Positive representations of disabilities: books for children

Chiri is a fun-loving super cook looking for fresh adventures and ingredients, but her love of exploration has landed her in some serious magical trouble and she's going to need all the help she can get to find home again. Chiri and best friend Dai live in an orphanage right next to the deepest, darkest forest. On a scavenging mission to find some amazing new ingredients for her many culinary experiments, Chiri plunges both her and her best friend into the secret kingdom of Puddin', a secret place plagued by the Thousand Faces Monster and inhabited by all sorts of magical people and critters. Befriending witches, bards, ogres and sorcerers, can our two protagonists make it home and more importantly, can they evade the darkness that has awoken on their arrival?

Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world's greatest standup comedian, even if he doesn't have a lot to laugh about these days. When his Uncle Frankie mentions a contest called The Planet's Funniest Kid Comic, Jamie knows he has to enter. But are the judges only rewarding him out of pity because of his wheelchair, like Stevie suggests?

This is the story of August Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. With spare, powerful text and richly-imagined illustrations, 'We're All Wonders' shows readers what it's like to live in Auggie's world - a world in which he feels like any other kid, but he's not always seen that way. A life-changing read that has inspired kindness and acceptance in countless readers.

Claire Cashmore, MBE and Paralympic gold medallist, was born without a left forearm - but she never let being different stand in the way of her big dreams. 'Splash' is based on Claire's real-life experience: this gold medal-winning swimmer really was scared of water - until one day, everything changed!

When Ade moves to London from Nigeria, he knows things will be different, but nothing can prepare him for the ups and downs of his Parson's Road adventures. Fitting in is hard, especially as he looks different to everyone else. But Ade is brave and takes on the school bullies, surprising himself and the kids on his new street. His heroic acts and super football skills quickly help him make new friends who will always be there for him.

The autistic sister in this sibling pair is non verbal, but she finds plenty of ways to communicate and have fun with her brother. Although she can't talk, this little girl understands everything, and has plenty to say, and lots of ideas. Through body language, drawing pictures, making gestures or using flash cards, she is able to contribute to their life together.

Sydney thinks her mum Amy is the best mum in the world - even if she is a bit different. When everyone else kept growing, Amy got to 124cm and then stopped right there. The perfect height, in Sydney's opinion: big enough to reach the ice cream at the supermarket, small enough to be special.

The lighthouse at Haven Point has become a ramshackle home for any disabled child or adult who has ever felt excluded from society. They call themselves the Wrecklings, looting from passing ships with the help of the mermaids who live in their waters, and whispering superstitions to the wind and the waves. When Alpha spots a strange light up on the headland and realises that her beloved family are in danger of being discovered by Outsiders, it sets in motion a chain of events that will change Haven Point forever.

Thirteen-year-old Flick Lions has won a place on a new television show, in which young people compete to win the legacy of the Great Fox, one of the world's most famous magicians. But Flick isn't interested in uncovering the Great Fox's tired old magic tricks - she's after something much more important. The magician destroyed her family, and this is Flick's only chance to put things right.

13-year-old Nat Beacon is obsessed with musicals, but has never been to one, or seen an actor who uses a wheelchair for mobility on stage. But when Nat's family moves from California to New Jersey, Nat stumbles upon auditions for a kids' production of Wicked, one of her favourites! And she gets into the ensemble! But when things go awry a week before opening night, will Nat be able to cast her fears and insecurities aside and 'Defy Gravity' in every sense of the song title?

Edie has cerebral palsy, but she's used to it because she's spent her whole life being a bit wobbly. She can't wait to start secondary school with her best friend Oscar and share sausage rolls with him at breaktime. But when Oscar scuppers these plans by getting his first ever girlfriend, GROSS, Edie eventually decides to stop feeling sorry for herself and find a boyfriend, so she can prove to Oscar she's grown up too.

Rebecca Patterson deftly handles the subject of childhood play and disability from her own personal experience of growing up with a disabled sister. Today, Frankie and her sister playing their favourite unicorn game, but when their bossy friend Ada arrives with her brother to play, she takes over the game - and takes over the wheelchair - putting them all in unicorn prison!

Susan laughs, she sings, she rides, she swings, she gets angry, she gets sad, she is good, she is bad, Susan is no different to any other child. At the end we see her in a wheelchair, but that doesn't mean she isn't just like me, just like you.

Iris was born deaf, but she's never let that define her; after all, it's the only life she's ever known. The only place Iris really feels at home anymore is in her electronics workshop where she loves taking apart antique radios. Then, during a science lesson about sound waves, Iris finds out about a whale who is unable to communicate with other whales.

Pablo's mum takes him to his cousin Lorna's birthday party, but Pablo gets scared of the noisy party! Pablo hides in the car, and soon his friends come to join him. Pablo's friends help him realise that it's OK if he doesn't want to go to the party. All 'Pablo' books are written by writers on the autistic spectrum and are grounded in the real-life experiences of autistic children.

When Jake's mum upcycles every last thing in the flat, Jake begins to worry that the only thing left to change is him! Jake's mum is not like most mums. Say there's a skip in the street, most mums will pass right by without a second glance. Not Jake's mum. She's a must-have mum. Soon Jake begins to worry that his mum will want to change him too.

Encompassing the issue of disability in a charming celebration of sibling friendship, 'Just Because' describes a younger brother who is only just beginning to realise that his big sister has special needs.

Faced with a whole new life far away from home, Sophie finds it hard to make friends - until a shared passion for water helps someone else come to terms with their disability. 'In Her Element' takes a deep-dive into Sophie's world and offers a rare opportunity for young readers to see through the eyes of a main character with cerebral palsy.

This memoir of growing up deaf is also a deeply perceptive memoir of growing up, about all the pain, awkwardness and longing of being a kid, especially one watching the world from a 'fortress of solitude'.

Everybody is different in some way - and being different is okay! Whether your body is big, small, wide or tall, it is something to celebrate and be proud of. This comical, picture book contains a positive, empowering message about being confident in yourself and is aimed at younger children.

People think that because Tally's autistic, she doesn't realise what they're thinking, but Tally sees and hears - and notices - all of it. Endearing, insightful and warmly uplifting, this is a story of autism, empathy and kindness that will touch readers of all ages.

Boy Bear can't hear Dad Bear coming to wake him up in the morning, but he can feel the floor vibrate with his heavy footsteps. He can only grasp little bits of what his teacher says to him at school. He can't catch what his friends are laughing at. With the support of Dad Bear, Boy Bear visits an audiologist and, eventually, he gets hearing aids. Suddenly, he understands the question everyone has been asking him.

11-year-old Addie campaigns for a memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown. Addie knows there's more to the story of these 'witches', just like there is more to hers. Can Addie challenge how the people in her town see her, and her autism, and make her voice heard?

Meet Isaac. He's a superhero! He might look like everyone else, but he has a kind of autism called Asperger's. Inside this book he'll tell you all about what it's like to have his Asperger superpowers.

One-legged Joe is 'amazing'. He knows this because wherever he goes people always tell him he's amazing. Amazing for sliding down the slide, for kicking a ball - even walking to get an ice cream, or even just eating an ice cream. Of course, being Amazing Joe is better than being Poor Joe.

Sometimes Ben's brain makes him count to four to prevent bad things happening. Sometimes it makes him tap or blink in fours. Mostly it makes the smallest things feel impossible. And with a new school, a moody big brother, an absent dad and a mum battling her own demons, Ben feels more out of control than ever. But then he meets April, and with his new friend, Ben might finally figure out how to stand up to the bully in his brain, once and for all.

Mum goes away on a spa week, leaving Dad to look after their son Jams, and pet monkey Thimble. But after Mum gives Thimble the shopping money everything goes bananas! Can Jams save the day when Dad decides to sell his soul to repay their debts?

Meet George, a little boy who wants to tell you all about himself. You see, like lots of people in the world, George has Down syndrome and he knows it doesn't define him - as it's just one of the many things that make George wonderful.

Based on the true story of Chinese dancer Lihua Tai, 'The Visible Sounds' tells the uplifting tale of a young child dealing with the frustration and solitude of hearing loss. Alone in silence, the child's life is changed forever when a chance touch unlocks a vibrant new world, now blazing with rainbows of visible sounds. 'The Visible Sounds' brings a message of hope and joy to children living with a disability and is an inspirational reminder that dreams can become reality.

Mimi adores her wild, fun, full-of-life gran. Then Gran starts forgetting things. Suddenly there are cracks appearing all around their home - and a mysterious black crow - both of which only Mimi seems able to see. Mimi is determined to solve the mystery. Luckily she has new friends to help: Titch and Nusrat. Together, they're the Stickleback Catchers: solvers of puzzles and seekers of adventure. Down by the river, where the gang meet and the silvery sticklebacks swim, they discover a mysterious stone, speckled with stars. But this is no ordinary stone: it's the doorway to another world, a world of talking crows and secrets, magical constellations and memories - and maybe, just maybe, Mimi's chance to bring back Gran forever.

Max is used to spending time alone - it's difficult to make friends in a big, chaotic school when you're deaf. He prefers to give his attention to the little things in life... like making awesome, detailed replica models. Then Mr Darrow, the school caretaker and fellow modeller, goes missing. Max must follow his parting instruction: 'Go to my room. You'll know what to do.' There on the floor he finds a pile of sand... and in the sand is Mr Darrow's latest creation... a tiny boy, no bigger than a raisin, Luke, Prince of the Blues. And behind the tiny boy... millions of others - a thriving, bustling, sprawling civilization!

Jacki's mama has a rare condition. She is slowly losing her hearing. Together, they are learning Sign Language so that they'll always be able to tell each other everything. But as Mama's world becomes quieter, Jacki's remains full of sound, especially on Music Appreciation Fridays. How can Jacki enjoy listening to music when her mama can no longer hear it? A heartfelt story, inspired by the author's childhood, about a young girl coming to terms with her mother's hearing loss and finding new ways to experience the world together.

Getting your first hearing aids can be nerve-wracking; especially when you have to wear them to school. When Callie realises her new hearing aids - 'the Slugs' - give her the unique ability to communicate with Bo the Mynah bird, some of her worries are lifted. In fact, having a pair of eyes in the sky might come in handy… The duo team up with Callie's best friend, Grace, as they set out to catch a local thief who has been causing trouble all over town.

After a day of being unable to speak when asked, and of being stared at, a boy and his father go to the river for some quiet time. 'It's just a bad speech day,' says Dad. But the boy can't stop thinking about all the eyes watching his lips twisting and twirling. When his father points to the river bubbling, churning, whirling and crashing, the boy finds a way to think about how he speaks. Even the river stutters. Like him. 'I talk like a river,' he says.

Cosima Unfortunate has spent all her life at the Home for Unfortunate Girls - a school where any disabled children, or children deemed different, are sent, whether their families want it or not. It is there that she meets her friends - Pearl, Mary, and Diya - and they start to practise mini heists involving the theft of cakes, biscuits and other sweet goodies. But when Cos finds out that Lord Francis Fitzroy, the explorer behind the Empire Exhibition, is planning to adopt them, she and her friends plot the biggest heist of their life. Instead of fondant fancies, they're going to steal Fitzroy's prized tiara, containing the legendary Star Diamond of India! But, as they start preparing for the day, Cosima finds herself drawing ever closer to discovering the one secret she's always wanted to know - the truth about her parents.

Life is going well for Sophie. She's getting by at school, has some pretty awesome friends (okay, sometimes Rocco can be annoying) and their band have made it through to the semi-finals of the annual Battle of the Bands competition. But when Sophie wakes up completely deaf one morning, the life she once knew seems like a distant memory. With lessons replaced by endless hospital appointments and conversations now an exercise in lip-reading, Sophie grows quieter and quieter. Until she discovers the vibrations of sound through an old set of drums and wonders whether life on stage is actually still in reach.

Scooter McLay's cerebral palsy affects how quickly he can move his body, but his hyper-creative brain is a constant fizz of brilliant ideas. He spends every day inventing top secret recipes and machines for his family's jam factory. There's just one thing missing - a pet, to share it all with. Or better still, a friend. When a tiny alien named Fizzbee crashes through the factory window, she might just be the answer. Now it's all hands on deck, as they team up to save the factory from dastardly neighbour Daffy Dodgy.

A little boy and his pet dragon are the very best of friends. They laugh, they sing, they dance, they snooze. They are both amazing - just like everyone else! A celebration of friendship and being yourself with a positive message about celebrating diversity.

Year 9 can be tough for everyone, but for Tally it feels even tougher. Make-up, boys, social media, GCSE prep - why is everything starting to feel so different? Tally has always known that being autistic means some things are harder for her than other people. But becoming a teenager has left Tally feeling like she has no idea who she is anymore.