Tag Archives: Disabilities

It’s So Difficult

A child leaves the house and everything is so difficult. The school day is overwhelming. Counting things or calculating relaxes him. His mother tells him not to rush, that someday words will happen. But the noise makes everything so difficult. The book was inspired by the author’s experiences as a secondary school teacher in Spain. Interesting line illustrations created with collage, pencil, gouache, and digital media enrich this look at anxiety and overstimulation. mjw

Title: It’s So Difficult
Author: Raul Nieto Guridi
Illustrator: Raul Nieto Guridi
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: Lo Dificil
Original Publisher: Tres Tigres Tristes
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5584-8
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Anxiety, Math, Overstimulation, Special needs

Fly

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Fourteen-year-old Felix Landon Yarrow – F.L.Y., or Fly has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. He carries around his father’s worn copy of Don Quixote to prove that there is a brain inside his uncooperative body. His first-person narrative in engaging free verse tells of his fascination with knighthood and chivalry. He fears that Carter, the school villain, is a danger to his crush/damsel in distress, Daria. Using his cleverness and invisibility – his superpower – he constructs a plan to save Daria. Fly is a courageous, kind, and funny character on a “quest/ for a noble life.” mjw

Title: Fly
Author: Alison Hughes
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1525-305-832
Hardcover pages: 197
Age range: 10-14
Genre: Fiction, Novel in verse
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Edmonton, Alberta
Subjects: Cerebral palsy, Courage, Don Quixote, Free verse, Poetry, Wheelchairs

The Words In My Hands

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The art journal of Deaf sixteen-year-old Piper, set in near-future Melbourne, Australia, is part coming of age story and part call to action. Piper is smart, artistic, and rebellious. Deaf since the age of three, she is told by her mother that she needs to conform, compensate and appear normal. She meets Marley, a CODA (child of a deaf parent), and a whole new world opens up for her. This is a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption. Piper is determined to build a sustainable food garden and communicate with her mom, friends, and community like she never has before. Back matter in this amazing book includes information on the Deaf community and various forms of sign language and ideas for journaling. mjw

Title: The Words In My Hands
Author: Asphyxia
Illustrator: Asphyxia
Publisher: Annick Press
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
Original Title: Future Girl In Australia
Original Publisher: Allen & Unwin, Australia
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-1773215280
Hardcover pages: 388
Age range: 13-16
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Australia
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Awards: 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award for Teens, 2021 Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book of the Year for Older Readers 2021 White Raven
Subjects: Activism, Auslan, Coming of age, Creativity, Deafness, Dystopian, Finger-spelling, Future, Gardens, Problem solving, Sign language, Special needs, Sustainability

A Kind Of Spark

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Eleven-year-old Addie is autistic, headstrong, and smart. She thinks differently from the people around her. She is on a campaign to have a plaque erected in her Scottish hometown in memory of the victims of the witch trials which happened there hundreds of years ago. She understands what it is like to be treated as an outcast for being different. The author is neurodivergent, too, and she insightfully tells about what it is like to be an autistic girl. She believably portrays Addie’s struggles and her beautiful friendship with a girl who is understanding and supportive. mjw

Title: A Kind Of Spark
Author: Elle McNicoll
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-593-37425-2
Hardcover pages: 192
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Scotland
Author’s ethnicity: Scottish
Author’s residence: London
Awards: 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award – Middle Grade Honor
Subjects: Autism, Bullies, Disabilities, Neurodivergency, Sharks, Teachers, Witch trials

Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A Marathon

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This is the true story of Fauja Singh, the first one-hundred-year-old to run a marathon. He was born with legs that didn’t work in a Punjab village. He could not play with his friends or walk to school, but that did not stop him. He worked on his family’s farm and grew stronger. Throughout his life he made his mind, body, and heart stronger. At age 81, he ran his first marathon. He has broken many records and became the first person over one hundred (centenarian) to complete a marathon. The beautiful and enlivening illustrations were created digitally using hand drawings and collage pieces. A forward written by Fauja Singh introduces the book. Back matter includes a list of his world records and a photograph of him today. mjw

Title: Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A MarathonHannah’s Winter
Author: Simran Jeet Singh
Illustrator: Baljinder Kaur
Publisher: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House. New York
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-525555094
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Biography
Book setting: Punjab, India; England; New York City; Toronto
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: New York
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Biography, Centenarians, Marathons, Punjabi, Running, Sikh, Track and field

Doctor Mouse

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Every morning in the forest, Doctor Mouse opens the old barn door and hangs up his sign: Consultations from Sunrise to Sunset. He straightens up the six chairs in his office and puts on his white coat backwards. First to arrive is Ms. Chicken who needs to keep calm, but consultations cannot begin until all six chairs are occupied. The second patient is Mr. Dog, followed by Mr. Bear, a rabbit, and Ms. Owl. The sixth chair remains empty. It is eventually filled by Mr. Fox. The patients charmingly help each other. It becomes a kind of group therapy session and all the patients leave Doctor Mouse’s office happy. The hand-crafted illustrations in this sweet story are filled with fun details. mjw

Title: Doctor Mouse
Author: Christa Kempter
Illustrator: Amelie Jackowski
Publisher: North South Books, Inc.
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: German
Translator: David Henry Wilson
Original Title: Doktor Maus
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4410-0
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Bears, Chickens, Cooperation, Doctors, Dogs, Fox, Humor. Mice, Owls, Rabbits

Piglettes

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This laugh-aloud coming-of-age story tells of the bicycle road trip across France to Paris of three teenage girls, Mirielle, Astrid, and Hakima. The girls were voted by their classmates on Facebook to be the ugliest girls in their school. They take off on their bikes, accompanied by Kader, Hakima’s wheelchair-bound older brother. Their goal is a garden party with the French president. They pull a trailer along with them and sell sausages to make money for the trip. The girls, known as the Piglettes, become stars of social media and television. The story is told through the eyes of funny, philosophical, and awkward Mirielle. This is a powerful book for self-conscious teens. mjw

Title: Piglettes
Author: Clementine Beauvais
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: French
Translator: Clementine Beauvais
Original Title: Les Petites Reines
Original Publisher: Editions Sarbacane. Paris
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1782691204
Paperback pages: 287
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: France
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: U.K.
Awards: Prix Sorcieres in France
Subjects: Bicycles, Bullying, Coming of age, Cyber-bullying, Feminism, Girls and women, Paris, Racism, Roadtrip, Sausages, Teens and young adult fiction, Ugly girls, Wheelchair

Welcome To Nowhere

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Twelve-year-old Omar lives in Bosra, Syria with his family. He dreams of being a businessman and his sister wants to be a teacher. Their hopes are shattered when war breaks out. The family is forced to flee Syria by foot to get to Jordan. This is a moving and sensitive novel with lovable characters. A Letter from the Author provides more information about the war in Syria. Also included is a section What Can You DoTo Help? that tells about the Hope School in Jordan. mjw

Title: Welcome To Nowhere
Author: Elizabeth Laird
Illustrator: Lucy Eldridge
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Copyright: 22017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-5098-44047-2
Paperback pages: 329
Age range: 9-11
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Syria, Jordan
Author’s ethnicity: Born in new Zealand of Scottish parents
Author’s residence: Britain
Awards: Winner of the UKLA Book Award
Subjects: Cerebral Palsy, Homelessness, Middle East, Poverty, Refugees, Syria

The Distance Between Me And The Cherry Tree

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Ten-year-old Mafalda has Stargardt Disease, which causes progressive vision loss and eventual blindness. She has six months of sight left and she hides this fact from her family and friends. She keeps a list of all the things she cares about, like climbing the cherry tree near her school and counting stars. She makes a plan for when she can’t see and runs away to live in her favorite cherry tree. This is a powerful, thought-provoking story of a young girl’s fears. mjw

Title: The Distance Between Me And The Cherry Tree
Author: Paola Peretti
Illustrator: Carolina Rabei
Publisher: Hot Key Books, London
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Italian
Translator: Denise Muir
Original Publisher: Rizzoli
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4714-0755-0
Paperback pages: 195
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Italy
Author’s ethnicity: Italian
Author’s residence: Verona, Italy
Translator’s residence: Edinburgh and Abruzzo, Italy
Awards: 2020 ALA Mildred Batchelder Honor Award, 2020 IBBY Honor List
Subjects: Blindness, Cats, Emotions and feelings, Sight, Special needs, Stargardt disease, Trees

Stand On The Sky

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Twelve-year-old Aisulu is an expert equestrienne who loves to ride horses across the mountains. She is one of the Kazakh people of Mongolia, who are nomads and androcentric. It goes against all tradition for her to train eagles. But because her brother is disabled and he and their parents have to travel to a hospital in a faraway big city, she is left with her aunt and uncle and she secretly starts caring for an orphaned baby eagle. She becomes an Eagle Hunter. The setting for this animal-friendship story is unique and fascinating. A glossary of Kazakh and Arabic words and phrases, a list of characters, and an author’s note help readers gain a better understanding of Mongolia and nomadic culture. mjw

Title: Stand On The Sky
Author: Erin Bow
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. New York
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-328-55746-9
Hardcover pages: 336
Age range: 9-14
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Kazakh nomads in Mongolia
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada
Awards: 2019 Governor General’s Literary Award
Subjects: Asia, Birds, Eagles, Horses, Mongolia, Mountains, Nomads, Wildlife

Thukpa For All

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Young Tsering can’t wait to taste his grandmother’s thukpa – noodle soup. On his way home, he invites many friends, neighbors, and family members to join him. Just as his grandmother is preparing the soup, the power goes out. Tsering helps with the soup-making steps by identifying spices and other ingredients by their smells. The power comes back on and everyone can enjoy the thukpa. Told from a blind child’s perspective – Tsering is blind – this story is enhanced by beautiful illustrations that teach about the Ladakhi culture which is not often depicted in picture books. Alliteration and onomatopoeia make it a fun read. A Glimpse into Ladakhi Life gives information about the culture and geography of Indian Ladakhi. A glossary and a recipe for thukpa are also included. mjw

Title: Thukpa For All
Author: Prada Ram and Sheela Preuitt
Illustrator: Shilpa Ranade
Publisher: Karadi Tales. Chennai, India
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-81-9338-898-3
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Ladakhi, India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Mumbai
Awards: 2019 IBBY Catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects: Blind, Cooking and food, Culture, Diversity, Family life, Grandmothers, Sense and sensations, Special needs

Crossing The Farak River

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Fourteen-year-old Hasina, her younger brother Araf, and her thirteen-year-old cousin Ghadiya are forced out of their home in the Rakhine province of Myanmar when the Sit Tat Myanmar Army invades one night. They become separated from their parents. They know to flee because they are persecuted Muslim Rohingyas. They run deep into the Rakhine forest to hide, but when they return to their village, it has been burned and mostly destroyed. Their house is still standing, but their family is gone. Hasina is a strong, courageous character who fights for her family in this captivating account of the crisis in Myanmar. mjw

Title: Crossing The Farak River
Author: Michelle Aung Thin
Publisher: Annick Press. Toronto
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
Original Title: Hasina
Original Publisher: Allen and Unwin. Australia
Original Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77321-396-5
Paperback pages: 224
Age range: 11 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Myanmar
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Burma, now Myanmar
Author’s residence: Australia
Awards: 2021 South Asia Book Award, 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Book List.
Subjects: Arakan, Buddhists, Burmese, Human trafficking, Muslims, Persecution, Rakhine State,Refugees, Rohingyas, Soldiers