Books featuring people with disabilities and ones that explain ableism are gaining notice as publishers look to embrace more diverse ways of being. Every year, December 3 marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities which promotes the rights and well-being of people with disabilities. According to the CDC, 26% of adults in America have some type of disability; that is 61 million people. Worldwide 1 billion people identify as having a disability. Books offer a way to share stories about disability with children and raise awareness of how disability affects people around the world. Montessori philosophy embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. The books below complement these goals and present the topic of disabilities and ableism for all ages, from preschoolers to teens.

Picture Books

• Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus, Illustrations by Polly Dunbar
• What Happened to You? by James Catchpole, Illustrations by Karen George
• It Was Supposed to Be Sunny by Samantha Cotterill
• This Beach is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill
• I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood, Illustrations by Julianna Swaney
• Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari, Illustrations by Patrice Barton
• The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee, Illustrations by Jacob Souva
• Too Sticky!: Sensory Issues with Autism by Jen Malia, Illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
• The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca, Illustrations by Daniel Rieley
• You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion by Margaret O’Hair and Sofia Sanchez, Illustrations by Sofia Cardoso
• All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel, Illustrations by Nabigal-Nayagam Haider Ali
• Talking is Not My Thing by Rose Robbins
• Best Friends, Busy Friends by Susan Rollings, Illustrations by Nichola Cowdery
• I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith
• Best Day Ever! by Marilyn Singer, Illustrations by Leah Nixon
• We Are Little Feminists: On-the-Go by Brook Sitgraves Turner and Archaa Shrivastav
• Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor, Illustrations by Rafael López
• When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb, Illustrations by Merrilee Liddiard

Elementary-Aged

• What Stars Are Made Of  by Sarah Allen
• El Deafo by Cece Bell, Illustrations by David Lasky
• Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw, Photographs by Matt Carr
• I Am Not a Label: 34 Disabled Artists, Thinkers, Athletes, and Activists from Past and Present by Cerrie Burnell, Illustrations by Lauren Mark Baldo
• Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers by Caela Carter
• We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire, Illustrations by Eduardo Trejos
• All He Knew by Helen Frost
• Wink by Rob Harrell
• Rolling Warrior: The Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels Who Helped Spark a Revolution by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner
• Dad Has a Wheelchair by Ken Jasch, Illustrations by Christine M. Jasch and Ron Zywicki
• Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit
• The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit
• Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
• Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, Illustrations by Scott Magoon
• Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger
• Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
• A Kid’s Book About Disabilities by Kristine Napper
• Normal: One Kid’s Extraordinary Journey by Magdalena Newman and Nathaniel Newman
• Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla, Illustrations by Ken Min
• Born Just Right by Jordan Reeves and Jen Lee Reeves
• The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz
• Roll with It by Jamie Sumner

Tweens and Teens

• The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia
• The Brave by James Bird
• Queerly Autistic: The Ultimate Guide for LGBTQIA+ Teens on the Spectrum by Erin Ekins
• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome by Ariel Henley
• OCDaniel by Wesley King
• The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, Illustrations by Belle Wuthrich
• All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle
• A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
• Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz
• Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens by Marieke Nijkamp (Editor)
• As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds
• You, Me, and Our Heartstrings by Melissa See
• Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
• Disability Visibility (Adapted for Young Adults): 17 First-Person Stories for Today by Alice Wong (Editor)

About the Author

V. Kulikow is a former Montessori teacher and youth services librarian. She currently works as a UX designer and enjoys content creation both with words and images. On weekends you can find her gardening, taking nature photos, and working on her garden design certification through the Native Plant Trust.

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The opinions expressed in Montessori Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of AMS.