July is Disability Pride Month! Learn why people with disabilities of all kinds take pride in their unique identities with these recommendations from Frederick County Public Libraries.
Picture Books
“This Is How We Play”
by Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp
A jubilant, inclusive, luminously illustrated picture book that features families at play, each with a family member who has a disability. With love and adaptation, this is how we play! This joyful read-aloud with an empowering refrain from disability rights activists Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp demystifies and respects how disabled people and their families use adaptive, imaginative and considerate play so everyone can join in the fun.
“Different: A Great Thing To Be”
by Heather Avis and Sarah Mensinga
This joyful rhyming book encourages children to value the “different” in all people, leading the way to a kinder world in which the differences in all of us are celebrated and embraced. Macy is a girl who’s a lot like you and me, but she’s also quite different, which is a great thing to be. With kindness, grace and bravery, Macy finds her place in the world, bringing beauty and laughter wherever she goes and leading others to find delight in the unique design of every person.
Early Readers
“The Case of the Snack Snatcher”
by Liam O’Donnell
In this fun, accessible series for newly independent readers, Myron’s unique perspective from the autism spectrum makes him a top-notch sleuth. The other students in his resource room have unique talents that come in handy to help solve the case.
“Little BIG Sister”
by Eoin Colfer, Illustrated by Celia Ivey
This is the story of Starr, a girl with dwarfism who finds the courage to shine as she starts primary school. This early reader is featured in The Children’s Book Council’s Disability Pride Month 2025 book list.
Middle Readers
“Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes”
by Patty Cisneros Prevo
Meet 15 remarkable disabled athletes and learn about their many achievements, daily challenges and joys in this beautiful and truth-telling nonfiction picture book.
“Fooled”
by Susan Haas
A classroom of middle schoolers with disabilities creates an imaginary “wizarding school” that seemingly becomes real and turns the whole school upside down.
Teen Readers
“According to Plan”
by Christen Randall
Mal Flowers just wants to stick to The Plan to graduate and get out of their small Midwestern town — a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. When the school literary magazine (a big part of The Plan) closes, Mal and their friend Emerson consider a backup plan: go rogue and create their own zine. What kind of future will giving up The Plan bring? This title is also available as an e-book and an e-audiobook through Libby by Overdrive: fcpl.org/downloads/ebooks
“The Gravewood”
by Kelly Andrew
Forced to ration her hearing aid batteries, Shea Parker strikes a deal with Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of the vampires who rule the Gravewood. Their deal is simple — blood in exchange for batteries — but every deal pulls Shea closer to Lysander — and to becoming a monster herself.
These titles are thoughtfully selected by Frederick County Public Libraries. You can find these books and more by visiting fcpl.org.
