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    The Children's Book Review

    Excellent Books About Disabilities and the Fight for Disability Rights

    Anna Iacovetta, Ph.D.By Anna Iacovetta, Ph.D.4 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Ages 9-12 Best Kids Stories Book Lists Health Social Emotional
    Debunking Disabilities Book List
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    A book list for debunking disabilities and celebrating diversity.
    The Children’s Book Review

    Debunking Disabilities: A Book List Exploring the Fight for Disability Rights

    These recent reads are great for the whole family, whether you know someone with a physical disability or not. Each of these books highlights the true story of an individual’s struggle of fighting for rights for those with disabilities, a history that many may not even know. What better books to add to our library (and personal book collections) as our classrooms become more diverse than these selections?!

    Fighting for Yes: Book Cover

    Fighting For Yes! : The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann

    Written By Maryann Cocca-Leffler

    Illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

    Ages: 6-10 | 48 Pages

    Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers | ISBN-13: 9781419755606

    What to expect: Disabilities, Equal Rights

    Judy Heumann may not be a name you recognize at first glance, but Maryann Cocca-Leffler brings her story to life in this wonderful story. Judy grew up in a wheelchair after battling polio and faced many roadblocks as she started school. Because of her physical limitations, she was often told no. She had enough and fought for yes! Judy, along with others with disabilities, became activists and helped lay the groundwork for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The illustrations and text placement work well together, and the end of the story even includes a note from Judy and other resources for the reader.

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    We want to go to school: Book Cover

    We Want to Go to School! : The Fight for Disability Rights

    Written By Maryann Cocca-Leffler and Janine Leffler

    Ages: 5-9 | 32 Pages

    Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company | ISBN: 9780807535189

    What to expect: History, Disabilities, Equal Rights

    An easy-to-read story that focuses on the historic court case Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, which allowed all children with disabilities to be able to receive the same public education as their peers. Leffler co-wrote the story with her daughter, Janine, who was born with cerebral palsy. Together they could thoroughly explain a heavy topic in terms that small children can understand while introducing new vocabulary along the way. The cartoon-like illustrations flow nicely with the story and entice the reader. The book ends with additional notes about the court case and supplemental resources.

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    All the way to the top: Book Cover

    All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything

    Written By Annette Bay Pimentel

    Illustrated By Nabi H. Ali

    Ages: 4-10 | 32 Pages

    Publisher: Sourcebooks Explore | ISBN: 9781492688976

    What to expect: Disabilities, Determination, History, Equality

    A heart-warming true story of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, who has cerebral palsy and discovered that the road ahead would be bumpy because she was not being treated fairly or equally compared to her peers. Not only did she find that her accessibility was limited, but everyone also treated her differently. Jennifer couldn’t remain quiet. She joined the fight for equality and even participated in the famous Capitol Crawl in 1990 on the steps of the Capitol. The illustrations depict Jennifer’s battle amazingly well. The grit and determination are felt throughout the pages.

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    More Enjoyable Books About Kids With Disabilities

    When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb

    I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood

    Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

    This book list, Excellent Books About Disabilities and the Fight for Disability Rights, was curated by Anna Iacovetta, Ph. D. Discover more books like these titles by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Disabilities, Equal Rights, and Determination.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Schneider Family Book Award | 2014
    2. Best New Picture Books | March 2017
    3. Best New Picture Books | August 2017
    4. Best New Picture Books | October 2017

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Abrams Books for Young Readers Albert Whitman & Company Annette Bay Pimentel Determination Disabilities Diversity Equal Rights Equality History Inclusion Janine Leffler Maryann Cocca-Leffler Nabi H. Ali Picture Books Sourcebooks Explore Vivien Mildenberger
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    Previous ArticleThe Sister Who Ate Her Brothers: And Other Gruesome Tales | Book Review
    Next Article Ready… Set… Frog!, by Katharine Mitropoulos | Dedicated Review
    Anna Iacovetta, Ph.D.
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    Dr. Anna Iacovetta, a former elementary school teacher whose passionate interest in children's lit and fairy tales led her to earn a doctorate in Literature for Children & Young Adults from The Ohio State University. Anna is currently an education professor at John Carroll University and book reviewer who resides in Cleveland, Ohio where she lives with her husband and three young children.

    1 Comment

    1. Alicia Ortego on September 29, 2023 6:12 am

      You’ve got a great collection of books here. Kids do need to see that there are different kids of people and that there are no normal or abnormal people. All people serene love, kindness, and acceptance. And kids need to see that in order to create healthy communications in real life. I’d also like to share my collection of books about disabilities for kids here https://aliciaortego.com/books-about-disabilities/. All of these are amazing. I guess we even have some the same, but I think the more the better.

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