10 Books to Read with Your Child About Disabilities and Differences

A woman sits with two young children, reading a picture book together in a cozy, brightly lit room. The children appear engaged and attentive as they look at the books colorful illustrations.

Raising children to be kind, empathetic, and inclusive starts early—and books are one of the best tools we have! Whether your child has a disability or is learning to understand the differences in others, reading together can open important conversations and build lasting understanding. Reading books that feature characters with disabilities helps children recognize that everyone belongs and has value—no matter how they move, learn, or communicate. Whether you’re looking for stories that reflect your child’s experience or want to nurture empathy, these books are a wonderful place to start.

Here are 10 popular and heartwarming children’s books that celebrate disabilities, neurodiversity, and inclusion. Perfect for elementary-aged readers and their families.

Illustration of diverse people, including a child, elderly person with a cane, person in a wheelchair, and others, standing together on an orange background. Text reads We Move Together.

1. We Move Together

By Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, and Eduardo Trejos

A beautifully illustrated story that celebrates disability culture, collective action, and accessibility. It’s perfect for introducing big concepts in a child-friendly way.

Five children, including one in a wheelchair, joyfully dance under a spotlight surrounded by leafy plants. The book title I Will Dance is written above, with credits to Nancy Bo Flood and Julianna Swaney.

2. I Will Dance

By Nancy Bo Flood, illustrated by Julianna Swaney

Eva, a girl with cerebral palsy, dreams of dancing—and she doesn’t let anything stand in her way. This inspiring story shows the joy of self-expression and perseverance.

Book cover of Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship shows a girl with prosthetic legs walking with a black service dog wearing a red vest. Title and author names are displayed, along with a blue award seal.

3. Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship

By Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes

Based on a true story, this book explores the bond between a young girl who becomes an amputee and her loyal service dog.

Four joyful children move together under a yellow banner that says We move together. One rides a bike, another does a cartwheel, one waves a flag, and another walks with a cane and a cat.

4. My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay

By Cari Best, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Zulay is blind and wants to run in her school’s race. With the help of friends and her cane, she shows everyone what she can do.

Book cover of A Friend for Henry showing an illustration of a young child with straight dark hair playing with colored blocks. The cover includes an award seal and the author and illustrators names.

5. A Friend for Henry

By Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song

Told from the perspective of a young boy on the autism spectrum, this quiet and powerful book explores the universal search for friendship and belonging.

Cover of the book All My Stripes: A Story for Children With Autism, featuring a happy cartoon zebra with multicolored stripes, set against a teal background with playful, stylized text.

6. All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism

By Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer

Zane the zebra worries that his autism stripe makes him different, but his mother helps him see that he is much more than just one part of himself.

Book cover of My Brother Charlie showing a girl hugging a boy while a brown dog licks the boy’s face. The sky is blue with clouds, and the title is in large yellow letters at the top.

7. My Brother Charlie

By Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete

Told from the perspective of a girl whose twin brother has autism, this story celebrates the bond of siblings and the beauty of understanding differences.

Two illustrated boys lie side by side among yellow building blocks. The cover text reads, “Benji, the Bad Day, and Me” by Sally J. Pla, illustrated by Ken Min, with a bright cityscape background.

8. Benji, the Bad Day, and Me

By Sally J. Pla, illustrated by Ken Min

Sammy’s having the worst day—until his autistic brother Benji finds a way to connect with him. A touching story about sibling understanding and quiet support.

Illustrated book cover for Brilliant Bea shows a young girl with dark curly hair and red glasses holding a notebook, surrounded by orange birds and leaves, with a starry sky background.

9. Brilliant Bea

By Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich

Bea has dyslexia and struggles with reading aloud, but she shines in other ways. This book helps kids with learning differences feel seen and valued.

Book cover for Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. A child with brown skin draws, as colorful imaginative creatures and flowers appear around him. Bold orange title text is in the center.

10. Aaron Slater, Illustrator

By Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts

Aaron has dyslexia and finds reading difficult, but his passion for art helps him discover another way to tell stories. A celebration of creativity and resilience from the Questioneers series.

Final Thoughts

Reading books that feature characters with disabilities helps children recognize that everyone belongs and has value—no matter how they move, learn, or communicate. Whether you’re looking for stories that reflect your child’s experience or want to nurture empathy, these books are a wonderful place to start.

This article is for informational purposes only.