outstanding books for young people with disabilities list
The IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Young People with Disabilities, housed in Canada, publishes an annotated, illustrated catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. USBBY, like other IBBY national sections, regularly nominates books for listing in the Centre's biennial catalog.
All submissions are kept in the permanent collection of the IBBY Documentation Centre. Online access is available here. |
The 2024 USBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities List Committee has submitted 12 books for consideration for the 2025 IBBY Biennial Catalog. The list of nominated books include:
Andrew, Kelly. (2022). The Whispering Dark. Scholastic.
As Delaney begins her studies at a prestigious college for students with mystical powers, she encounters professors who refuse accommodations for her. She is drawn to another student with whom she has a past connection, and together they work to explore the deaths of several students under mysterious circumstances.
Harrington. C. C. (2022). Wildoak. Scholastic.
Maggie can speak to animals without any difficulties, but stutters whenever trying to speak with people. This causes her to struggle with school and also leads to her father threatening to send her away for a special “treatment”. To avoid this, she agrees to her mother’s plan to spend some time living with her grandfather for a few weeks away from the city near Wildoak Forest. While there she finds an abandoned snow leopard. Maggie and this snow leopard soon discover they can help each other, while also saving the forest from external threats.
Hayden, Chaz. (2022). The First Thing About You. Candlewick.
A fifteen-year-old Harris moves to New Jersey from California. Due to his spinal muscular atrophy, he uses a powered wheelchair, and he has been hospitalized often, which makes it hard for him to make friends. In a new school in a new city, he wants to make more friends and find a girlfriend. Harris meets Miranda, who recently graduated from high school. Miranda gets hired by Harris’ mom to assist Harris. Miranda sees Harris as smart and funny. Harris develops his romantic feelings for Miranda, but soon, Miranda’s irresponsible actions put Harrin in a dangerous situation.
Lloyd, Natalie. (2022). Hummingbird. Scholastic.
Olive, an upbeat twelve-year-old with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) is more than just a little excited to finally attend school with her peers. She doesn’t initially see her need to use a wheelchair as anything more than a slight inconvenience, and she doesn’t agree with her parents that attending a public school will increase her risk of injury. However, after a devastating first day, she believes that the only way she’ll ever truly fit in is if her body can be magically changed by a hummingbird—a fantastical creature that supposedly grants one wish to worthy seekers. Olive and her friend Grace therefore engage in a quest for miraculous healing, which through a series of unexpected twists and turns, ultimately leads to destinations of self-acceptance and understanding.
MacLean, Roz. (2023). More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean. Henry Holt and Co.
Nathan, a young boy who feels more comfortable listening than speaking, quietly engages with his peers at a school for students with unique ways of communicating. He “doesn’t say much,” but he is very much a part of the happenings of his classroom, which include students typing personal narratives in Braille, participating in whole-class discussions through the assistance of digital speaking devices, and chatting about their days using sign language at recess. Moving from one child to the next, readers are provided glimpses into the various characters’ interests and needs, and the story concludes with the gentle take away that our world is made infinitely more beautiful through its diverse voices and perspectives.
Mendez, Jasminne. (2023). Aniana del Mar Jumps In. Dial Books.
This novel-in-verse tells the story of Aniana del, who loves water. Aniana keeps her swim practice secret from her Mami. Aniana knows that Mami will not allow Aniana to swim. Mami became overprotective of Aniana after Aniana’s brother was drowned during a hurricane. Mami, who is strictly religious, believes that Aniana’s juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a punishment from God. Aniana suffers from her illness and her family’s disapproval of her love of swimming.
Roe, Monica. (2022). Air. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Emmie is a twelve-year-old wheelchair motocross (MCMX) athlete raising money for a souped-up wheelchair until a wheelchair ramp and well-meaning classmate at school impede her plan. Instead of addressing the ramp design, the school decides that Emmie needs an aide to accompany her to class and around the school while also launching a public fundraiser to help her purchase the chair she’s been dreaming of. Emmie recognizes the powerful forces at play and the potential to lose agency and autonomy. She reasserts her independence and choices by making a plan with friends to show the community how capable she really is.
Stewart, Erin. (2023). Words We Keep. Ember.
The story follows Lily months after she found her sister, Alice, hurting herself in the bathroom. Alice has returned home from her treatment center and the two sisters struggle to reconnect and come to terms with depression and anxiety. Lily also befriends Micah, a boy who was in treatment with Alice. Lily is determined to fit in and push through her anxieties, but discovers she needs to share the words that she’s been holding back in order to get help.
Sortino, Anna. (2023). Give Me a Sign. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
Lilah is a seventeen-year-old girl who is hard of hearing. She uses her hearing aid and lip reading skills when communicating with people who are not hard of hearing. Lilah becomes a summer camp counselor for the deaf and blind and plans to practice her ASL. At the camp, she meets Issac, who is deaf and develops romantic feelings for him. Soon, Liah experiences what the deaf community experiences and witnesses how Issac is mistreated by police who do not consider Issac’s deafness seriously.
Stocker, Shannon. (2022). Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion (D. Holzwarth, Illus.). Dial Books.
This picturebook is a biography of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish percussionist. It introduces Evelyn’s childhood when she lost her hearing and her journey to become the first full- time solo percussionist in the world.
Sylvester, Natalia. (2022). Breathe and Count Back From Ten. Clarion Books.
The story follows Verónica who dreams of being a mermaid performer at Mermaid Cove, an attraction where professional mermaids put on a performance underwater. Verónica loves being in the water as it helps alleviate the pain from her hip dysplasia. The story follows Verónica as she deals with first love, ableism, pressure from her parents, and auditions for her dream job.
Tomlinson, Rachel. (2022). A Blue Kind of Day (T. Mordey, Illus.). Kokila.
A young boy (Coen) is having a sad, “blue” day and does not want to get out of bed. His parents and younger sister try to cheer him up, but ultimately they wait, lovingly, for him to be ready to interact again. They know that “feelings cannot be rushed, it is okay to feel blue, and the blue feelings would not last forever.” The book describes the emotions and physical aspects of depression, and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Ultimately, Coen moves through his sad feelings and rejoins his family.
Thanks to Chair Sunny Wee and Committee Members Christy Sellers, Paul Ricks, Emily Hayden, and Jace Brown and USBBY Board Liaison Isaac Larison for their work in compiling this list.
To suggest a title for the 2026 iteration of the list, contact Chair Jace Brown or Board Liaison Bindy Fleischman.
Andrew, Kelly. (2022). The Whispering Dark. Scholastic.
As Delaney begins her studies at a prestigious college for students with mystical powers, she encounters professors who refuse accommodations for her. She is drawn to another student with whom she has a past connection, and together they work to explore the deaths of several students under mysterious circumstances.
Harrington. C. C. (2022). Wildoak. Scholastic.
Maggie can speak to animals without any difficulties, but stutters whenever trying to speak with people. This causes her to struggle with school and also leads to her father threatening to send her away for a special “treatment”. To avoid this, she agrees to her mother’s plan to spend some time living with her grandfather for a few weeks away from the city near Wildoak Forest. While there she finds an abandoned snow leopard. Maggie and this snow leopard soon discover they can help each other, while also saving the forest from external threats.
Hayden, Chaz. (2022). The First Thing About You. Candlewick.
A fifteen-year-old Harris moves to New Jersey from California. Due to his spinal muscular atrophy, he uses a powered wheelchair, and he has been hospitalized often, which makes it hard for him to make friends. In a new school in a new city, he wants to make more friends and find a girlfriend. Harris meets Miranda, who recently graduated from high school. Miranda gets hired by Harris’ mom to assist Harris. Miranda sees Harris as smart and funny. Harris develops his romantic feelings for Miranda, but soon, Miranda’s irresponsible actions put Harrin in a dangerous situation.
Lloyd, Natalie. (2022). Hummingbird. Scholastic.
Olive, an upbeat twelve-year-old with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) is more than just a little excited to finally attend school with her peers. She doesn’t initially see her need to use a wheelchair as anything more than a slight inconvenience, and she doesn’t agree with her parents that attending a public school will increase her risk of injury. However, after a devastating first day, she believes that the only way she’ll ever truly fit in is if her body can be magically changed by a hummingbird—a fantastical creature that supposedly grants one wish to worthy seekers. Olive and her friend Grace therefore engage in a quest for miraculous healing, which through a series of unexpected twists and turns, ultimately leads to destinations of self-acceptance and understanding.
MacLean, Roz. (2023). More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean. Henry Holt and Co.
Nathan, a young boy who feels more comfortable listening than speaking, quietly engages with his peers at a school for students with unique ways of communicating. He “doesn’t say much,” but he is very much a part of the happenings of his classroom, which include students typing personal narratives in Braille, participating in whole-class discussions through the assistance of digital speaking devices, and chatting about their days using sign language at recess. Moving from one child to the next, readers are provided glimpses into the various characters’ interests and needs, and the story concludes with the gentle take away that our world is made infinitely more beautiful through its diverse voices and perspectives.
Mendez, Jasminne. (2023). Aniana del Mar Jumps In. Dial Books.
This novel-in-verse tells the story of Aniana del, who loves water. Aniana keeps her swim practice secret from her Mami. Aniana knows that Mami will not allow Aniana to swim. Mami became overprotective of Aniana after Aniana’s brother was drowned during a hurricane. Mami, who is strictly religious, believes that Aniana’s juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a punishment from God. Aniana suffers from her illness and her family’s disapproval of her love of swimming.
Roe, Monica. (2022). Air. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Emmie is a twelve-year-old wheelchair motocross (MCMX) athlete raising money for a souped-up wheelchair until a wheelchair ramp and well-meaning classmate at school impede her plan. Instead of addressing the ramp design, the school decides that Emmie needs an aide to accompany her to class and around the school while also launching a public fundraiser to help her purchase the chair she’s been dreaming of. Emmie recognizes the powerful forces at play and the potential to lose agency and autonomy. She reasserts her independence and choices by making a plan with friends to show the community how capable she really is.
Stewart, Erin. (2023). Words We Keep. Ember.
The story follows Lily months after she found her sister, Alice, hurting herself in the bathroom. Alice has returned home from her treatment center and the two sisters struggle to reconnect and come to terms with depression and anxiety. Lily also befriends Micah, a boy who was in treatment with Alice. Lily is determined to fit in and push through her anxieties, but discovers she needs to share the words that she’s been holding back in order to get help.
Sortino, Anna. (2023). Give Me a Sign. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
Lilah is a seventeen-year-old girl who is hard of hearing. She uses her hearing aid and lip reading skills when communicating with people who are not hard of hearing. Lilah becomes a summer camp counselor for the deaf and blind and plans to practice her ASL. At the camp, she meets Issac, who is deaf and develops romantic feelings for him. Soon, Liah experiences what the deaf community experiences and witnesses how Issac is mistreated by police who do not consider Issac’s deafness seriously.
Stocker, Shannon. (2022). Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion (D. Holzwarth, Illus.). Dial Books.
This picturebook is a biography of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish percussionist. It introduces Evelyn’s childhood when she lost her hearing and her journey to become the first full- time solo percussionist in the world.
Sylvester, Natalia. (2022). Breathe and Count Back From Ten. Clarion Books.
The story follows Verónica who dreams of being a mermaid performer at Mermaid Cove, an attraction where professional mermaids put on a performance underwater. Verónica loves being in the water as it helps alleviate the pain from her hip dysplasia. The story follows Verónica as she deals with first love, ableism, pressure from her parents, and auditions for her dream job.
Tomlinson, Rachel. (2022). A Blue Kind of Day (T. Mordey, Illus.). Kokila.
A young boy (Coen) is having a sad, “blue” day and does not want to get out of bed. His parents and younger sister try to cheer him up, but ultimately they wait, lovingly, for him to be ready to interact again. They know that “feelings cannot be rushed, it is okay to feel blue, and the blue feelings would not last forever.” The book describes the emotions and physical aspects of depression, and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Ultimately, Coen moves through his sad feelings and rejoins his family.
Thanks to Chair Sunny Wee and Committee Members Christy Sellers, Paul Ricks, Emily Hayden, and Jace Brown and USBBY Board Liaison Isaac Larison for their work in compiling this list.
To suggest a title for the 2026 iteration of the list, contact Chair Jace Brown or Board Liaison Bindy Fleischman.