For October, we’re celebrating Disability Pride! I know that Disability Pride Month is in July, but at the time I didn’t have enough time to do a full recommendation list. Here’s the mini-recommendation list. Even better, here’s some extra books to add to it!

 This is an important subject to me, and one that many of us have personal experience with. I have “invisible” disabilities, and the concept of “Disability Pride” is new to me. I’ve rarely felt proud of having disabilities as they have always felt more of a hindrance than a gift. However, I admire those who can embrace their disabilities – even when it’s hard – and celebrate themselves as they are. To steal a phrase from Temple Grandin, we are different, not lesser.

There are a lot of ways you can talk about disabilities and people who have disabilities. The conversation and vocabulary around disabilities and neurodivergence has changed a lot in recent years (like the word “neurodivergence” entering the common parlance) and it will continue to change. For this list, I will be using the terms that the authors/characters use to describe themselves. 

Nonfiction

Not So Different: What You Really Want to Know About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw

When kids encounter someone with a disability, they may be frightened, and probably have questions they don’t know how to ask. In Not So Different, Shane Burcaw answers some common questions kids have about his life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Burcaw demystifies what life with a severe physical disability is like, answering questions about his wheelchair and daily needs that he needs help with. He explains that even though his body is different from most people’s, there’s nothing wrong with him. He may look different, but he still has a full life, doing the same things that all of us enjoy: spending time with family and friends, playing sports and video games, and of course, eating pizza.

Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is so well known in psychology and animal science circles that the inclusion of Thinking in Pictures almost feels unnecessary, but her work both in the livestock industry and advocating for autism rights have been groundbreaking. Thinking in Pictures is part autobiography, and part primer on autism.  Grandin tells the story of her life as an autistic woman, and how she learned to navigate a world that wasn’t built for someone like her. Grandin’s stunning ability for visual thinking and deep connection with animals changed the livestock industry in the U.S. forever and led to the creation of more humane slaughterhouses (yes, that is a thing). She also describes the challenges and benefits of being autistic, and how it has shaped her life. Grandin writes that she is “different, not lesser” and shows how autism can be a gift. Originally published in 1995, some of the information on diagnosing autism and medications is outdated. Yet Grandin’s life story – born at a time when autistic children were often institutionalized – is compelling and fascinating. If you have any interest in neurodivergence, this is a must-read. 

Vincent and Theo: the Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman

Two brothers walk to a windmill and make a pledge that will shape the rest of their lives.

Vincent van Gogh was one of the most remarkable and celebrated painters that ever lived. But the beauty in his paintings was often missing in his own life. The (literal) portrait of a tormented artist, Vincent most likely had bipolar disorder, among other physical and mental ailments. Throughout his troubled life, there was one person he valued above all overs: his younger brother, Theo. Theo supported his brother financially and emotionally throughout both their lives, sending him money and paint, and most importantly, believing in Vincent and his art. Their relationship was often strained, and rarely easy, but the deep bond and love between them carried both brothers through the darkest and brightest times of their lives. Meticulously drawn from the hundreds of letters that the brothers wrote to each other, Heiligman paints a stunning biography of both men. Beautifully written, Vincent and Theo’s life stories are filled with tenderness and tragedy. Much as we celebrate Vincent’s work today, it should be known: there would be no Vincent without Theo. The audiobook is excellent, and the print version has illustrations and a photo insert of some of Vincent’s work.

All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum
All Dogs Have ADHD
All Birds Have Anxiety

By Kathy Hoopmann

I couldn’t pick just one of these books – I had to include all three. Hoopmann describes common traits of autism, ADHD, and anxiety, using cute and funny animal pictures to illustrate each one. The books also list the positive traits as well: “His creativity is legendary!” “[P]eople marvel at their intelligent minds.” Each book ends on a hopeful note, that with love and support, you can achieve anything (and have anxiety-free days!) no matter what kind of brain you have. For parents, it can be hard to explain a child’s diagnosis to them, or find an opening to talk about it. Books like these are a great way to start the conversation, and the photos (apart from being adorable) can help both adults and children understand autism, ADHD, and anxiety better. They’re cute, informative, and I love how Hoopmann incorporates positive traits as well. My brain is wired differently from most people’s, and it has its drawbacks. It’s nice to be reminded that there are good things about that, too. 

Fiction

You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner

It’s time for Julia to go public with her art. After a slur against her best friend is spray-painted on the gym at Kingston School for the Deaf, Julia covers it with a mural of her own, covering a nasty message with art. Instead of being grateful, her friend rats on her, and Julia is expelled for vandalizing the school.. Friendless and angry, Julia is forced to attend a mainstream school in the suburbs. Julia turns her focus on her art and makes a splash with her first graffiti mural…until someone tags over it. Then it happens again. And her rival is good. Really good. Julia never thought she’d be in a graffiti war, but she’s determined to win this, and hold tight to the one thing in her life that still makes sense. Illustrations of Julia’s (and her rival’s) artwork are scattered throughout the book. A fun read with insights into Deaf culture and a side of teen drama. 

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! By Sarah Kapit

When twelve-year-old Vivy Cohen writes a letter to her favorite baseball player, VJ Capello, for her social skills group, she doesn’t think he’ll actually write back. She doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to play on a baseball team either, even though she’s got a mean knuckleball. But when Coach K spots her pitching in the park, he doesn’t care that she’s a girl or autistic. He just wants her on his team. After some reluctance on her mom’s part, Vivy joins the team and can finally play the best sport in the world. Even better, VJ Capello starts writing her back! The two strike up a correspondence, with VJ offering advice on not just on pitching, but also friendships, bullying, and being a good team player. VJ understands her love of the game and believes in her…so why can’t Vivy’s mom? But with VJ’s support and a catcher who’s always got her back, Vivy’s determined to earn her place on the pitcher’s mound.

Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin

Dylan wakes up in a stranger’s apartment with no memory of how she got there. She’s blacked out before – the main reason she quit drinking – but is shaken to her core when she realizes that she’s been missing for three days. Dylan knows that she’s “crazy” – all the other mental health diagnoses she has don’t explain her losing time as frequently as she does. After a life-threatening event, Dylan is finally diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as multiple personalities. The diagnosis is both a relief and a nightmare. Dylan must learn to live, communicate with, and eventually accept her alters as part of herself. To heal, she must also recall the trauma that forced her consciousness to fracture when she was just a child. The book can be dark, but it gives a sympathetic portrayal of DID, which is often misunderstood and stigmatized. Dylan’s story is ultimately hopeful as she learns that she can have a full, meaningful life with DID. Resources and a content warning are included. 

Unbroken: 13 Stories of Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp

An autistic girl is cursed to grant wishes to anyone who is kind to her. A young writer comes to a new understanding of the theatre through Faust. A teenager with severe anxiety is the only one who can save her city from an impending attack. Unbroken is a multi-genre short story anthology, with stories ranging from high-stakes sci-fi to rom-com to historical fiction. The protagonists are well-crafted, never reduced to just their disabilities. The protagonists don’t set out to “cure” themselves, but their motivations are things every teen wants: love, security, acceptance. My favorite story is the first one, “The Long Road” by Heidi Heilig, where a traveler on the Silk Road (implied to have bipolar disorder) comes to see herself not as cursed, and accepts herself as she is.