List
Disability and Accessibility for Grades 3-5
These books feature real and fictional characters with disabilities 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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I Am Not a Label
2020 by Burnell, CerrieGet this itemDisabled actress Cerrie Burnell introduces readers to 34 different artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists who have all led their fields while dealing with disability and mental health challenges. Learn how they've overcome barriers, embraced their differences, and changed the world. Also available as an eBook and downloadable audiobook.
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Marshmallow & Jordan
2021 by Chau, AlinaGet this itemAfter an accident paralyzes her, Jordan is coming to accept her new reality as a basketball team captain who can't compete when she meets a mysterious white elephant that she names Marshmallow. With the help of Marshmallow, she's able to discover a new sport, but risks losing her basketball friends. I really enjoyed learning more about wheelchair sports in this book! Also available as an eBook.
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Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes
2023 by Cisneros Prevo, PattyGet this itemDisabled athlete Patty Cisneros Prevo introduces readers to 15 disabled athletes who have adapted to compete in their chosen sports via mobility aids, communication skills, and more.
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Flipping Forward Twisting Backward
2022 by Fullerton, AlmaGet this itemClaire, a fifth grader and competitive gymnast, has been successfully hiding her difficulty reading at school with the help of audiobooks and her best friend. When the vice principal finally catches on and wants to get her tested for a learning disability, Claire must fight with her mother, who worries about her daughter being labeled. Based on her own experiences with dyslexia, I appreciated the realism in the author's depiction. This book is set in a dyslexia-friendly font.
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Fighting for Yes! The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann
2022 by Cocca-Leffler, MaryannGet this itemThis picture book biography tells the true story of disability rights activist Judith Heumann who, with other activists, held a sit-in and got Section 504 signed into law in 1973, paving the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act. I was interested to read about this overlooked piece of U.S. history and was excited to see it on the 2026 Bluestem list. Also available as a downloadable audiobook and an eBook.
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Wildoak
2022 by Harrington, C. C.Get this itemEleven-year-old Maggie is so self-conscious about her stutter, she would rather stab herself with a pencil than read aloud in class. After her dismissal from yet another school, her parents send her from London to stay with her grandfather in the country. Here, she encounters a young snow leopard cub, Rumpus, who is very far from home, and works to help both him and the woods he's living in. Also available as a downloadable audiobook.
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Song for a Whale
2019 by Kelly, LynneGet this itemTwelve-year-old Iris struggles as one of the only deaf students at her school, navigating peers and teachers who aren't always inclusive or easy to communicate with. She finds herself most at home while repairing vintage radios, so when she learns about Blue 55, a whale who can't communicate with other whales due to singing at different frequencies, she's convinced she can help him know he isn't alone. Also available in large print, audiobook CD, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
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Gut Reaction
2024 by Larson, KirbyGet this itemEighth-grader Tess Medina is already struggling with the death of her dad, starting a new school, and if she should accept an invitation to a junior baking competition when she starts having sharp stomach pains and increased bathroom trips. She tries to convince herself that everything is fine and she doesn't need to worry about it, but eventually it all might become too much to bear. Also available as a downloadable audiobook.
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Deer Run Home: A Novel in Verse
2024 by LeZotte, Ann ClareGet this itemWritten in verse by deaf author Ann Clare LeZotte, this book is based on a true custody case. Effie struggles at home and school due to abuse and a lack of support from her family, who refuse to learn sign language. Eventually, her interpreter, learning more about the horrible neglect, is able to get temporary custody. This book was particularly sad, but I really loved seeing Effie find friends and grown-ups who care about her well-being and were able to communicate with her via ASL.
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Hummingbird
2022 by Lloyd, NatalieGet this itemDue to her brittle bone disease, Olive's family has always homeschooled her to keep her safe. Finally convincing them to let her give in-person school a shot, she quickly realizes that fitting in isn't as easy as it seems. However, the emergence of a magical hummingbird that can grant wishes starts a hunt to see if she can get her deepest wish granted. Also available as an eBook and downloadable audiobook. I loved that the author was able to incorporate her own disability into a magical story that focused on making connections while also acknowledging the real difficulties with being disabled in public schools.
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The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines
2024 by Netz, MoGet this itemEleven-year-old Jerry and her mother are settling into the Slumbering Giant Motel after her father's death when Jerry becomes suspicious of the woods, where loggers have been disappearing. Accompanied by her imaginary dragon friend and a new human friend, the plot thickens when Jerry's mother goes missing as well. I appreciate that author Mo Netz has talked a lot in interviews about how he wrote this book for disabled kids to help them see that they can take up space in all kinds of stories.
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Shiny Misfits
2024 by Zayid, MaysoonGet this itemBay Ann, who has cerebral palsy, is convinced she'll be famous one day and that her road to fame begins by winning her school's talent show. Unfortunately, a classmate steals her fame by catching and kissing her without consent, leading to a viral video claiming that he saved her and gave her a fairytale moment. Refusing to be disability inspiration, Bay Ann becomes obsessed with going viral in her own right, threatening her relationships with family and friends. Written by disability activist and comedian Maysoon Zayid, I loved that Zayid was able to explore the effects of ableism while also creating a funny and engaging story.
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