We are delighted to share with our readers a guest post from author Jennifer Durrant who is sharing The 5 Best Picture Books with Disability Representation with us.
All children deserve to see themselves reflected in the books they read. Too often, disabled readers don’t find that recognition, and when they do, it can be transformative. Stories teach empathy, spark conversations about accessibility, and expand how kids imagine the world. Blind actor Ellie Wallwork, the narrator of Silver is the Moon, put it best: “When I was younger, I longed to read about kids like me in books and never found them. Characters like Josée can inspire blind children, and all children, to try new things.” Her words show why representation matters. Every child should be able to find someone like them in a story.
To promote disability inclusion, here are 5 picture books featuring disabled characters.
Comment below with other new titles to help our readers
find new favorites for their bookshelves at home
and in the classroom!
• The 5 Best Picture Books with Disability Representation•
A SKY THAT SINGS
Mia, a blind girl who enjoys identifying birds by their distinct calls and songs, leads her aunt through the park on a bird-listening adventure!
Mia and her tía are spending a sunny afternoon at the park bird-listening! Some people enjoy bird-watching but as a blind person, Mia uses her other senses to identify different birds by their unique calls and songs. She calls it bird-listening.
Mia loves naming each of the birds that she hears. Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! Is that the chipper call of a yellow warbler? At first Mia's aunt doesn't know what to expect, but with Mia's guidance, she learns to listen and enjoy the bright melodies pouring from the sky. Their adventure will take them past a lively pond, through the hush of the quiet woods, and up a breezy hilltop for a soaring encounter with Mia's favorite bird of all!
Perfect for bird lovers of every feather, A Sky That Sings invites us to open our senses to life's everyday treasures–the delights of nature and spending time with loved ones.
A SKY THAT SINGS
Written by Anita Sanchez and George Steele and Illustrated by Emily Mendoza
Published by Lee & Low Books
REWRITING THE RULES:
How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability
When Kathleen Friel was young, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and a doctor told her parents all the things she’d never be able to do.
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.
REWRITING THE RULES: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability
Written by Danna Zeiger and Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon
Published by Millbrook Press
A SERVICE DOG FOR PAIGE
A heartwarming tale of hope, invisible struggles, and the power of a four-legged friend.
Paige carries invisible burdens-ones you can't see but feel in every heavy step she takes. She keeps going, even when no one understands the weight she bears. Across town, a little puppy is left behind when all the other dogs are chosen by firefighters, police officers, and search-and-rescue teams. But this puppy has a gift: he notices things others don't. When their paths cross, everything changes.
Inspired by real service dogs and those who live with unseen challenges, A Service Dog for Paige is a gentle, beautifully illustrated picture book that helps children understand mental health, trauma, and the healing bond between a person and their dog. Whether you're a teacher, librarian, parent, or child-this story opens doors for empathy, kindness, and conversation.
Perfect for readers aged 4-8, this story will resonate with anyone who's ever felt different, alone, or in need of a friend who just gets it.
A SERVICE DOG FOR PAIGE
Written by Peggy Griffith and Illustrated by Lauren Austin
Published by Captain Paige Turner Publishing
SIX DOTS:
A Story of Young Louis Braille
Louis Braille was just five years old when he lost his sight. He was a clever boy, determined to live like everyone else, and what he wanted more than anything was to be able to read.
Even at the school for the blind in Paris, there were no books for him.
And so he invented his own alphabet—a whole new system for writing that could be read by touch. A system so ingenious that it is still used by the blind community today.
SIX DOTS: A Story of Young Louis Braille
Written by Jen Bryant and Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
SILVER IS THE MOON
Silver is the Moon is a true story about a girl born blind on the island of Corsica in 1923. Josée grows up surrounded by a loving family on a farm not far from the sea. She feels like all the other kids in the village until they go to school, and she can’t join them.
To compensate, Josée’s family reads to her every day to show her the world until she learns to read Braille on her own. Josée is inspired by all the characters she meets, and one day, takes courage from Little Red Riding Hood when she volunteers to carry a suitcase by train for the French Resistance.
For readers ages 7–11, this true story inspires kids to grow in empathy, face their fears with courage, and believe in their own dreams.
SILVER IS THE MOON
Written by Jennifer Durrant
Published by Silver is the Moon
Need more diverse children's book recommendations?
Check out this resource:
Don't miss all our diverse books recommendations on KidLitTV!
Bethany Edwards is an elementary educator as well as a reading and literacy specialist. On Biracial Bookworms, she focuses on multiracial and multicultural resources for teaching literacy skills using reading, travel, and learning multiple languages. Additionally, she offers online and self-paced courses for parents and caregivers on Biracial Bookworms Academy.
Connect with Bethany on Biracial Bookworms
|
Thank you for this awesome list. The unit I start with my middle schoolers in January is about disability awareness. I use a lot of picture book read aloud as mentor texts, and they each read a novel about someone with a disability, disease, or disorder and do a research project on it to help educate class. It’s a great way to pair fiction and non-fiction, so thank you for suggesting some more books to add to my list!
Thank you for this awesome list. The unit I start with my middle schoolers in January is about disability awareness. I use a lot of picture book read aloud as mentor texts, and they each read a novel about someone with a disability, disease, or disorder and do a research project on it to help educate class. It’s a great way to pair fiction and non-fiction, so thank you for suggesting some more books to add to my list!