Baltimore's Child Baltimore's Child
These books celebrate diversity and encourage learning. Explore stories about kids with disabilities of all kinds for Disability Pride Month in July. Families will discover new perspectives, foster acceptance and support positive views of self with readers in every age group.
Board Books
“Can Bears Ski?”
by Raymond Antrobus and Polly Dunbar
Sometimes Little Bear can’t hear what others say, even when Dad Bear highlights the loud crunching sounds when they walk in the snow to school. Antrobus writes this sweet story inspired by his own experience as a child, before his deafness was diagnosed at the age of 6. Read until the end to find out the answer to the question: Can bears ski?
“I Can, Can You?”
by Marjorie W. Pitzer
Pitzer’s photographs bring this story to life, illustrating the adventures these little ones with Down syndrome go on each day as they explore the world.
Picture Books
“Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You”
by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López
“Just Ask” captivates as it celebrates diversity and encourages curiosity. Through its vibrant pages, children with disabilities share their unique experiences and ask thought-provoking questions, inviting readers to find similarities and start meaningful conversations. Join your little one on a magical journey of bravery, authenticity and the power of understanding.
“I Love My Body Because”
by Shelly Amanda and Nomi Ellison, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina
This uplifting book shows children the beauty of how to love and appreciate their bodies. Medina’s illustrations show through personal stories, insights and exercises to inspire self-love and body positivity. Amanda and Ellison remind us how our bodies are beautiful and deserving of love and respect.
Elementary Readers
“We Are All Different: A Celebration of Diversity”
by Asa Hilliard and Tracey Turner
Through engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations, “We Are All Different” emphasizes acceptance, understanding and the richness diversity brings to our world.
“All Kinds of Friends”
series by Kaitlyn Duling and Kristen Chang
This delightful book series focuses on friendship and inclusivity. With diverse characters and valuable lessons about empathy and acceptance, the six books in the collection teach children the importance of embracing differences and fostering meaningful connections.
Middle Grade
“Fish in a Tree”
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
At every new school she attends, Ally manages to keep a secret. She can’t read. With help from a caring teacher, she learns she shouldn’t be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Wonder”
by R.J. Palacio
Auggie Pullman is an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. With kindness and bravery, Auggie shows his classmates how everyone is able to be appreciated for their unique qualities.
Teens
“One for All”
by Lillie Lainoff
In 1655, 16-year-old Tania is the daughter of a retired musketeer who is murdered. Afflicted with extreme vertigo and subject to frequent falls, Tania attends Madame de Treville’s newly formed Académie des Mariées, a fencing academy for girls in Paris. There she trains to be a new kind of musketeer and to avenge her father’s death.
“Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens”
edited by Marieke Nijkamp
In this anthology of stories in various genres, each story features disabled characters and is written by disabled creators. The collection includes stories of interstellar war, a journey to Persia and a dating debacle. The teenage characters reflect diverse colors, genders, and orientations—without obscuring the realities of their disabilities.
