tackle tricky tasks and make her way through the world. After becoming fascinated by science, she went on to earn a PhD, investigating how injured brains can build new connections. She now runs her own lab, developing new techniques to help others with cerebral palsy.

This is the incredible story of how a determined scientist rewrote the rules and followed her dreams. Ages 6 – 7.

We Are the Scrappy Ones by Rebekah Taussig, illustrated by Kirbi Fagan (32 pp, Carolrhoda Books, 2025). Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair–and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness. Ages 5 – 9.

Absolutely Everything by Damian Alexander (216 pp, Graphic Universe, 2025). Sixth grade seems complicated on purpose. Marcella keeps forgetting her homework or getting distracted while she’s doing it. Plus, her bestie has new friends, and her parents even want to move apartments. She’s trying to keep track of the changes–but absolutely everything is stressing her out! In this funny, thoughtful graphic novel, author-artist Damian Alexander tells a story of growing up, ADHD, and focusing on what makes you who you are. Ages 9 – 14.

The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler (336 pp, Carolrhoda Books, 2024). Twelve-year-old Rosie is a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors.

She’s never told anyone this, though. She already stands out more than enough as a musical “prodigy” who plays better than most adults. Rosie’s mom expects her to become a professional violinist. But this summer, Rosie refuses to play.

She wants to have a break. To make friends and discover new hobbies. To find out who she would be if her life didn’t revolve around the violin. Ages 11 – 14.

A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson (352 pp, Heartdrum, 2024). Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s postgraduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . . Ages 13 and up.

Detour Ahead by Pamela Ehrenberg and Tracy López (352 pp, PJ Publishing, 2022). Every weekday morning, 12-year-old Gilah takes the same public bus to her school in Washington, DC, and this year, she’s finally allowed to ride alone. On the very first day, the bus swerves too close to a bicyclist, and Gilah finds the courage to alert the driver to stop the bus. Without a bike, 13-year-old Guillermo starts riding the H4 with Gilah. This is the story of a Salvadoran-American boy who is a poet, a neuro-diverse Jewish girl who loves breakdancing, and how they navigate the detours of their families, their friendship, and their lives. Ages 9 – 12.

Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ True Stories of Disability and Determination edited by Melissa Hart, illustrated by María Perera (144 pp, Sourcebooks Explore, 2025). In this illustrated biography collection, meet over twenty people with Down syndrome who have accomplished amazing things in their lives. Excelling in film, sports, business, photography, and more, these people are changing hearts and minds about their disability. Read about Chris Nikic, the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon, and Isabella Springmuhl Tejada, the first designer with Down syndrome invited to showcase her work at London Fashion Week. Learn about the Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and other organizations who support the Down syndrome community. Each of these stories will educate and inspire young readers, both kids with Down syndrome and their family members, friends, classmates, and teammates! Ages 8 – 14.

Everyday Disability and Chronic Illness: Stories of Joy, Resistance and Anti-Ableism foreword by Isaac Harvey (128 pp, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2026). From the rose fields of Oman and the dizzying heights of La Paz, to Camden’s cobblestones and that one “totally wheelchair-friendly” doorstep, these prize-winning essays share the unvarnished truth of life with a disability or chronic illness.
In each chapter, an emerging writer offers their perspective on how disability and chronic illness have affected their lives, and how they handle obstacles and find community. The essays offer insight into stigma, institutional bias, and the quiet ableism that often slips by unnoticed, or gets buried under good intentions that go nowhere. They also share stories of resistance, belonging, and thriving – whether it’s a day for challenging boundaries or taking a breath and resting.

The Lunbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz (208 pp, Clarion Books, 2024). Ever since her dad died, 11-year-old Jerry Blum and her mom have bounced around dead-end towns, staying in a series of rundown motels where her mother picks up housekeeping work and Jerry can get around in her wheelchair. 

But the Slumbering Giant motel is different. Lights blink on and off in the surrounding trees, a mysterious radio station plays only at midnight, and people disappear into the woods, never to been seen again. Not to mention that Jerry’s mom keeps vanishing to do “special work” that she refuses to discuss. When her mother doesn’t come home one morning, Jerry springs into action. Ages 8 – 12.

Make a Little Wave by Kerry O’Malley Cerra (360 pp, Carolrhoda Books, 2024). Savannah has been feeling out of place ever since her family moved to Sandy Dune, Florida. She finds it easier to make friends with animals than people. Plus, everyone in Sandy Dune seems to love spending time in the ocean, and Sav never feels comfortable leaving the shore.

When her classmate Tanner invites her to the opening of his family’s restaurant, Sav’s excited–until she’s served a bowl of shark fin soup. Sav has always been scared of sharks, but she’s horrified that they’re inhumanely killed for this expensive delicacy. Especially as she learns more about these surprisingly gentle creatures and discovers that some shark species are being hunted to the point of endangerment. Tanner’s family brushes off her concerns, but Sav resolves to stop them from serving the soup.

To do that, she’ll have to learn how to use her voice and face her biggest fears. Ages 11 – 14.

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia, illustrated by Brittney Williams (208 pp, First Second, 2025). Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they all got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game!

But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top. Why does it take her so long to read? And how can she keep up with friends in the Witchlins game if she can’t get through the text-heavy guidebook? It takes loving teachers and her family to recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed. Ages 8 – 12.

Pangu’s Shadow by Karen Bao (288 pp, Carolrhoda Lab, 2024). Ver and Aryl, apprentices at the most prestigious biology lab among the system’s moons, know this better than anyone. They’ve left behind difficult pasts and pinned their hopes for the future on Cal, their brilliant but demanding boss. But one night while working late in the lab, they find Cal sprawled on the floor, dead. Ages 12 – 18.

The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E.Y. Stemple (256 pp, Wordsong, 2025). 15-year-old Dylan has always felt like an outsider in his small town. Isolated when he was younger as the result of his unpredictable, now absent mother and feeling like a disappointment to his grandfather who has stepped in to raise him, Dylan finds relief in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop. Amidst the cool quiet of the trees, Dylan thrives on bird watching and writing poetry. But one afternoon after spotting an injured hawk, Dylan finds himself pushing out of his comfort zone to track down help for the bird—and ends up rescuing a part of himself in the process. Ages 9 – 12.

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest (320 pp, Scholastic Press, 2025). By the time Effie Galanos starts her senior year, it feels like she’s already been thinking about college applications for an eternity—after all, finding a college that will be the perfect fit and be accessible enough for Effie to navigate in her wheelchair presents a ton of considerations that her friends don’t have to worry about.

What Effie hasn’t told anyone is that she already knows exactly what school she has her heart set on: a college in NYC with a major in Mass Media & Society that will set her up perfectly for her dream job in digital media. She’s never been to New York, but paging through the brochure, she can picture the person she’ll be there, far from the Minneapolis neighborhood where she’s lived her entire life. When she finds out that Wilder (her longtime crush) is applying there too, it seems like one more sign from the universe that it’s the right place for her.

But it turns out that the universe is full of surprises. As Effie navigates her way through a year of admissions visits, senior class traditions, internal and external ableism, and a lot of firsts–and lasts–she starts to learn that sometimes growing up means being open to a world of possibilities you never even dreamed of. And maybe being more than just friends with Wilder is one of those dreams… Ages 12 and up.

The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow (288 pp, Dial Books, 2024). Twelve-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life:

1. Her stomach hurts all the time and she has no idea why.
2. She’s almost definitely 100% sure she likes girls.

So she holds it in…until she can’t. After nearly having an accident of the lavatorial variety in gym class, Al finds herself getting a colonoscopy and an answer—she has Crohn’s disease.

But rather than solving all her problems, Al’s diagnosis just makes everything worse. It’s scary and embarrassing. And worst of all, everyone wants her to talk about it—her overprotective mom, her best friend, and most annoyingly her gastroenterologist, who keeps trying to get her to go to a support group for kids with similar chronic illnesses. But, who wants to talk about what you do in the bathroom? Ages 10 – 14.

The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight by Andrew Leland (368 pp, Penguin Books, 2024). We meet Andrew Leland as he’s suspended in the liminal state of the soon-to-be blind: he’s midway through his life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that ushers those who live with it from sightedness to blindness over years, even decades. He grew up with full vision, but starting in his teenage years, his sight began to degrade from the outside in. Soon— but without knowing exactly when—he will likely have no vision left.

The Lost Voice: A Memoir by Greta Morgan (304 pp, HarperOne, 2025). In 2019, Greta Morgan was on the rise. She was a touring member of Vampire Weekend, performed with Jenny Lewis, and garnered critical acclaim with her own musical projects. But in March 2020, after contracting Covid-19, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder with no known cure that left her unable to sing. Her once crystalline voice now reduced to a hush, she saw her career come to an abrupt standstill.

Beyond the physical ramifications, what does it mean to cultivate a true voice? Morgan’s loss launches her into a journey of grief and self-discovery, forcing her to broaden her artistic horizons and reconstruct her sense of self. Her narrative takes us on a whirlwind tour of music studios, band buses, and celebrity-filled backstage parties, but it also takes us to the red canyons of Utah and the spacious wilderness of the American Southwest. In these vast landscapes, Morgan finds unexpected community. In the silence, she learns how to listen to parts of herself she has neglected.

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo (352 pp, Ballantine Books, 2023). By age thirty, Stephanie Foo was successful on paper: She had her dream job as an award-winning radio producer at This American Life and a loving boyfriend. But behind her office door, she was having panic attacks and sobbing at her desk every morning. After years of questioning what was wrong with herself, she was diagnosed with complex PTSD—a condition that occurs when trauma happens continuously, over the course of years.

Both of Foo’s parents abandoned her when she was a teenager, after years of physical and verbal abuse and neglect. She thought she’d moved on, but her new diagnosis illuminated the way her past continued to threaten her health, relationships, and career. She found limited resources to help her, so Foo set out to heal herself, and to map her experiences onto the scarce literature about C-PTSD.

Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong (400 pp, Vintage, 2022). In Chinese culture, the tiger is deeply revered for its confidence, passion, ambition, and ferocity. That same fighting spirit resides in Alice Wong.
 
Drawing on a collection of original essays, previously published work, conversations, graphics, photos, commissioned art by disabled and Asian American artists, and more, Alice uses her unique talent to share an impressionistic scrapbook of her life as an Asian American disabled activist, community organizer, media maker, and dreamer. From her love of food and pop culture to her unwavering commitment to dismantling systemic ableism, Alice shares her thoughts on creativity, access, power, care, the pandemic, mortality, and the future. As a self-described disabled oracle, Alice traces her origins, tells her story, and creates a space for disabled people to be in conversation with one another and the world. Filled with incisive wit, joy, and rage, Wong’s Year of the Tiger will galvanize readers with big cat energy.