List
Disability and Accessibility for Grades K-2
These books feature real and fictional characters with disabilities in order to showcase how inclusion and diversity improve our community as well as remind disabled readers that they're not alone. When able, I focused on titles that were created by authors and illustrators who identify as disabled. I also noted which titles are set in dyslexic-friendly fonts or have other formats, like eBooks or audiobooks.
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Sam's Super Seats
2022 by Brown, KeahGet this itemSam, a young girl with cerebral palsy, goes school shopping with her friends and takes rest breaks as necessary in this inclusive picture book that stresses the importance of accommodation and pacing. I loved that the book was able to showcase Sam's supportive friends and that her needs weren't difficult to accommodate, just different. Keah Brown is an author, journalist, and disability activist who has also published nonfiction and young adult books about disability.
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Come Over to My House
2023 by Hull, ElizaGet this itemIn cheerful rhyming text, readers are introduced to a cast of friendly, diverse families whose members happen to have different disabilities. We see how these families play, eat, and interact with one another in their homes. It's absolutely delightful to see disabled adults parenting and thriving in their homes, as that's often an aspect of disability that's overlooked. Coauthor Eliza Hull has also edited an anthology of parenting essays authored by disabled parents.
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Friendship Goals
2022 by Reid, C. L.Get this itemEmma, a young deaf girl, loves playing soccer with her friends, but when one of them wants to quit, she helps them practice and encourages them to keep trying. The book includes some ASL throughout, a finger-spelling guide, and more. I often recommend this early reader series to young readers interested in learning some ASL, hoping that it will spark further learning!
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The Astronomically Grand Plan
2022 by Neal, RieGet this itemAstrid is determined to be the first hearing-aid-wearing astronaut to go into space! The first step in this plan is to join her school's space club with her best friend, but when her best friend decides she'd rather join the art club, Astrid has to figure out how to fulfill her dreams while also maintaining her friendship. I love Astrid's passion for space and her friendships. It was very relatable to read about struggling with having different interests than your friends.
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Brilliant Bea
2021 by Rudolph, ShainaGet this itemBea loves to tell stories, but her dyslexia makes it hard for her to write them down. Recognizing her difficulties, her teacher provides her with a tape recorder so she can record her own stories. Bea blossoms, making friends and narrating incredible stories. This book is set in a dyslexia-friendly font.
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I Talk Like a River
2020 by Scott, JordanGet this itemBased on his own childhood, poet Jordan Scott introduces us to a young boy who feels frustrated and alone, unable to make the words come out the way he wants them to. After a particularly difficult school day, his father takes him on a walk down by the river, comparing the way he speaks to the ebbs and flows of the water. Also available as a downloadable audiobook and downloadable read-aloud video.
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Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion
2022 by Stocker, ShannonGet this itemA picture book biography introducing readers to deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Glennie's experiences show readers that there are many ways to listen and that inclusion of people with disabilities can create beautiful things. I found the descriptions in this book about feeling music really interesting and think this could be a great jumping off point to discuss alternative ways to make music with kids.
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Ali and the Sea Stars
2022 by Stroker, AliGet this itemInspired by her own life, Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker tells the story of a young girl putting on her own musical for the first time. With help from her family and friends, a set is designed, a musical chosen, and costumes made, until a storm threatens to ruin it all! Also available as a downloadable audiobook.
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A Walk in the Words
2021 by Talbott, HudsonGet this itemInspired by his own experience with dyslexia, Talbott introduces a young boy who loves to draw and engage with stories, but who struggles to read. Illustrations emphasize the struggles and fears of the boy, but his persistence and love of stories help him to move forward on his learning journey.
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A Blue Kind of Day
2022 by Tomlinson, RachelGet this itemShowcasing how "blue moods" and depression can impact people of any age, Tomlinson introduces readers to Coen, a young boy having a rough day. HIs family tries to help him in the ways they think are best, until they realize all they really need to do is listen. I found Coen's family's struggle to understand his depression really helpful and appreciate how they depicted their growth in the story.
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I Am, You Are
2023 by Whaley, Ashley HarrisGet this itemA friendly and accessible introduction to the concepts of disability and ableism as well as the different kinds of disabilities one might encounter. Written by disability activist Ashley Harris Whaley, the book encourages readers to embrace difference, be respectful, and celebrate disability as part of a larger spectrum of diversity. I especially like that the book creates opportunities for children and their grown-ups to have conversations about disability.
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