In these stories, tween and teen protagonists with a range of abilities face real and fantastical challenges, from time loops to dust storms to going viral. Share these titles with readers in time for Disability Pride Month in July, and all throughout the year.

Young Adult

 All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis. S. & S./Atheneum. ISBN 9781665952651. 
Gr 8 Up–When fall arrives, star quarterback Brandon convinces the coaches to let his younger autistic brother Aiden join the team. Some players turn a post-game hangout into a fight and the cops are called. The white players walk away unscathed and Brandon is wrongly charged with assaulting a police officer. Aiden’s experience as a Black autistic teen will leave many people feeling seen while exposing neurotypical readers to an acute awareness of life they have never journeyed through. VERDICT A stellar debut about ignorance and privilege and the abuse of it that resonates beyond the final page.

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield. Bloomsbury YA. ISBN 9781547613908. 
Gr 9 Up–Phoebe Mendel has long been stuck in a time loop where she’s forced to live out the same mind-numbing day over and over again. When Phoebe gets side-swiped by a car driven by her estranged friend Jess (they/them), the monotony is finally broken. Suddenly, Jess and Phoebe find themselves trapped in time together. Greenfield’s debut is a disability narrative that also explores the experiences of non-Christian queer teens living in predominantly Christian neighborhoods. VERDICT Readers will be invested in Phoebe’s transformation into a more empowered and confident teen, and Phoebe and Jess make a compelling and fun-to-watch pair. A recommended purchase for libraries where teen romances circulate well.

 You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh. Tundra. ISBN 9781774884751. 
Gr 9 Up–Khalilieh’s sophomore YA rom-com is a heartfelt, delightful story about Jamie Taher-Foster, a biracial Palestinian Canadian high school senior navigating a recent breakup with her boyfriend Ben Cameron. She’s started having feelings for Axel Dahini, the younger Lebanese boy she’s been fake dating. Readers will have no trouble relating to Jamie’s likable accident-prone, list-making nature and the way she isn’t afraid to rely on coping strategies, such as therapy and medication, to manage her anxiety disorder and IBS. VERDICT Highly recommended for libraries diversifying their YA romance collections with more stories that focus on managing identity, disability, and mental health anxieties in positive ways. A sure delight for fans of authors like Tashie Bhuiyan and Farah Heron.

All the Stars Align by Gretchen Schreiber. Wednesday Bks. ISBN 9781250892188. 
Gr 8 Up–Piper lives in a small town where Fate herself once visited and blessed her family. But lately things have not been going well, and Piper already feels like an outsider in her family due to a physical disability. Piper will finally have to learn to trust in herself and not depend on fate to lead the way. Disability is well portrayed by the author, who also has a physical disability. VERDICT A good purchase for libraries looking for more romance with physical disability and queer rep.

[Read: Books About Illness for Tweens and Teen Readers | Read Woke]

Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber. Wednesday Bks. ISBN 9781250892164. 
Gr 7 Up–Ellie and her mom are staying at Family Care Home, a residential house connected to the hospital, so that doctors can figure out why she can’t stop coughing. She was born with VACTERL syndrome, which causes a host of medical issues (one kidney and limb differences, for example). Ellie compartmentalizes her life; she never mixes hospital friends with friends from home, and she never discusses the reality of living with a disability with home friends. When her surgery doesn’t go as planned, her strategy backfires. VERDICT Ellie’s first-person narrative about navigating between hospital life and what she calls "real life" is compelling; it’s a story that needs to be told. Recommended.

On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino. Putnam. ISBN 9780593697863. 
Gr 8 Up–Sortino’s sophomore novel is a brilliantly honest romance with two teens learning how to handle surprising life changes. With budget cuts closing Ellie’s school for the Deaf, she is forced to enroll in her hometown’s public high school for senior year. Being the only Deaf student creates new struggles, the least of which is dealing with her school guide Jackson. Sortino, who is Deaf and also lives with multiple sclerosis, positively translates Ellie and Jackson’s individual struggles and triumphs with each of their disabilities (Jackson is diagnosed with MS during the story). VERDICT An earnest romance that strikes the perfect balance of hope and resilience while challenging readers to consider a world outside of their own. Purchase this title.

Dust by Alison Stine. ­Wednesday Bks. ISBN 9781250878731. 
Gr 9 Up–Thea’s father’s increasing obsession with living off-the-grid takes them from Ohio to a run-down home in southeastern Colorado. Thea was born deaf in one ear and has always struggled to be a part of the hearing world; her father denies that it is a disability. With each new constriction her father places on the family, Thea’s loneliness grows. Small dust storms begin and soon become a storm reminiscent of the Dust Bowl. The use of underlined spaces to indicate specific words that Thea cannot hear gives many readers an idea of how hearing loss works and how the inability to hear impacts not only the teen but also their friends and loved ones. VERDICT This coming-of-age novel is poetic with vivid descriptions and comes highly recommended.

Stronger at the Seams by Shannon Stocker. Blink. ISBN 9780310162353. 
Gr 7-10–Stocker’s debut YA novel tells a moving story of strength following a freshman girl struggling with a mysterious illness. Any teen who has a chronic illness or disability will relate to Twyla’s frustration with her peers as she struggles to simply go to school while feeling unwell and her peers gossip about boys and popularity. VERDICT This must-read book for teens with chronic illness has universal themes for all readers about the importance of self-advocacy, family, and friendship.

Middle Grade

Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp. Greenwillow. ISBN 9780063326262.
Gr 4-7–Eleven-year-old Princess Adelisa (Ash) has returned to Kestrel City after six years living with relatives, only to find she is an outsider. Not only does she suffer from an illness similar to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but her 13-year-old brother Lucen treats her contemptuously, as do many nobles. A chance meeting at an evening party brings Ash and Splinter together. VERDICT Encourage readers to push through early chapters for a character-driven fantasy series opener with tons of adventure. Recommended for most collections, especially those serving fans of Jennifer Nielsen or Kate O’Hearn.

[Read: Eight Verse Novels that Illuminate Disability Experiences]

Constellation Clues: The Cipher of the Seven Stars by Lee Reed. River Grove Bks. ISBN 9781632997838. 
Gr 5 Up–A low-stakes mystery novel about the value of accessibility. Quinn Knight is a white, middle class, 12-year-old aspiring astrophotographer who has moved to Central Texas. Being the new girl is hard enough, but she must also navigate life as “migraine girl.” Luckily, she builds friendships with other students at school, many of whom also live with invisible disabilities such as food allergies, color blindness, and sound sensitivity. When Quinn’s sister begins receiving threatening anonymous notes, Quinn and her friends use STEM concepts to interpret clues and identify the antagonist. VERDICT Recommended for libraries where Claire Swinarski’s What Happened to Rachel Riley and Tae Keller’s Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone are popular, or for those looking for disability representation.

Graphic Novels

Brielle and Bear, Vol. 1 by Salomey Doku. illus. by author. Random House Graphic.  ISBN 9780593711170. 
Gr 9 Up–When she’s not daydreaming at her job as a bookstore assistant, Brielle is reading fairy tales, playing the piano, or thinking about books. When Atohi, aka Bear, comes into the shop, Brielle is intrigued by him. Bear, a star player on the rugby team, is initially shy, but after encouragement from Brielle, he lets his guard down and reveals that he was bullied as a child, loves poetry, plays the cello, and is dyslexic. Bear is comforted by Brielle, who makes him realize that people can accept him for who he is. VERDICT A fun, feel-good romance about a sports star falling for a book nerd. Recommended for libraries looking for entertaining romance graphic novels.

Pantomime by Christopher Sebela. ­illus. by David Stoll. Mad Cave ­Studios. ISBN 9781545816264. 
Gr 7 Up–When financial troubles threaten her newfound family, Haley, who is deaf, and her fellow deaf friends at their boarding school moonlight as high-profile burglars, using their disability as an alibi. What starts off as small crimes quickly escalates, and soon, the group finds themselves in too deep and over their heads. A time jump starts the second half of the book, with the crew now in college, dealing with the consequences of their actions as children. VERDICT A tense yet never grim story, this is an engaging and diverse YA recommendation, great for those seeking excitement and a few twists in their next read.

Tank Chair, Vol. 1 by Manabu Yashiro. illus. by author. Kodansha. ISBN 9798888771358. 
Gr 10 Up–Shizuka Taira is a young girl acting as a broker for her assassin brother, Nagi. An accident left him in a largely unresponsive state, and he now uses a wheelchair. However, Shizuka discovers that Nagi can be brought out of his coma when placed in a situation ripe with murderous intent. Having learned this, Shizuka only sets her brother up with the most dangerous jobs possible, believing that, should he be exposed to a truly spectacular will to kill, he’d make a complete recovery. VERDICT While far too violent for younger readers, this first volume ostentatiously highlights disability representation through outrageous fun ­action, laying the groundwork for a promising series where anything is ­possible.

Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid. illus. by Shadia Amin. Scholastic/Graphix. ISBN 9781338752519.
Gr 5-8–Bay Ann, an Arab American girl who has cerebral palsy, is determined to become a famous dancer by winning her school’s Halloween Idol show—and she does! Yet, her fame is cut short when classmate and crush Alyee Maq inappropriately kisses her on stage, causing her to fall into his arms. It’s now Alyee Maq who goes viral for not only rescuing the girl with cerebral palsy but also for giving her a fairytale kiss moment.  Bay Ann will do whatever it takes to beat Alyee Maq’s viral fame so that she won’t be used as a form of internet disability inspiration. VERDICT A humorous middle school graphic novel featuring a strong-willed protagonist who won’t stand for anyone to define her solely by her disability.