Disability Fiction Archives

True Biz

by Sara Nović

This story unfolds at Ohio's River Valley School for the Deaf, a boarding school where students come to learn and can count on the cultural richness of the deaf community being celebrated. When Charlie enrolls as a new student, she's never met another deaf student; her parents had kept her in traditional school for far too long, hoping her issues with hearing would simply disappear once they got her cochlear implants dialed in. Charlie knew that would never happen, and quickly makes herself at home in her new school setting, not knowing the school's very existence is actively being threatened. I knew little about deafness and the deaf community prior to reading this book, and ate up all the details about various facets of the deaf experience deaf author Nović wove into the story. I especially loved the audiobook narrated by Lisa Flanagan and Kaleo Griffith, with the sound of signing over the speech when ASL was being used. (Though I'm already planning my reread in print, because of the visual ASL component included in that format.)

The Hero of This Book

by Elizabeth McCracken

In this novel written as a memoir, Elizabeth McCracken, (or perhaps more accurately, the character that we feel is Elizabeth McCracken, shares about her larger-than-life mother, the titular hero of this book. She begins her story in summer 2019, one year after her mother died: she's traveled to London, a place that holds many memories of the trips McCracken and her mother once traveled to together. She interweaves stories from her mother’s life, including her experience of disability, with her present day narrative of experiencing London without her now. Through her insightful anecdotes and introspective reflections, McCracken makes you wish you’d had the chance to know the complicated, charming, occasionally infuriating woman that was her mother.

Iron Widow

by Xiran Jay Zhao

This YA science fiction, described as The Handmaid's Tale meets the Pacific Rim, was loosely inspired by the first and only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu. Young female soon-to-be-warrior Zetian is out to avenge her sister's wrongful death. While few concubine-pilots survive a battle—their life force basically gets sucked dry by the pilot—Zetian not only survives, she kills the pilot who murdered her sister. And she’s not about to stop there. Zetian is feisty and she can be mean in her fight to show her people that women deserve better than having their feet bound and dying as concubine-pilots. Because her feet are bound, she sometimes uses a cane or wheelchair. There’s political intrigue and misogynous advisors who would rather see her dead, on top of fighting battles against Hunduns. And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a polyamorous love triangle with Shimin, the pilot she’s paired with, and Yizhi, her only friend.

Love from A to Z

by S. K. Ali

After Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, stands up to her Islamaphobic teacher, she’s suspended from school—and so her family books her ticket to leave Indiana and spend spring break with her expat aunt in Doha, Qatar. While her anger is justified, the way she expresses it isn’t always and she’s resolved to try to be a nicer version of herself in Doha. Zayneb meets Adam on the flight there and neither thinks they’ll see each other again, yet they soon find themselves in the same friend group. Since Adam was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few months prior, he’s kept it a secret from his father and dropped out of college; his family is grieving the death of his mother from MS and he doesn’t want to cause them more pain with his own news. Written in the form of diary entries, we see Zayneb and Adam connect as they discuss their families, religion, and so much more.

The War That Saved My Life

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I just loved this and have been thrilled to see so many readers of all ages enjoy it. It’s a Newbery Honor Book, set during WWII, and the plot is set in motion when two children—one of whom is very much unwanted—are evacuated from London into the British countryside. (If you think this sounds like Everyone Brave Is Forgiven you’re exactly right.)

Breathe and Count Back from Ten

by Natalia Sylvester

Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, dreams of being an aquatic performer at the Mermaid Cove in Central Florida. When she’s in the water swimming, she feels healthy, free, and at peace. But her strict parents will never let her audition, much less let her be with her cute new neighbor Alex so Vero decides it’s time to take control of her own life. I appreciated the way the story thoughtfully handled the friction that exists between a disabled teen and her non-disabled siblings.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

by Brigid Kemmerer

I recommended this one to Keren on episode 193 of What Should I Read Next because of its clever twist on a familiar story. Harper, a modern day 17 year old girl, is going through a terrible time when she gets sucked into a fantasy world. Prince Rhen, heir to the throne of Emberfall, is cursed, turns into a beast, and destroys everything he holds dear (sound familiar?). This Beauty and the Beast retelling is delightfully modern, features a character with cerebral palsy, and straddles reality and fantasy in a refreshing way.

Eventide

by Kent Haruf

It took me a while to finally read Haruf, but I'm so glad I did: he's an excellent choice for readers who love Wallace Stegner, Wendell Berry, and Marilynne Robinson, as I do.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown

by Talia Hibbert

Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, this rom com is laugh-out-loud funny. Andoh makes the witty banter between the heroine, Chloe Brown, and her landlord, Redford "Red" Morgan crackle and spark. After a near death experience, Chloe comes up with a to-do list to help her "get a life," including things like "ride a motorcycle," "go camping," and "do something bad." When she enlists Red to help her accomplish the list, their flirtation quickly escalates as they learn more about each other. Readers, take note: this book is charming, delightful, and VERY steamy. I recommend listening via headphones (I still couldn't help blushing).

Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky Book 1)

by Rebecca Roanhorse

Roanhorse brings this complex Pre-Columbian American fantasy world to life with gritty characters grappling with prophecies and political intrigue. The holy city of Tova prepares for the Convergence, a rare celestial event when the winter solstice and solar eclipse coincide, under Sun Priest Naranpa’s guidance. Disgraced captain Xiala sets her ship for Tova, carrying a young blind passenger named Serapio. She doesn’t know anything about him, other than it’s imperative he arrive on the day of the Convergence. And then there’s Okoa, a member of the ruling family and whose mother has just died creating a power vacuum his sister is ready to fill. No one and nothing is as they seem and by the time these characters collide, their world will be undone. Content warnings apply.

The Sign for Home

by Blair Fell

When Adah at Main Street Books in Davidson told me this book forever changed the way she sees the world, I couldn't start reading fast enough. This is the story of Arlo, a 23-year-old DeafBlind man whose world opens up when he meets his new interpreter Cyril as he begins courses at the local community college. Arlo's devout Jehovah's Witness guardians disapprove of Cyril because he's agnostic, gay, and inexperienced with DeafBlind clients, but Arlo takes to him immediately; he's never had such a fierce advocate in his corner. Thanks to Cyril, Arlo soon learns that the love of his life, who he never expected to see again, may not be out of reach after all. Fell has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf for nearly twenty years; his fascinating and enlightening descriptions of the methods and ethics of interpretation absolutely made the story for me.

Silver Nitrate

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A 2023 Summer Reading Guide selection: Movies cast magic spells in this unique and darkly humorous thriller set in 1990s Mexico City. Montserrat and Tristán are childhood friends who once bonded over classic horror films. Now, nearing forty, she’s an under-appreciated disabled sound engineer and he’s a washed-up telenovela star. When they cross paths with a legendary director, he persuades the two to help him complete an unfinished horror film from the 30s, the script for which was written by a Nazi occultist. The director claims that bad luck has plagued everyone who worked on the film, but completing it will break the curse and bring their trio prosperity. But instead of luck, their interference unleashes something dark and deadly in Mexico City. Surprising, sharp, and smart.

Disability Fiction

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summer reading starts May 16th