The term ‘Experience Disability’ was first explored at elementary school in Georgia. It was a one day event and grade by grade, the children moved through various stations of experiences. At one table they wore glasses smeared with vaseline and were asked to read. At another, they were given marshmallows to fill their mouths and then they tried to speak. There were wheelchairs and crutches to maneuver and a secret told to ears full of cotton. They were given headphones playing loud static noise and encouraged to try and answer a question. Each station was designed to expand their understanding of being disabled. It was an incredible perspective-changing experience for both the children and their teachers.
Not everyone has the opportunity to actually experience disability but we can immerse ourselves in words and images. Through this list of highly-rated new and classic fiction and nonfiction books, readers of all ages can experience what is like to be physically, emotionally and mentally challenged.
Disability Visibility: First Person Stories From The Twenty-First Century
Edited by Alice Wong,
A collection of true life experiences told by
individuals with disabilities
Flowers for Algernon
by Daniel Keyes
Classic novel about an experiment gone right then wrong
True Biz
by Sara Novik
Students and teachers at boarding school for the deaf
and their struggle in a mainstream world
Fish In A Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
A student tries to hide their learning disability and finds redemption
Stones from the River
by Ursula Hegi
A woman with dwarfism navigates life during World War I and II
The Sound and The Fury
by William Faulkner
Complex southern novel with a first person account told by a sensitive young man with an intellectual disability
Laughing at my Nightmare
by Shane Burcaw
Living in a wheelchair viewed with humor and candor
The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime
by Mark Haddon
An English teenager with “differences” solves a
mystery and discovers even more
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Two migrant working friends, one with an intellectual disability, face a callous world
Haben: The deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law
By Haben Girma
The inspiring true story of a lifetime of determination told with warmth and wit
And 10 Notable Children's Books
The Planet Earth is Blue
by Nicole Panteleakos
A nonverbal girl and her passion for space
Dancing with Daddy
by Anitra Rowe Schulz
A young girl in a wheelchair anticipates an upcoming dance
A Storm of Strawberries
by Jo Cotterill
First person narrative by a 12-year old with Down syndrome who loves chocolate and dancing
El Deafo
by Cece Bell
Cece is deaf with superpowers and both present
interesting and funny events
A Walk in the Words
by Hudson Talbott
A boy with dyslexia struggles with words and finds solace in nature
The Beach is Loud
by Samantha Cotterill
A child with Autism struggles with the reality of noise
A Sky Blue Bench
by Bahram Rahman
A young Afghan schoolgirl resumes school after an accident disables her
My City Speaks
by Darren Lebeuf
A visually-impaired girl explores her city
using all of her other senses
A Bird will Soar
by Alison Green Myers
A bird-loving boy with autism finds an eaglet
It's Okay to be Different
by Todd Parr
A picture book for youngsters about embracing our differences
As parent of a child with a disability and a former teacher and children's librarian, I believe that books can expand awareness and build acceptance about the wonderful uniqueness of all of us in this world.