It is so important to read and discuss books that highlight students with disabilities. Not only does it help students become more knowledgable and understanding about specific needs and challenges, but it also helps kids to become more inclusive, too.
All students can relate to these books in some way, supporting the overarching idea that celebrating our differences is often what brings us together.
Here are some books to highlight kids with disabilities:
My Sister, Alicia May by Nancy Tupper Ling – This beautifully illustrated book shares the story of Rachel and her sister, Alicia May, who has Down syndrome. This honest story highlights how similar we all are. The author writes, “In some ways, my sister is like any six-year-old. She likes dogs and horses. She likes to paint her toenails with polka dots, and she loves bugs.” I love the message that even if we are all different in our own ways, we are often so similar, too.
Issac and His Amazing Asperger Superpowers! by Melanie Walsh – I love the idea of comparing someone with Aspergers’s to a superhero. This is a great book to help identify and discuss all the strengths that come along with autism! My favorite line is, “You can’t catch it. It just means my brain works a little differently.” By teaching kids that people with autism are unique and think differently, we can promote acceptance for everyone.
Jack’s Worry by Sam Zuppardi – In this story, Jack is ready to play his trumpet for the concert, but realizes he has a worry that just won’t go away. Jack struggles with his feelings of anxiety until he talks about them and gets the help he needs. My favorite part of this story is that it doesn’t show a “perfect” ending. Feelings of worry can still be there, but you can get through them!
My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete – This book is written from the perspective of Callie, Charlie’s twin sister, and highlights the real challenges and positives that kids with autism have. Charlie struggles with using his words and even saying, “I love you,” but Callie notices that Charlie show his love in different ways.
Mrs. Gorski, I Think I Have the Wiggle Fidgets by Barbara Esham – This story highlights David, who is working to overcome the “wiggle fidgets.” He learns strategies to help him stay focused in class and make good choices, like playing with a fidget, using a silent timer, and using attention cards. For kids who struggle with ADHD or just paying attention in class from time to time, this is a helpful read!
My Buddy by Audrey Osofsky – A boy with muscular dystrophy tells the story of how his dog, Buddy, helps him throughout his daily life. This can be a great text to highlight that fair isn’t always exactly equal. Even though not everyone can, the boy brings his dog around everywhere because it’s what he really needs to be successful.
My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook – This is a helpful text to highlight kids with ADHD, or kids who just struggle with self-control and shouting out often. Louis has a tendency to speak out without thinking until he does some perspective-taking and thinking of his own! I love this book for thinking about how others feel and learning to wait your turn.
If You’re So Smart, How Come You Can’t Spell Mississippi by Barbara Esham – I love this book because it highlights dyslexia in a clear and meaningful way. Katie’s dad is a smart and hardworking attorney in Chicago. He is the smartest person she’s ever know, but he can’t spell Mississippi! When Katie finds out her father has dyslexia, she goes ahead to do her own research and find out what that really means.
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold – While this book doesn’t specifically target kids with disabilities, I think it’s an important one to mention because of its overt theme of inclusiveness across the board. This is a timeless picture book focused on diversity and inclusion of everyone. It’s a must-read for every classroom.
Ella Bella Just Can’t Tell Ya! by Hallie Sherman – I know I’m over 9 books here, but I just had to add this one in after grabbing it. The story is about a young girl who struggles with word retrieval challenges. She works to learn strategies to help her along the way. SO many lessons can be learned from this book, including empathy and perseverance.
I hope you love this list as much as I do! If you have other suggestions for great books to highlight learners with disabilities in a positive way, please feel free to mention in the comments.
For many students, reading is a fun and enjoyable time where they can learn new things and build on their strengths. But for many other students, reading is a dreaded time. This is especially true if the student has a weakness or disability in the area of reading. It’s hard to make reading fun for them. One way to help with that is to incorporate some simple games into reading time.
As teachers move towards a style of “close reading”, it is more and more important to get students involved in their own learning when they read. The goal is that students are independent readers who can think critically about a text. Getting the students themselves to ask questions is one way that allows them to think on a higher level. Here are a few tips to get your students to that point.
One observation I’ve made over the years is that the students who actually enjoy reading make the most significant gains with reading. And yes, I mean “really read”. That means reading something they like, not just because a teacher said to read it. I know this sounds SO obvious! However, it’s always a struggle getting those reluctant readers to pick up a book and find joy in reading. Not only is reading harder for them, but many times they can’t find the right level or the right topic that draws them in. I’ve seen so many students just “give up” on finding the right book. They just consider themselves “non-readers”. Of course, there is no such thing. Every single child and young adult CAN find something to read that interests them even it takes substantial questioning and 1 on 1 time to find a selection.
