Skip to Main Content
Neurodiversity & Disability
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
When thirteen-year-old Aven and her family take over a Western theme park in Arizona, she is forced into a new school. Aven was born with no arms, so life is difficult enough, but with so many changes, she is desperate to connect. She then meets Connor, a boy with his own disability, and after finding a mysterious storage shed, Aven and Conner learn about the importance of friendship.
I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino (Illustrator)
Kohei has problems integrating into life on campus and distances himself from other students because of his hearing disability. But then he meets loud, cheerful Taichi who tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words change Kohei, and for the first time, Kohei begins to hope that he might find friendship and maybe even love.
Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom
Blind sixteen-year-old Parker Grant navigates friendships and romantic relationships, including a run-in with a boy who previously broke her heart, while coping with her father's recent death.
Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp
Finn, Livia, Ever, Carter, and Maddie have a tradition of playing a murder mystery game at Livia's family cabin. But each of them are dealing with their own demons. Finn doesn't trust anyone since he was attacked a few months ago. Livia saw the attack and did nothing to stop it. Maddy was in an accident that destroyed her sports career, Carter is struggling under his family's expectations, and Ever wants to keep the game going at all costs. But when they gather for one last game, the line between reality and the game begin to blur as it becomes clear that someone is out to get rid of them.
The Pretty One by Keah Brown
Presents a collection of essays written by Keah Brown, a disabled African American woman who began a viral "hashtag" on Twitter known as #disabledandcute. Essays touch on topics ranging from living with her disability, how pop culture depicts or represents--or fails to represent--disabled black Americans, and how she has found her sense of self-worth and self respect.
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
Maya, who is deaf, is forced to move with her family to Colorado at the start of her senior year of high school. She struggles to have a positive attitude until she meets Beau Watson, the school's student body president. Beau learns to sign in order to talk to her, and Maya grows closer to him despite warning herself that deaf and hearing relationships never work. Then Maya chooses not to have a cochlear implant, and Beau doesn't understand why. Maya wonders if he wants her to be someone she is not.
A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman
In India, a girl who excels at Bharatanatyam dance refuses to give up after losing a leg in an accident.
The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp; Manuel Preitano (Illustrator)
After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed, Barbara Gordon enters the Arkham Center for Independence, where Gotham's teens undergo physical and mental rehabilitation. Now using a wheelchair, Barbara must adapt to a new normal, but she feels like something is dangerously amiss. When patients go missing, it's up to Barbara to find a way to solve the mystery.
Unbroken by Marieke Nijkamp
An anthology of stories in various genres, featuring disabled characters and written by disabled creators, ranging from established best selling authors to debut authors
Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas
Kalyn, living under a pseudonym, and Gus, who has cerebral palsy, get caught in an uproar in Samsboro, Kentucky as the truth about the brutal murder of Gus's father by Kalyn's comes to light.
When My Heart Joins the Thousand by A. J. Steiger
Alvie Fitz, who is autistic, is quietly waiting to turn eighteen and be legally emancipated. She works at the zoo and lives independently in a small apartment. One day she meets Stanley, a boy with chronic physical issues, and falls for him. She sees Stanley as her chance to have a physical relationship. Soon romance blossoms, but when Stanley tells Alvie he loves her, she panics, loses her job, and becomes homeless. It is only with Stanley's help that Alvie can face her past, get her life back on track, and find happiness.