Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Disability, impairments and special needs

Book SynopsisA big-hearted, beautiful, and funny novel told from multiple viewpoints about neurodiversity, friendship, and community from the award-winning author of The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, Leslie Connor.Eleven-year-old Aurora Petrequin?s best friend has never spoken a word to her. In fact, Frenchie Livernois doesn?t talk.Aurora is bouncy, loud and impulsive??a big old blurter.?Making friends has never come easily. When Frenchie, who is autistic, silently chose Aurora as his person back in third grade, she chose him back. They make a good team, sharing their love of the natural world in coastal Maine.In the woods, Aurora and Frenchie encounter a piebald deer, a rare creature with a coat like a patchwork quilt. Whenever it appears, Aurora feels compelled to follow.At school, Aurora looks out for Frenchie, who has been her classmate until this year. One morning, Frenchie doesn?t make it to his classroom. Aurora feels she?s to blame. The entire town begins to search, and everyone wonders: how is it possible that nobody has seen Frenchie?At the heart of this story is the friendship between hyper-talkative Aurora and nonvocal Frenchie. Conflict arises when Aurora is better able to expand her social abilities and finds new friends. When Frenchie goes missing, Aurora must figure out how to use her voice to help find him, and lift him up when he is found.Featuring a compelling mystery and a memorable voice, this is a natural next-read afterLeslie Connor?s The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle.* Kids? Indie Next Pick * New England Book Award Finalists 2022 *?Leslie Connor brilliantly depicts a genuine and meaningful friendship between a dynamic girl and her nonvocal friend. By showing the ways Aurora and Frenchie communicate, Connor gives us a blueprint for seeing autistic children in a new light.I loved, loved, loved this book!? ?Cammie McGovern, author of Frankie and Amelia and Chester and Gus

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Book SynopsisFrom Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner Rita Williams-Garcia, Every Time a Rainbow Dies is a moving, lyrical, and diverse love story—perfect for fans of One Crazy Summer who are ready for an older voice.Trade Review“One of the most powerful new voices in young adult literature, Garcia explores loss and love, identity, and self-determination…” — Riverbank Review

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring debut middle grade novel-in-verse about Rain, who must overcome sadness after her all-star brother is badly beaten up at a frat party. Genesis Begins Again meets Brown Girl Dreaming in this powerful story of perseverance, family, and hope.A gorgeous debut: a necessary, cathartic, immersive healing experience.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“In this gut-wrenching verse novel by debut author Comrie, thirteen-year-old City Middle School student Rain Washington grapples with the aftermath of a violent racist attack. . . . Comrie sensitively tackles myriad topics, including colorism, fiscal scarcity, and structural racism, as well as their effects on mental health, in this impressive volume. —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“This lovingly crafted novel-in-verse is a much-needed reminder that compassion, both for oneself and oth

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Book SynopsisFrom Patricia MacLachlan, beloved author of the Newbery Medal-winning Sarah, Plain and Tall, comes a touching story that teaches children how to look at the world in different ways. John’s favorite house is his grandfather’s—not because it is fancy or new but because he sees it through his Grandpa’s eyes. Grandpa is blind, and so when John visits him he gets to see things from a new perspective. If he closes his eyes, everything comes alive through sound and touch. This house is the place where John gets to experience the special way Grandpa sees and moves in the world.  

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Book SynopsisA powerfully moving novel from a three-time Newbery Honor-winning author Evie Thomas is not who she used to be. Once she had a best friend, a happy home and a loving grandmother living nearby. Once her name was Toswiah. Now, everything is different. Her family has been forced to move to a new place and change their identities. But that's not all that has changed. Her once lively father has become depressed and quiet. Her mother leaves teaching behind and clings to a new-found religion. Her only sister is making secret plans to leave. And Evie, struggling to find her way in a new city where kids aren't friendly and the terrain is as unfamiliar as her name, wonders who she is. Jacqueline Woodson weaves a fascinating portrait of a thoughtful young girl's coming of age in a world turned upside down A National Book Award Finalist

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Book SynopsisFor the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own. Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

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Book SynopsisIn this historical thriller from the bestselling author of Code Name Verity, Stella North enters an air race competition as the only woman—and finds herself thrown into a mystery she must solve before it kills her.   When Stella North is chosen to represent Britain in Europe’s first air race for young people, she knows all too well how high the stakes are. As the only participating female pilot, it’ll be a constant challenge to prove she’s a worthy competitor. But promoting peace in Europe, the goal of the race, feels empty to Stella when civil war is raging in Spain and the Nazis are gaining power—and when, right from the start, someone resorts to cutthroat sabotage to get ahead of the competition.   The world is looking for inspiration in what’s meant to be a friendly sporting event. But each of the racers is hiding a turbulent and violent past, and any one of them might be capable of murder—inc

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Book SynopsisMoving and evocative, Disappearing Act is a YA true-story-in-verse following author Jiordan Castle''s coming of age as her family reckons with the aftershocks of her father''s imprisonment.It was the summer before high school,the beginning of everything.But also an end.Jiordan's family was never quite like everyone else's, with her father's mood swings, her mother's attempts at normalcy, and her two older sisters with a different last name. But on the surface, they fit in. Until the day the FBI came knocking on the door.After that, her father's mood plunged to a dangerous new low. After that, there was an investigation into his business and a sentencing in court. Soon Jiordan's father would have to leave home, and her family would change forever.Reckoning with the aftershocks of her father's incarceration, Jiordan had to navigate friends who couldn''t quite understand what she was going through, along with the high

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Book SynopsisRiley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.     Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn't dare reveal.      The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with issues. But that's exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.      The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.      Riley and Max know that if they can't get out, they'll be next--but they're about to discover that even escape doesn't equal freedom.

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Bestseller!The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who’s ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn’t fit in. “Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.” Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts openin

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories. It all starts when six kids have to meet for a weekly chat--by themselves, with no adults to listen in. There, in the room they soon dub the ARTT Room (short for A Room to Talk), they discover it's safe to talk about what's bothering them--everything from Esteban's father's deportation and Haley's father's incarceration to Amari's fears of racial profiling and Ashton's adjustment to his changing family fortunes. When the six are together, they can express the feelings and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world. And together, they can grow braver and more ready for the rest of their lives.Trade Review* “Woodson celebrates all that is essential and good for humanity—compassion, understanding, security, and freedom—in this touching novel. . . . Woodson’s skills as poet and master storyteller shine brightly here as she economically uses language to express emotion and delve into the hearts of her characters. Showing how America’s political and social issues affect children on a daily basis, this novel will leave an indelible mark on readers’ minds.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review* “Woodson delivers a powerful tale of community and mutual growth. The bond they develop is palpable. . . . The characters ring true as they discuss issues both personal and global. This story, told with exquisite language and clarity of narrative, is both heartbreaking and hopeful. An extraordinary and timely piece of writing.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review* “The magic is in the writing. Woodson tells stories torn from headlines but personalizes them with poetry and memories, blunting their trauma with understanding and love. Haley’s history weaves in and out, drawing readers close. These children become each other's safe harbors and Woodson brilliantly shows readers how to find the connections we all need.”—Booklist, starred review* “Woodson’s spare, lyrical, and evocative prose carries the story seamlessly, weaving in themes of justice and family, friendship and courage. This is a timely and beautifully written story that should be on library shelves everywhere.”—School Library Journal, starred review* "In her first middle-grade novel since her 2014 National Book Award winner, Brown Girl Dreaming, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jacqueline Woodson deftly alchemizes a sixth-grade classroom into an affecting metaphor for racial, political and socioeconomic challenges—enhanced by the transformative power of storytelling: ‘what matter[ed] most is that we were heard.’ . . . A powerful love letter to effective teachers, unexpected friendship and the healing magic of hearing, recording and sharing words.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review“Explore[s] deep issues of identity, community, family, change, and forgiveness. The power of remembrance is also an important theme. . . . Will speak to young people’s insecurities and fears while recognizing their courage in facing them, and [Woodson's] craft as a weaver of words and imagery is evident on every page. A timely tribute to the resilience of young people and to the power of human connection that often overrides our differences.”—Horn Book “Takes readers on a journey during which young urban teenagers discover the satisfaction of a well-wrought conversation. Woodson's easygoing lyrical voice is the highlight. . . . Each likable young person tells an engaging story, and the others are quick to listen. . . . Many urban readers will hear their story in one of these six's narratives. . . . With alternatingly simple, realistic language and flashes of lyrical romanticism . . . will please teachers trying to coax personal revelations from their students.”—Voice of Youth Advocates "Leaves readers of all ages asking, 'would I let myself be a harbor for someone who needs it?'”—School Library Connection

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Book SynopsisWhen Hank's class takes a field trip to the zoo, he quickly gets lost after his partner (and nemesis) ditches him. Unable to read the map, Hank wanders and finds himself locked in a habitat with Elsie, an elephant recently rescued and kept isolated. He begins a game of soccer with her, and they become fast friends. But when Hank notices how lonely Elsie is, he's determined to help her find her own animal friends.

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Book SynopsisFrom award-winning author Pablo Cartaya comes a deeply moving middle grade novel about a daughter and father finding their way back to each other in the face of their changing family and community.Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole and home made sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.Dad shuts himself in the back stall of their family's auto shop to work on an old car. Emilia peeks in on him daily, mesmerized by his welder. One day, Dad calls Emilia over. Then, he teaches her how to weld. And over time, flickers of her old dad reappear. But as Emilia finds a way to repair the relationship with her father at home, her community ruptures with some of her classmates, like her best friend, Gus, at the center of the conflic

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Name of This Book Is Secret comes a darkly funny story about a boy who wants the world to disappear. This fantastical quest for comfort and belonging was called “a surprisingly powerful, formula-breaking coming-of-age story” by the New York Times.Mickey is angry all the time: at his divorced parents, at his sister, and at his two new stepmoms, both named Charlie. And so he can''t resist the ad inside his pack of gum: Do you ever wish everyone would go away? Buy The Anti-Book! Satisfaction guaranteed. He orders the book, but when it arrives, it''s blank—except for one line of instruction: To erase it, write it. He fills the pages with all the things and people he dislikes . . . Next thing he knows, he''s wandering an anti-world, one in which everything and everyone familiar is gone. Or are they? His sister soon reappears--but she''s only four inches tall. A tiny

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Book SynopsisA perfectly planned birthday party goes awry in this gentle story about adapting to the unexpected, written for kids on the autism spectrum and called “brilliant” and “engaging” by autism specialist Tony AttwoodLaila feels like her sparkly sunshine birthday celebration is on the brink of ruin when it starts to storm. Then, just as she starts feeling okay with moving her party indoors, an accident with her cake makes her want to call the whole thing off. But with the help of her mom and a little alone time with her service dog, she knows she can handle this. Changes in routine can be hard for any kid, but especially for kids on the autism spectrum. Samantha Cotterill's fourth book in the Little Senses series provides gentle guidance along with adorable illustrations to help every kid navigate schedule changes and overwhelming social situations.Trade Review“It Was Supposed to Be Sunny is a brilliant, engaging story that describes the intense emotions experienced by an autistic child, and the ways her mother’s understanding, reassurance, and guidance give her just what she needs to cope with change. This book is a ray of sunshine.” —Tony Attwood, author of The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome "Cotterill’s Little Senses series, addressing anxiety and challenges faced by children with sensory processing disorder and/or on the autistic spectrum, is so upbeat and helpful that parents everywhere can employ these coping mechanisms with any child . . . The deceptively simple illustrations are dynamic and engaging . . . . On-point closing suggestions provided by a children’s mental health expert round out the positive experience." —Kirkus

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“I haven’t been so dazzled by a YA in ages. . . . Biz’s voice is wild and rollicking, lyrical and hilarious, utterly authentic . . . There isn’t a false note.” —Jandy Nelson, author of I’ll Give You the Sun (via School Library Journal)"[How It Feels to Float] explores intergenerational mental illness in a way that is nothing short of exquisite." —PopSugar"A profoundly moving story about grief, loss, and love that will take your breath away. Helena Fox is a writer to be reckoned with." —Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces"If you've read Anna Borges's story for The Outline "I Am Not Always Very Attached To Being Alive," you are perhaps already acquainted with the idea of "treading to stay afloat" when living with mental illness. In How It Feels To Float, author Helena Fox tells the story of a young woman floating through life, struggling to hide her dark thoughts and a past marked by intergenerational mental illness. —Bustle“How It Feels to Float is technically a YA novel, but I'm not talking Twilight YA. I'm talking give-this-to-all-your-twenty-something-friends-immediately YA. This book will relate to anyone that's lived through the confusing mind-f*ck that is being a high school girl. More than that, it tackles mental health, depression, sexual identity, and anxiety with beauty and empathy as protagonist Biz comes to terms with the death of her father amid a devastating social fall-out.” —Cosmopolitan.com"Beautifully written, Biz's story (of dark thoughts, grief and questioning her sexuality) is subtly revealed and immensely satisfying as she slowly unravels and puts herself together again." —Girls' Life"Teens who don’t want to be labeled, who don’t conform to checklists of attributes or fall into tidy boxes, will relate hard to this book about a girl who wants, very badly at times, to float away, but who ultimately finds herself . . . Full of life, resplendent with sensory details, lush descriptions, clever and witty narration, and a beating heart that will make yours swell with feeling.” —B&N Teen Blog★ “Lyrical and profoundly affecting, providing a nuanced account of the hereditary effects of trauma. Haunting.” —Kirkus (starred review)★ "Biz is smart, funny, and self-deprecating . . . [How It Feels to Float is] a masterful portrayal of mental illness that illuminates the complex interplay between emotional trauma and the mind’s subsequent recoil. And the writing is just beautiful." —Booklist (starred review)★ “Exquisite . . . Through lyrical first-person narration, Fox empathically conveys the hereditary nature of Biz’s illness, its disorienting manifestations, and the limitations and power of love to heal.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)★ “Fox writes with superb understanding and tenderness . . . The poignant depiction of depression is leavened by secondary characters who love Biz, ranging from Jasper’s photographer grandmother to Jasper himself and even to Biz’s doomed dad, who may have lost to his demons but who has a larky beauty that lights up the pages. . . . Ambiguity enhances the beautiful, unsteady shimmer of Biz’s story.” —BCCB (starred review)★ “This is a frank story of mental illness, loss, and sexual identity, and Fox responsibly concludes her story with information and support services for readers facing similar issues. How It Feels to Float is a beautifully crafted story of finding hope and love when both appear to be gone forever.” —BookPage (starred review)“A YA The Bell Jar with a ghostly twist, [and an] honest, nuanced portrayal of grief and life with mental illness. . . . A mesmerizing and timely debut.” —Bustle"Beautifully written and deeply moving . . . Just as much a story of hope and the power of love and friendship." —Common Sense Media“This book will explode you into atoms, put you back together, and return the new shape of you to earth. Alive with sensation and rich in thought and feeling, How it Feels to Float intensively explores what it’s like to be here now.” —Margo Lanagan, author of Tender Morsels"Impossibly beautiful, life-affirming, profound. This is not a book; it is a work of art." —Kerry Kletter, author of The First Time She Drowned “Every now and then you pick up a novel and you know you’ve found something wonderful—a glorious voice, a character you adore. Helena Fox’s novel delivers. It is exquisite. Read it.” —Cath Crowley, author of Words in Deep Blue"It is a testament to Helena Fox’s immense skill as a writer that all the disparate elements come together seamlessly in an intense, intimate portrait of a teenage girl. Like Biz in the darkroom, the author dodges and burns, keeping her characters moving, exposing them to the light." —The Saturday Paper"A perfect, surreal exploration of mental illness and grief. Fox’s writing is poetry, bringing the reader to the brink of Biz’s madness and back again as she finds new ways to make meaning, and new people to make it with. . . . How It Feels to Float is a visceral reading experience that captures the way in which many teens struggle with mental illness. It is a lesson in acceptance and understanding, and readers will be deeply moved." —Books+Publishing

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Book SynopsisNew student Winnie has sensory processing challenges, but her wonderful teacher knows just how to make sure she''s a welcome part of the class.Winnie is the new kid at school, and sometimes she acts kind of wild. Her teacher says to her classmates, Maybe Winnie feels the world differently than most of us. Why don''t we give her world a try? So that week, when Winnie can''t stop monkeying around, the class joins her on the jungle gym. And when she''s acting squirrelly, they all go nuts on an obstacle course. When Winnie is being a bit of a bear, the whole class burrows into a cozy den for storytime. Soon, with the guidance of their loving teacher, Winnie''s classmates realize that sometimes we all feel the world differently, and that''s more than okay.Trade Review"In Løvlie’s cheery, colorful, pastel-hued double-page spreads, racially, physically, and ability diverse classmates joyfully join Winnie in activities that regulate her animal-themed antics . . . a closing author’s note to caregivers alludes to sensory processing disorder and presents additional activities targeting balance, body awareness, and more." —Kirkus"Fitzgerald explicitly advocates for a paradigm shift . . . by the end of the week, this empathetic teacher has created a space for all her students to be accepted. Back matter explains the social and diagnostic responses for children like Winnie and provides strategies for supportive intervention. Wild for Winnie can serveas a read-aloud or a resource—or just a sweet book about acceptance." —Booklist

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Book SynopsisFrom California Governor Gavin Newsom comes an empowering picture book about a young boy with dyslexia who discovers a new way to look at reading.Ben loves baseball. He loves the lines of diamond-shaped field and the dome of the pitcher''s mound. What Ben doesn''t like is reading. Ben has dyslexia, which means letters and sounds get jumbled up in his brain, and then the words don''t make sense. But when Ben starts looking at reading like he looks at baseball, he realizes that if he keeps trying, he can overcome any obstacle that comes his way.In this empowering story by California Governor Gavin Newsom, inspired by his own childhood diagnosis of dyslexia, readers will learn that kids with the determination to try (and try again) can do big things. *This book is set in a font specifically designed to be easier for people with dyslexia to read.

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Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin delivers a gripping romance about two teens: a certified genius living with a diagnosed mental disorder and a politician''s son who is running from his own addiction and grief. Don''t miss this gut punch of a novel about mental health, loss, and discovering you are worthy of love.Scars exist to remind us of what we’ve survived. DETACHEDSince Shelbi enrolled at Windward Academy as a senior and won’t be there very long, she hasn’t bothered making friends. What her classmates don’t know about her can’t be used to hurt her—you know, like it did at her last school. WASTEDAndy Criddle is not okay. At all.He’s had far too much to drink.Again. Which is bad.And things are about to get worse. When Shelbi sees Andy at his lowest, she can relate. So she doesn’t resist reaching out. And th

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Book SynopsisA beautiful, color illustrated edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonder, with a new afterword from the author. Experience the extraordinary story that inspired the Choose Kind movement, like never before.August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid--but his new classmates can''t get past Auggie''s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and a blockbuster hit, begins from Auggie''s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community''s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. This beautiful, color illustrated edition includes over twenty-five pieces of original art from Tad Carpenter, the artist behind the original cover.

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Book SynopsisA teen girl and her family return to her mother''s childhood home, only to discover that the house''s strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That''s what Libby''s mom said. And after Libby’s recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.But Libby’s new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds

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