Collection: Shop Disabled

Autism acceptance activist and TikTok influencer Paige Layle shares her deeply personal journey to diagnosis and living life autistically.

"For far too long, I was told I was just like everyone else. But knew it couldn't be true. Living just seemed so much harder for me. This wasn't okay. This wasn't normal. This wasn't functioning. And it certainly wasn't fine."

Paige Layle was normal. She lived in the countryside with her mom, dad, and brother Graham. She went to school, hung out with friends, and all the while everything seemed so much harder than it needed to be. A break in routine threw off the whole day. If her teacher couldn't answer "why" in class, she dissolved into tears, unable to articulate her own confusion or explain her lack of control.

But Paige was normal. She smiled in photos, picked her feet up when her mom needed to vacuum instead of fleeing the room, and earned high grades. She had friends and loved to perform in local theater productions. It wasn't until a psychiatrist said she wasn't doing okay, that anyone believed her.

In But Everyone Feels This Way, Paige Layle shares her story as an autistic woman diagnosed late. Armed with the phrase "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (ASD), Paige challenges stigmas, taboos, and stereotypes while learning how to live her authentic, autistic life.

RENEE: I was ten years old then, and my sister was eight. The responsibility was on me to warn everyone when the soldiers were coming because my sister and both my parents were deaf.

I was my family's ears.

Meet Renee and Herta, two sisters who faced the unimaginable -- together. This is their true story.

As Jews living in 1940s Czechoslovakia, Renee, Herta, and their parents were in immediate danger when the Holocaust came to their door. As the only hearing person in her family, Renee had to alert her parents and sister whenever the sound of Nazi boots approached their home so they could hide.

But soon their parents were tragically taken away, and the two sisters went on the run, desperate to find a safe place to hide. Eventually they, too, would be captured and taken to the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. Communicating in sign language and relying on each other for strength in the midst of illness, death, and starvation, Renee and Herta would have to fight to survive the darkest of times.

This gripping memoir, told in a vivid "oral history" format, is a testament to the power of sisterhood and love, and now more than ever a reminder of how important it is to honor the past, and keep telling our own stories.

"They say I'm wired bad, or wired sad, but there's no doubt about it--I'm wired."

Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn't stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot - and eventually he bounces himself all the way downtown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen.

In this antic yet poignant new novel, Jack Gantos has perfect pitch in capturing the humor, the off-the-wall intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with hyper-activity and related disorders. This title has Common Core connections.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a 1998 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.

What is hearing loss?

Why do Princess Lizzie and other kids have to wear hearing aids? How do they help?

In this book, kids learn about hearing loss by following Princess Lizzie's journey.

This book is excellent for all readers, those with and without hearing loss, to enjoy.

It's Afghan schoolgirl Aria's first day back at school since her accident. She's excited, but she's also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic "helper-leg."

Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, schools like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to Kaka Najar, the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself.

In A Sky-Blue Bench, Bahram Rahman, author of The Library Bus, returns again to the setting of his homeland, Afghanistan, to reveal the resilience and resolve of young children--especially young girls--who face barriers to education. Illustrator Peggy Collins imbues Aria with an infectious spunkiness and grit that make her relatable even to readers with a very different school experience. An author's note gently introduces an age-appropriate discussion of landmines and their impact on the lives of children in many nations, especially Afghanistan, which has the highest concentration of landmines of any country in the world.

Don't miss The Library Bus, also by Bahram Rahman

• Winner of the Middle East Book Award
• Finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award
• Finalist for the Florida Literary Association Children's Book Award
• Finalist for the OLA Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award
• Winner of the Northern Lights Book Award: Multicultural Category

Masterpiece is an Award-winning book, recently winning The Golden Wizard Book Prize and placing as a Top 3 Finalist for Book of the Year!

Masterpiece is an inclusive story featuring Samuel, a boy on the autism spectrum who sees the world differently than his peers. When Samuel's teacher asks his class to create a piece of art, it quickly becomes apparent that his beautiful way of looking at the world makes him a true masterpiece!

Throughout the story, the other students in his class learn lessons of empathy, understanding and acceptance. The colourful illustrations will delight children and Masterpiece may just become a family favourite.

This award-winning book is suitable for all ages!

Teachers

Here are some reasons to include 'Masterpiece' in your classroom:

• Filled with gorgeous illustrations
• Illustrations include noise-cancelling headphones (sensory accommodations not typically illustrated in picture books )
• This book encourages children to embrace their gifts and talents
• A fantastic read-aloud to teach children lessons of inclusion, empathy and understanding.
• Shows children that they should embrace those unique parts of themselves that make them incredible
• Celebrates the diversity in our world
• Develops early literacy

A tender and perspective-shifting book that offers a rare level of understanding about the subtle and and no-so-subtle layers of internalized oppression and deep feelings and dilemmas of Deaf people, written by former Deaf teacher Rachel Zemach.

This mesmerizing, funny, and disruptive narrative invites you to be a fly on the wall in a Deaf classroom at a hearing school, experiencing the immense frustration, unbridled joy, and indelible humor that arise for Deaf adults and children in a hearing environment.

Rachel struggles with staff, administration, and aides who sabotage her efforts at every turn. The students contend with a principal who removes their textbooks, intercom announcements that are totally inaccessible and a system that renders them all defenseless against these dysfunctional and often absurd forces.

You'll meet seven-year-old Laszlo, the brilliant, language-hungry boy who will capture your heart, and the political, fiercely intelligent elite members of the Deaf community who rally to change legislation after his life takes a shocking turn at age sixteen when he makes a heart-wrenching decision.

In a series of short, distinctive chapters, Zemach shares her personal Deafhood journey, poignant scenes from the classroom, shocking individualized education meetings and their impact, and the larger political and historical picture surrounding Deaf education.

You will never be the same after you read The Butterfly Cage, intended to spark a national dialogue about the current state of Deaf education, and the lifelong impact of the language deprivation, oralism and audism that prevails in the majority of schools for the majority of our Deaf children, many of whom are unnecessarily set up for failure.

Who should read this book?

• Parents and anyone in contact with Deaf people whether professionally or personally
• Teachers, of any kind
• ASL students
• ASL interpreters
• People who enjoy well-written, entertaining and powerful memoir
• Readers interested in diversity, cultures or language.

The Butterfly Cage comes with ASL Videos (captioned) and supplementary materials for college-level class discussions/assignments. Book group discussion questions also provided.

Newbery Honor-winning author Cynthia Lord has written a sensitive and accessible book about the challenges of fitting in when you know you're a little different.

On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They're supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night.

The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school.

But things don't go as planned. On the first day of school, she's paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can't stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he's obsessed with animals. Jack doesn't fit in, and Emma's worried he'll make her stand out.

Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she's meant to have?

Newbery Honor-winning author Cynthia Lord has written a beautiful and sensitive book about being different and staying true to yourself.

Creativity Explored celebrates its 40th anniversary with a collection of powerful artwork and perspectives from its talented neurodiverse artists.

This vibrant book uplifts the voices of the artists of Creativity Explored, a nonprofit that gives people with developmental disabilities the opportunity to express themselves through art and share their work with audiences from their local community and in the contemporary art world.

Featuring hundreds of original paintings, drawings, illustrations, and sculptures--as well as quotes from and stories about the artists--this curated collection invites readers to examine and challenge their perceptions about disability. Some artworks are humorous and blunt, while others are affecting and abstract, speaking to the artistic community's diversity and creativity. This book offers an engaging introduction to person-centered thinking for art lovers or anyone interested in learning about disability justice in a visual way.

DEMYSTIFYING DISABILITY: This significant new anthology showcases an array of developmentally disabled artists and organizes their works into thematic chapters, such as "I Speak Through My Art," "Blackiful," "Yes I Do Think About Sex," and "Fears." These chapters provide interesting stylistic juxtapositions and personal reflections that highlight both individual and shared experiences as diverse disabled artists.

BEAUTIFUL AND CONTENT RICH: This gorgeous hardcover art book features more than one hundred original artworks in full color, from lively portraits and detailed drawings to abstract paintings and captivating illustrations. Quotes, interviews, personal stories, and artist statements also give readers deeper insight into the artists' creative practices, processes, and rituals. This book is a rich visual trove and source of inspiration for any contemporary art lover.

SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE: Creativity Explored was founded in 1983 with the belief that art is essential to life. This book celebrates the organization's mission and its talented artists after forty years of creating impactful arts and career programs with developmentally disabled artists. This collection is a meaningful way to learn more about Creativity Explored and the diverse community it continues to support today.

Perfect for:

• Art lovers and activists
• People who admire the mission and work of Creativity Explored
• The disabled community, allies, and educators
• Gift seekers for family and friends interested in learning more about disability justice
• Fans of self-taught artists, folk arts, and "outsider art"
• Contemporary art anthology and art book collectors
• #OwnVoices readers and anyone interested in diversifying their contemporary art knowledge

Two Artists, a Singular Friendship, and a Six-State Quest for a Diagnosis

Hadley Ferguson and Catherine Armsden, a painter and a writer, have each spent years seeking a diagnosis for their troubling symptoms. When they are finally diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, they meet in an online support group and quickly become long-distance friends. But for Hadley, the shared diagnosis is still not correct. She embarks on a traumatic, six-state odyssey that Catherine documents in vivid detail.

Part critical commentary on the American healthcare system and part primer on Parkinson's disease, An Alert, Well-Hydrated Artist in No Acute Distress tackles many topics beyond Hadley's and Catherine's personal experience, such as the causes and treatment of Parkinson's; navigating the doctor-patient relationship; so-called cognitive errors made in diagnosis; and the role of empathy in healthcare. This moving memoir will resonate with anyone who's had difficulty getting a diagnosis or lives with chronic disease, but will also inspire all readers with Hadley's and Catherine's ultimately victorious parallel quests to achieve the most fulfilling creative work of their careers.

"Catherine Armsden's wonderfully insightful book should be read by anyone who's ever received a difficult diagnosis as well as anyone who's delivered one. ... The book is dedicated to those who don't look away, and An Alert Well Hydrated Artist in No Acute Distress never does."

-Dave Iverson, journalist and author of Winter Stars: An Elderly Mother, an Aging Son and Life's Final Journey

From Dara McAnulty, a globally renowned figure in the youth climate activist movement, comes a memoir about loving the natural world and fighting to save it.

Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of a year in Dara's Northern Ireland home patch. Beginning in spring--when "the sparrows dig the moss from the guttering and the air is as puffed out as the robin's chest"--these diary entries about his connection to wildlife and the way he sees the world are vivid, evocative, and moving.

As well as Dara's intense connection to the natural world, Diary of a Young Naturalist captures his perspective as a teenager juggling exams, friendships, and a life of campaigning. We see his close-knit family, the disruptions of moving and changing schools, and the complexities of living with autism. "In writing this book," writes Dara, "I have experienced challenges but also felt incredible joy, wonder, curiosity and excitement. In sharing this journey my hope is that people of all generations will not only understand autism a little more but also appreciate a child's eye view on our delicate and changing biosphere."

Winner of the Wainwright Prize for UK nature writing and already sold into more than a dozen territories, Diary of a Young Naturalist is a triumphant debut from an important new voice.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the true story of Helen Keller.

Little Helen was curious and eager to learn about the world. After contracting an illness during childhood, she became deaf and blind at the age of one and was unable to talk. Helen and her family found ways to connect with each other, such as hand-signing.

But when Anne Sullivan, a teacher, came into her life, Helen discovered more ways to communicate with the wider world, learning finger-spelling and how to talk. This saw her become the first deaf-blind person to earn a university degree, and led her to tour the world advocating for the rights of disabled people.

This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of this amazing woman's life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

A magical picture book about a Deaf girl who creates a butterfly with Sign Language and sends it on a journey around the world.

On the day of the talent show, Aurora's hands tremble. No matter how hard she tries to sign, her fingers stumble over one another and the words just won't come. But as she's about to give up, she spots a butterfly.

Using her hands to sign the ASL word for "butterfly," Aurora sends a magical butterfly of her own into the world, inspiring Deaf people across the globe to add their own. The butterflies grow in numbers and strength as they circle back to Aurora, bolstering her with the love and support of her worldwide Deaf community.

Deaf picture book creators author Adam Pottle and artist Ziyue Chen combine powerful text and sweeping art into a moving story of resilience and self-belief.

Lacey's Story is another delightful Puppy Tale from #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the A Dog's Purpose Series, W. Bruce Cameron!

Lacey is a very special dog with a very important purpose. After an accident, Lacey must get used to being followed around everywhere by a funny cart with wheels. Sometimes it makes her go too fast or in the wrong direction! But that doesn't stop Lacey from having fun with her human girl Wenling and her best dog friend, Cooper. And when a tornado strikes, putting Wenling's and Cooper's families in danger, only Lacey and her cart can save the day.

The latest addition to the successful Puppy Tales series by #1 New York Times bestselling author W. Bruce Cameron is the inspiring and joyful story of a special needs pet who overcomes adversity and learns to live her best life after she is fitted with a mobility cart.

Adorable black-and-white illustrations by Richard Cowdrey bring Lacey and her world to life. A discussion and activity guide at the end of the book will help promote family and classroom discussions about Lacey's Story and the insights it provides about humankind's best friends.

More Tales from W. Bruce Cameron!

FROM STARSCAPE:
THE PUPPY TALES SERIES:
Ellie's Story / Bailey's Story / Molly's Story / Max's Story / Lily's Story / Shelby's Story / Toby's Story / Bella's Story / Cooper's Story / Lacey's Story

THE LILY TO THE RESCUE SERIES:
Lily to the Rescue / Lily to the Rescue: Two Little Piggies / Lily to the Rescue: The Not-So-Stinky Skunk / Lily to the Rescue: Dog Dog Goose / Lily to the Rescue: Lost Little Leopard / Lily to the Rescue: The Misfit Donkey / Lily to the Rescue: Foxes in a Fix / Lily to the Rescue: The Three Bears

THE DOGS WITH A PURPOSE SERIES:
Zeus: Water Rescue / Ripley: Fire Station Five

FROM FORGE:
THE DOG'S PURPOSE SERIES:
A Dog's Purpose / A Dog's Journey / A Dog's Promise

THE DOG'S WAY HOME SERIES:
A Dog's Way Home / A Dog's Courage

OTHER TITLES FROM FORGE:
Love, Clancy: Diary of a Good Dog
A Dog's Perfect Christmas
The Dogs of Christmas
The Dog Master
Emory's Gift

THE RUDDY MCCAN SERIES:
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man / Repo Madness / The Midnight Dog of the Repo Man