11 awesome children's books featuring characters with disabilities
S.A. Reyhani's A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents takes readers on an unforgettable intergalactic adventure, following 12-year-old Arian – who has an upper-limb difference – and his mysterious new foster sister, Madlock. A big fan of children's science fiction and fantasy, S.A. Reyhani has joined us to recommend 11 more brilliant books with positive disability representation, whether you’re looking for stories filled with heart, humour, or high-stakes adventure, for toddlers to teens.
"This list started off with upwards of thirty books! How lovely to see that times are a-changin' with positive disability representation in children's literature. That said, in the middle grade (8-12 years) space, one genre remains woefully underrepresented, and (bizarrely) it's among the top-selling genres for that age group – fantasy! Throw science fiction in with that too, and you see we do have some work ahead of us. That aside, this list holds a special place in my heart. We all know that books can be transformative for children, but does that metamorphic magic reach those who rarely see themselves within the pages? I do hope you agree that the books below are, in their own small way, pages of possibilities, not only for the children reading them, but for the adults that surround them too." S.A Reyhani
What Happened to You? by James Catchpole and illustrated by Karen George
Why is the sky blue? Why do I have school? Why can't pigs fly? Children are inquisitive little blighters. But what about those occasions where their curiosity might be unwelcome? Written by James Catchpole, this heartwarming picture book is based on his own childhood experience of being pestered by curious children as to why he had one leg. In his own words: "I want disabled children to know they don't have to answer personal questions, and non-disabled children and adults to learn – despite what they've been told – that it's not 'always best to ask'."
Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez, and translated by Karen Llagas
Sam is intrigued by her new neighbours – a family who communicate as though their hands move to music. After striking up a friendship with their daughter, Mai, the two girls find a way to bridge their language barrier through the use of sign language. At its toasty-warm core, Dancing Hands is a masterfully told tale of friendship. The illustrations are fresh and very clever, with a few wordless pages where the reader is invited into the girls' silent talks. One annoying thing – this picture book wasn't around when my children were smaller!
I Talk Like a River written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith
Exquisitely crafted, the near-lyrical language in this picture book is all the more poignant given it's about a boy who struggles with stuttering. The reader is taken inside his lonely and frustrating inner world in a visceral and moving way. Ultimately, the boy's father manages to comfort him by taking him to a river and comparing his voice to the movement of the water. There’s a folded spread showing an illustration of the boy’s face which opens into a gleaming hidden river which blew me away. This one plucks and pulls at the heartstrings, staying with you long after you finish reading.
Call Me Lion by Camilla Chester
A couple of years ago a friend told me her son had once had selective mutism. I'd never heard of it until that moment, but it was a stark reminder of why books like these are so important, not only for children seeking to find themselves within the pages, but for the wider public too. The story centres around 10-year-old Leo, who dreams of dancing on stage, but will his inability to speak hold him back? When Leo meets his chatty new neighbour, their shared love of dancing forms the basis of a great friendship, and great changes with it.
The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton
Mermaids, a man with a kitten in his beard, and an ensemble of disabled heroes (yes, you read right, an entire cast!) feature in this unique magical story. Alpha Lux has grown up watching her lighthouse home become a safe 'haven' to disabled children in need of one. But when their refuge comes under threat of discovery by 'Outsiders', hard decisions need to be made. Nothing explores the power of friendship quite like a middle grade tale and The Secret of Haven Point excels in this theme with love, acceptance and inclusion seamlessly woven in. AND it's fantasy! Whoop whoop!
The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Set during WWII, 10-year-old Ada Smith lives in London with her abusive mother, who forbids her from going outside because of her clubfoot. When child evacuation orders come in, Ada goes on a journey to a new home in Kent and an inner journey discovering the amazing person locked within herself. My daughter LOVES this book. She's read it more times than I can count and goes through phases where, for whatever reason, she will seek it out and curl up with it. Rare is the story that stakes a forever-place in a child's heart, but this is surely one.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks by Emily Kenny
Animals are going missing and no one knows why!! Argh!! Sorry, I got so swept up in Alice's brilliant middle grade adventure, I forgot to introduce it properly. Alice Tonks simply wants to make friends at her new boarding school, a nerve-wracking task for most children and even more challenging when you're autistic. But as Alice fast discovers, there's a lot more going on at Pebblewood School than meets the eye. Talking animals, magic, and a whopping mystery for starters. Fitting in is the least of her worries.
The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill
Miniature dragons with the power to grow tea leaves on their horns. 'Nuff said. Honestly how great does that sound?! I wish this middle grade fantasy story wasn't in graphic novel form because after seeing one of those cute critters, you're going to obsess about getting one in your life. There's a long list of awards attached to this book and it's easy to see why. Inclusivity is across the board; LGBTQ+ characters, characters of colour, and a character in a wheelchair. What links all these individuals? A desire to take care of the dragons of course. Cup of magical tea anyone?
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I was reluctant to include this in the list, because if you haven't heard about Percy Jackson by now, you must be a visitor from the planet Zog (in which case, welcome). I will however give it a quick honorary mention because it is that most rare of creatures – a middle grade fantasy novel with positive disability representation. Percy's life gets turned upside down when he discovers he's a demi-god and that the Greek Gods are alive and well, living in the USA. Riordan was inspired to write the series by his son who, like Percy, has ADHD and dyslexia.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
There's something quite distinctive about the voice John Green gives to teenagers in his novels, and this one is no exception. Painfully descriptive at times, Green’s story centres around Aza, a 16-year-old with OCD and severe anxiety. When a local billionaire goes missing, Aza starts a journey with her best friend to find answers, but her plans are complicated by her own internal struggles. And of course, there's a romance to further muddy matters. This is not an easy read, but it is a healing one for youths who have experienced feeling lost in their own mental spiral.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
This young adult novel is a rich retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The tale alternates between two points of view: Harper, the heroine of the story, and her love interest Rhen, a tortured hero who's fated to repeat the curse of transforming into a beast. Harper's limp (caused by cerebral palsy) is expertly included as part of her identity – a part which she readily owns – while not defining who she is. It's cheering to see a condition not often represented in children's literature make an appearance here, and extra cheering to see it in the fantasy genre.
About A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents written by S.A Reyhani and illustrated by Kristina Kister
The universe makes no mistakes…
Twelve-year-old Arian never wanted a foster sister, much less the weird and annoying one who has joined his family. From her outlandish outfits and bizarre behaviour to her claim that the random stick she carries is a magical weapon, Madlock is creeping Arian out. There's just one thing the pair can agree on: that she’s from another planet. Of course, Arian never meant literally…
When Madlock summons a portal to another world, Arian is launched into an adventure of intergalactic proportions. For an ancient enemy is stirring in the shadows, and the universe has a bigger plan for them than the pair could ever have imagined.
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