July is Disability Pride Month, an annual observance that celebrates the history, achievements, experiences, and challenges of the disability community. Here are recommended titles for all ages to learn and celebrate Disability Pride Month!
Preschool
Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You! by Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia and her friends plant a garden, and each one contributes in his or her own special way, in a book that celebrates the many differences among humans.
¡Solo pregunta! ¡Sé diferente, sé valiente, sé tú! by Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia y sus amigos siembran un jardín, y cada uno contribuye a su manera … Todos los amigos son diferentes, pero todos tienen algo en común: ¡les gusta hacer preguntas y saber más acerca de sus compañeros!
We Want to Go to School!: The Fight for Disability Rights by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
There was a time in the United States when children with disabilities weren’t allowed to go to public school. But in 1971, seven kids and their families wanted to do something about it. They knew that every child had a right to an equal education, so they went to court to fight for that right.
Middle Grade
Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn
Struggling with ADHD, loneliness, and connecting with his divorced father who would rather see him embrace sports instead of cooking, sixth-grader Elliott finds an unlikely friend in popular, perfect Maribel when the two are paired in a school-wide contest.
You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
When her new baby sister is born deaf, Jilly makes an online connection with a fellow fantasy fan, who happens to be black and deaf, and begins to learn about the many obstacles that exist in the world for people who are different from her.
Young Adult
Joined at the Joints by Marissa Eller
Chronically ill seventeen-year-old Ivy finds solace in baking and watching the Food Network to cope with her illness and social anxiety, but when she meets a cute classmate with the same juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, she must decide whether to maintain a façade or be brave and let go in their budding romance.
The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes
Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed. But as an autistic girl who never talks, she goes largely ignored by her peers–despite her bold fashion choices. So when cute, popular Luis starts to pay attention to her, Ari finally feels seen.
Adult
True Biz by Sara Novic
This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, cochlear implants and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy.
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke
A silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: these are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. The Invisible Kingdom follows the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions.
By Alexa Selner