A guest post today, and one I have been really looking forward to. Amy runs the lovely book blog Golden Books Girl, and with July being Disability Pride Month she has written about the books with disabled characters she loves, and why seeing yourself in a story matters.
Over to Amy.
I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity today to write this post for Little Reads on a subject I’m really passionate about: disability representation in children’s books. I became disabled at the age of seven after an operation to remove a brain tumour left me with a brain injury, and following this it was discovered I have a condition that produces tumours on my nerve endings.
It’s quite a rare condition; I never expected to see it in books. But until honestly probably my late teens, I just didn’t see people whose lives resembled mine despite reading hundreds of books a year. I am so grateful children growing up disabled today not only have the opportunity to see themselves in books but also to have a variety of genres to choose from. Here are some recommendations.
The Vivi Conway trilogy by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
This series is like Percy Jackson, but with Welsh mythology and multiple disabled characters. They’re such exciting fantasy books that taught me about something I hadn’t read before, while also showing a diverse range of characters who are also immensely loveable. Their incredible publisher Knights Of was unfortunately forced to liquidate last year so they are out of print, but it is possible to get second hand copies and so worth doing so.
Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien
This hopefully doesn’t need much introduction as it just won the Carnegie Medal, but if you’re unfamiliar, it’s a sort of dystopian retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a visually impaired main character. It’s stunningly written; it has the most extraordinary worldbuilding, is so emotional and has a really important message.
Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll
Elle McNicoll writes across middle grade, young adult and adult, spotlighting neurodivergent characters. It’s very hard to pick a favourite of her books, but if you really twist my arm I think it’s her second book. It’s a fascinating sci-fi story about an autistic girl taking on a sinister tech company who are trying to make AI holograms of dead people. The friendship between Cora and Adrien is beyond beautiful.
How To Roller-Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove
This is a diary format book following Maya, who has become an amputee following a car accident. This is an amazing contemporary story that I found painfully relatable to some experiences I had returning to school and trying to reintegrate with friends. It also has a sequel so there is another Maya adventure if you enjoy!
Wishbound by Clemency Brown
This is another fantasy book I have loved, about a girl who grew up on an island where magical children like her are forced to attend a very severe school and trained to become Wishmakers once they come of age, when they are then effectively sold to the highest bidder. Leonie has escaped this fate and is living with guardian Jackson, enjoying life with her new best friend Cress. Then her past catches up to her and she and Cress are forced to go on the run. This has incredible magic and we have an absolutely magnificent friendship between our two main girls. The disability representation comes from the fact Cress is deaf and the girls use sign language to communicate.
Thank you so much for reading. I’d love to hear about your favourite books with disability representation!