Disability Resources

Inspiring people with disabilities

• Helen Keller (deaf blind)
• Louis Braille (blind)
• Frida Kahlo (Polio)
• Stephen Hawking (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS))
• Harriet Tubman (Epileptic)
• Albert Einstein (Autism)
• Ludwig van Beethoven (Deaf)
• Lewis Carroll (Autism)

Books about disability

• Try out The Amazing Edie Eckhart by new author and TV comedian Rosie Jones. Both Edie and Rosie have Cerebral Palsy, a tale about friendship, starting secondary school and eating sausage rolls. 
• Healthy Mindsets for Little Kids, based around ten guided modules, each with their own animal character, assists children in building resilience across a wide variety of themes including attachment, discipline, anger management, conflict resolution, positive body image and self-esteem, grief and loss, and anxiety.
• Roxy the Raccoon, a story to help children learn about disability and inclusion. Roxy is in a wheelchair, she and her friends realise that by making small changes and working together, they can make the forest a better place for everyone. 
• Pablo: Pablo and the Noisy Party is an empowering book and TV series reflecting neurodiversity and has been developed by writers who are themselves on the autistic spectrum.
• A Kind Of Spark is about Addie, who is autistic, who learns about the 16th century women who were persecuted for witchcraft. With the help of a new girl at school, she fights valiantly against injustice and oppression.
• The Taylor TurboChaser, by top childrens author David Baddiel about Amy  a girl who loves cars and dreams of being a driver. But there's a major catch: her slow old wheelchair with its broken wheel.
• Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, 'My name is Christopher John Francis Boone. I know all the countries of the world and the capital cities. And every prime number up to 7507.'
• The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher is about a dinosaur-obsessed 10-year-old boy, William Trundle, who goes on an adventure to see Father Christmas in a unique version of the North Pole. William is a wheelchair user
• The Secret Garden, the classic story by Frances Hodgson Burnett about Mary Lennox, who befriends Colin, a boy who uses a wheelchair who never ventures outside.
• Can You See Me? by Rebecca Westcott and Libby Scott is about Libby. 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. 
• The Space We’re In by Katya Balen is about Frank whose younger brother Max is diagnosed with autism at the age of three. A heart-rending read. It’s the world according to Frank, with a sibling's view of autism, and how much an autistic child (like any child) can develop and achieve, love and be loved.
• Maria and Me by Maria Gallardo and Miguel Gallardo is a father’s description of life with his autistic daughter, Maria. It has a humorous voice and quirky graphic book style that illustrate clearly how simple images and pictograms benefit those on the autistic spectrum and others with communication difficulties.
• The State of Grace is and absorbing story of first love, friendship and family tension and autism. We learn about Grace, understand her anxiety about social interactions, see how overwhelming some situations are and 'get it' when she has no choice but to switch off.
• The London Eye Mystery, Ted likes the weather, he also likes statistics and routine but his life is thrown into disarray when his cousin Salim goes missing. Ted's analytical mind becomes an asset as he begins to unravel the mystery.
• The Guggenheim Mystery, Ted's second mystery. He's the perfect detective, good at spotting intricate patterns and remembering tiny details, he's got to crack the case before his Aunt Gloria is sent to prison and the painting disappears forever.
• Truemann Bradley - Aspie Detective. A young man heads to New York with ambitions of becoming a private detective. Modelling himself on his hero (a comic book private eye), Trueman Bradley sets up an office and opens for business, only to find the Big Apple is rather less hospitable than he had pictured. Plus, nobody seems to take his abilities as an aspiring detective the least bit seriously.
• Something Different About Dad, follows the story of Sophie and Daniel whose Dad, Mark, is on the autism spectrum. In a comic-book style the family's journey is revealed from initial diagnosis to gradual appreciation of Dad's differences. They learn the reasons behind Dad's difficulties with communication, the senses, flexibility, and relationships, and find ways to make family life easier for everyone.
• Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome, written by Luke Jackson, who at the time of writing is 13 year's old.  We learn about his family life, school, relationships, strategies, aspirations and life with Asperger’s Syndrome in an appealing, funny and insightful way, gaining great insight into the genuine diversity, variety and colour of the autistic spectrum.
• Dandelion Clocks by Rebecca Westcott. Discover Liv's passion for photography, her brother's obsession with sticking to the rules, and how the family copes as Mum's terminal illness takes hold. With a very positive depiction of a character with ASD. 
• The Reason I Jump: one boy's voice from the silence of autism.  The author, Naoki Higashida is non-verbal and wrote the book by pointing to letters on an alphabet grid, and aged just 13. It's an unusual non-fiction book, about a Japanese teenager who shares his extensive personal experience of autism. Relevant to teenagers or young adults, as well as parents and professionals. 

Autism book recommendations from The Book Trust

You can also browse our selection of Disability Related Accessible Images.