Children's Books About Disabilities

This extensive list details books for both children and adults that deal with disabilities. The books are sorted by readability and their descriptions include the type of disability addressed.
Grades:
K |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
+ show tags
Teaching Strategies:
Download
Page 2 of 5

JE - Juvenile Easy Reader

Back to All Readability Levels

Title: Andy Finds a Turtle
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1988
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-02-6
Disability: Physical Disabilities
Story Profile: Andy enjoys physical therapy most of the time, but sometimes he doesn't. One day he's told he acts like a turtle with his legs and arms drawn in tight - but Andy doesn't know what a turtle is, so he goes in search of one. In this search he protects his baby sister from a strange invader and discovers something important about himself.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Andy Opens Wide
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1990
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-06-9
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Story Profile: Andy, a young boy with cerebral palsy, is frustrated by his inability to open his mouth wide enough for his mother to feed him easily.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Anna Joins In
Author: Katrin Arnold
Publisher: Abingdon Press, 201 Eighth Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37202
ISBN #: ISBN-0-687-01530-8
Disability: Cystic Fibrosis
Story Profile: Anna is a young girl who has a difficult pattern to her days because she has cystic fibrosis.
Reading Level: JE

Title: A Smile from Andy
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1989
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-04-2
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Story Profile: Andy, who has cerebral palsy, is very shy. One day he meets a girl who helps him discover something that he can do to reach out to others in his own special way.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Buddy's Shadow
Author: Shirley Becker
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1991
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-08-05
Disability: Down syndrome
Story Profile: Buddy, a five-year-old boy with Down syndrome, purchases a puppy.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Can't You Be Still?
Author: Sarah Yates
Publisher: Gima B. Publishing Inc., Box #713-740 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 0Y1; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-9696477-0-0
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Story Profile: Ann, who has cerebral palsy, attends school for the first time.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Charlsie's Chuckle
Author: Clara Widess Berkus
Publisher: Woodbine House, 5615 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-933149-50-6
Disability: Down syndrome
Story Profile: Charlsie, a seven-year-old boy with Down syndrome, has an infectious laugh and enjoys bicycling around his neighborhood. On one such excursion he inadvertently wanders into a disputatious city council meeting and brings humor and harmony to the argumentative adults.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Cookie
Author: Linda Kneeland
Publisher: Jason and Nordic, Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1989
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-50
Disability: Down Syndrome
Story Profile: Molly, a four-year-old girl with Down syndrome, has difficulty talking. Her frustration with communication difficulties is relieved when someone comes to teach her sign language.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Fair and Square
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-10-7 hardback; ISBN-0-944727-09-3 paperback
Disability: Physical Disabilities
Story Profile: Kevin is confined to a wheelchair and has limited motor skills. A therapist introduces him to a computer game he can play and win, and shows him how to adapt other games for his use.
Reading Level: JE

Title: How About a Hug
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1987
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-01-8
Disability: Down Syndrome
Story Profile: A young girl with Down syndrome includes the details of a typical day in her life. While her daily activities require a degree of concentration and don't go perfectly smoothly, she is surrounded by helpful, supportive, and affectionate friends, family, and teachers, all of whom she agrees to hug when they offer.
Reading Level: JE

Title: I'm Like You, You're Like Me: A Child's Book about Understanding and Celebrating Each Other
Author: Cindy Gainer
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 616,
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1724; 1998
ISBN #: ISBN-1-57542-039-2
Disability: General Disabilities
Story Profile: Children interact with people who are different from themselves; share, take turns, work and play together; discover and develop traits and skills that make them unique; and explore the many ways in which they are like and unlike others.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Joey and Sam
Author: Illana Katz and Edward Ritvo
Publisher: Real Life Story Books; 1993
ISBN #: ISBN-1-882388-00-3
Disability: Autism
Story Profile: Sam is five and has autism, and Joey is his six-year-old brother. They describe an ordinary day at home and at school, showing some of the ways they are different and alike.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Kathy's Hats: A Story of Hope
Author: Trudy Krisher
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co., 6340 Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-8075-4116-8
Disability: Cancer
Story Profile: Kathy is a young girl who develops cancer and loses her hair as a result of chemotherapy.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Kevin's Story
Author: Dvora Levinson, Ph.D.
Publisher: IPI Publishing Ltd., 50 Prince Arthur Avenue, Suite 306, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1B5 Canada; 1984
ISBN #: 0-920702-22-88
Disability: Reading Disability, Dyslexia
Story Profile: Kevin exhibits reading problems and is referred for testing with a psychologist who explains reading and learning disabilities to him and his family.
Reading Level: JE-JF

Title: Little Tree: A Story for Children with Serious Medical Problems
Author: Joyce C. Mills, Ph.D.
Publisher: Brunner/Mazel Publishers, 19 Union Sq. West, New York, NY 10003; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-94534-52-5 hardback; ISBN-0-945354-51-7 paperback
Disability: Chronic Illness
Story Profile: A small tree that loses some branches in a storm is used to illustrate the questions and feelings children may experience during and after medical problems.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Luna and the Big Blur: A Story for Children Who Wear Glasses
Author: Shirley Day
Publisher: Magination Press, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003;1995
ISBN #: ISBN-0-945354-66-5
Disability: Visual Impairments
Story Profile: Luna resents the fact that she needs glasses to correct her nearsightedness.
Reading Level: JE

Title: My Sister Is Different
Author: Betty Ren Wright
Publisher: Steck-Vaughn Company, PO Box 26015 Austin, TX 78755; 1990
ISBN #: ISBN- 0-8172-1369-4
Disability: Mental Retardation
Story Profile: Carlo tells us what it is like to have an older sister with mental retardation.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Naomi Knows It's Springtime
Author: Virginia L. Kroll
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press Inc., 910 Church St., Honesdale, PA 18431; 1987
ISBN #: ISBN-1-56397-006-0
Disability: Blindness
Story Profile: Naomi tells us of the signs of spring through the mind of the blind.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Patrick and Ima Lou
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1994
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-03-4
Disability: Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida
Story Profile: Three-year-old Patrick has cerebral palsy. He is having a hard time managing his new walker, but with the help of a new friend, Ima Lou, who is six and has spina bifida, they both discover something very important about each other.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Sarah and Puffle: A Story for Children About Diabetes
Author: Linnea Mulder
Publisher: Henry Holt
ISBN #: ISBN-0-94534-41-X hardback; ISBN-0-945354-42-8 paperback
Disability: Diabetes
Story Profile: Sarah feels resentful of the limitations the disease places on her activities until a stuffed animal (Puffle) comes to life and offers her encouraging rhymes about coping with diabetes.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Sarah's Surprise
Author: Nan Holcomb
Publisher: Jason and Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1990
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-07-7
Disability: Articulation Impairments
Story Profile: Six-year-old Sarah, who is unable to talk, has used a picture board to communicate. She is now ready for an augmentative communication device. With the help of her speech therapist she gives everyone a surprise at her mother's birthday party.
Reading Level: JE

Title: See You Tomorrow, Charles
Author: Miriam Cohen
Publisher: Greenwillow
ISBN #: ISBN-0-688-01804-1
Disability: Blindness
Story Profile: Charles is a first grader who is adjusting to school as a blind student.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Shelley: The Hyperactive Turtle
Author: Deborah M. Moss
Publisher: Woodbine House, 5615 Fisher's Lane, Rockville, MD 20852; 1988
ISBN #: ISBN-0-933149-31-X
Disability: Hyperactivity
Story Profile: Shelley is a young hyperactive turtle who faces difficulties due to his inability to sit still and his frequent behavior problems, which lead to problems at school and on the bus, at home, and with friends, eventually leading to a poor self-image and depression. After a visit to a neurologist, he no longer thinks of himself as a bad turtle and his condition gradually improves.
Reading Level: JE

Title: The Bob (Butterbean) Love Story
Author: Terry Page and Bob Love
Publisher: Boo Books, Inc., PO Box 201128, Chicago, Illinois 60620-1128; 1995
ISBN #: ISBN-1-887864-40-7
Disability: Speech Impairments
Story Profile: Bob's autobiography tells his story: a famous basketball player with a speech impediment.
Reading Level: JE

Title: The Night Search
Author: Kate Chamberlin
Publisher: Richard S. McPhee, Jason & Nordic, Pubs., PO Box 441,
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1997
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-31-X
Disability: Blindness
Story Profile: Heather, who is blind, resists using her white cane until her puppy wanders off.
Reading Level: JE

Title: There's a Blue Square on My Brother's School Bus
Author: Sally Craymer
Publisher: The Wishing Room, Inc., PO Box 58, Studley, VA 23162
ISBN #: ISBN-0-931563-12-7
Disability: Disabilities
Story Profile: This book discusses various types of disabilities. An emphasis is placed on what children with disabilities are able to do and ways in which they can participate in mainstream student life.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Thumbs Up, Rico!
Author: Maria Testa
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co., 6340 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053-2723; 1990
ISBN #: ISBN- 0-8075-7906-8
Disability: Down Syndrome
Story Profile: Rico is a boy with Down syndrome who loves basketball. The story describes his relationship with a neighborhood boy named Caesar, his older sister Nina, and his art class.
Reading Level: JE

Title: We Can Do It!
Author: Laura Dwight
Publisher: Checkerboard Press, Inc., 30 Vesey St., New York, NY 10007; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-1-56288-301-1
Disability: Disabilities
Story Profile: The daily activities of five children who each have either cerebral palsy, blindness, spina bifida, or Down syndrome. Color photographs show the children engaging in their favorite pastimes at home and at school, with family members and with peers.
Reading Level: JE

Title: We'll Paint the Octopus Red
Author: Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
Publisher: Woodbine House, Inc., 6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20817; 1998
ISBN #: ISBN-1-890627-06-2
Disability: Down Syndrome
Story Profile: Ima is a little girl who has a new baby brother with Down syndrome.
Reading Level: JE

Title: What About Me? When Brothers and Sisters Get Sick
Author: Allan Peterkin, M.D.
Publisher: Brunner/Mazel Publishers, 19 Union Sq. West, New York, NY 10003; 1992
ISBN #: ISBN-0-94534-48-7 hardback; ISBN-0-945354-49-5 paperback
Disability: Chronic Illness
Story Profile: Laura is a young girl attempting to cope with her brother Tom's chronic illness. The story describes her wide range of emotions including guilt, fear, anger, anxiety, and a general sense of disruption of normal family life.
Reading Level: JE

Title: When I Grow Up
Author: Candri Hodges
Publisher: Jason & Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; 1995
ISBN #: ISBN-0-944727-26-3
Disability: Deafness
Story Profile: Jimmy is a deaf youth who takes a field trip and encounters various careers of deaf individuals.
Reading Level: JE

Title: Where's Chimpy?
Author: Berniece Rabe
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co., 6340 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053; 1988
ISBN #: ISBN-0-8075-8928-4
Disability: Down Syndrome
Story Profile: Misty, a young girl with Down syndrome, misplaced her stuffed monkey and reviews her day with her father to try to remember where she left him.
Reading Level: JE

Back to All Readability Levels

About the author

TeacherVision Staff

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

loading gif