Children's Books Focusing on Special/Exceptional Needs, Strengths and Graces

Picture Books

Anderson, Peggy Perry. 2004. We Go in a Circle. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Altman, Alexandra Jessup. 2008. Waiting for Benjamin: A Story about Autism. Illustrated by

Susan Keeter. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

Asare, Meshack. 2001. Sosu’s Call. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller.

Burton, Linda. 2011. Pay Attention, Emily Brown! Illustrated by Carl Burton. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Cottin, Menena.  2008. The Black Book of Colors. Illustrated by Rosana Faria. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

Cowen-Fletcher, Jane.  1996. Mama Zooms. New York: Scholastic.

Davis, Patricia. 2000. Brian’s Bird. Illustrated by Layne Johnson. Shen’s Books.

Ely, Lesley. 2004.  Looking After Lewis. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

Fleming, Virginia. 1993. Be Good to Eddie Lee. New York: Philomel.

Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. 2001. The Hickory Chair. Illustrated by Benny Andrews. New York: Arthur Levine.

Golden, Barbara Diamond. 2010. Cakes and Miracles: A Purim Tale. Illustrated by Jaime Zollars. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish.

Greenberg, Jan & Sandra Jordan. 2000. Chuck Close: Up Close. DK Children.

Gregory, Nan. 2002. How Smudge Came. Illustrated by Ron Lightburn. Ontario: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Hamilton, Virginia. 2002. Bluish. New York: blue Sky Press.

Harshman, Marc. 1995. The Storm. Illustrated by Mark Mohr. New York: Dutton Juvenile.

Heelan, Jamee Riggio. 2000. Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair. Illustrated by Nicola Simmonds. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree,

Herrera, Juan Felipe. 2004. Featherless/Desplumado. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.

Holub, Joan. 2004. My First Book of Sign Language. New York: Scholastic.

Keats, Ezra Jack. 2004. Louie. New York: Puffin.

Keats, Ezra Jack. 1999. Apt. 3. New York: Puffin.

Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny. 2008. My Travelin Eye. New York: Henry Holt.

Larkin Patricia. 1994. Dad and Me in the Morning. Illustrated by Robert G. Steele. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

Lears, Laurie. 1998. Ian’s Walk: A Story about Autism. Illustrated by Karen Ritz. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

Lears, Laura. 2005. Nathan’s Wish: A Story about Cerebral Palsy. Illustrated by Stacey Schuett. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

Lee, Jeanne M. 1994. Silent Lotus. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Lewis, Beverly. 2007. In Jesse’s Shoes. Illustrated by Laura Nikiel. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House.

Millman, Isaac. 2002. Moses Goes to a Concert. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Moon, Nicola. 1997. Lucy’s Picture. New York: Puffin.

Moss, Marissa. 2002. Amelia Lends a Hand. American Girl.

Osofsky, Audrey. 1994. My Buddy. Illustrated by Ted Rand. New York: Henry Holt.

Peete, Holly Robinson. 2010. My Brother Charlie. Illustrated by Ryan Elizabeth Peete. New York: Scholastic.

Peters, Brian and Paul Howey. 2009. Tic Talk: Living with Tourette Syndrome. Illustrated by  Zachary Wendland. Little Five Star.

Polacco, Patricia. 2001. Thank You, Mr. Falker. New York: Philomel.

Rogers, Fred. 2000. Let’s Talk About It: Extraordinary Friends. New York: Puffin.

Robb, Diane Burton. 2004. The Alphabet War: A Story about Dyslexia. Illustrated by Gail Piazza. Grand Rapids, MI: Albert Whitman  & Company.

from Babu's Song

Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie.2003.  Babu’s Song. Illustrated by Aaron Boyd. New York: Lee & Low.

Thompson, Mary. 1996. Andy and His Yellow Frisbee. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Uhlberg, Myron. 2005. Dad, Jackie, and Me. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers.

Uhlberg, Myron. 2003. The Printer. Illustrated by Henri Sorenson. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers.

Woloson, Eliza. 2003. My Friend Isabelle. Illustrated by Bryan Gough. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Wood, Douglas. 2009. Miss Little’s Gift. Illustrated by Jim Burke. Cambridge MA: Candlewick.

Yolen, Jane. 2009. The Seeing Stick. Illustrated by Daniela Terrazzini. Running Press Kids.

from The Seeing Stick.

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Longer Works (Grades 4-8)

Abbott, Tony. 2008. Firegirl. New York: Little, Brown.

Alexander, Sally Hobart & Robert Alexander. 2008. She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman, Deaf-Blind Pioneer. New York: Clarion Books.

Bang, Molly. 2001. Tiger’s Fall. New York: Henry Holt.

Baskin, Nora Raleigh. 2010. Anything But Typical. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Cheaney, J.B. 2008. The Middle of Somewhere. New York: Yearling.

Choldenko, Gennifer. 2006. Al Capone Does My Shirts. New York: Puffin.

Codell, Esme Raji. 2004. Sahara Special. New York: Hyperion.

Draper Sharon. 2010. Out of My Mind. New York: Atheneum.

Erskine, Kathryn. 2011. Mockingbird. New York: Puffin.

Gantos, Jack. 2011. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. New York: Square Fish.

Hermann, Spring. 1998. Seeing Lessons: The Story of Abigail Carter and America’s Fist School for Blind People. New York: Holt.

Hesse, Karen. 1999. Just Juice. New York: Scholastic.

from The Sound of Colors

Johnson, Angela. 2003. A Cool Moonlight. Illustrated by Kamil Vojnar. New York: Dial.

Kochka, Sarah Adams. 2006. The Boy Who Ate Stars. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Laird, Elizabeth. 2012. Red Sky in the Morning. Haymarket Books.

Lauren, Jill. 2009. That’s Like Me! Star Bright Books.

Liao, Jimmy. 2006. The Sound of Colors. New York: Little, Brown.

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York: Scholastic.

Martin, Ann M. 2004. A Corner of the Universe. New York: Scholastic.

Meyer, Donald Joseph (ed.). 1997. Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs.  Illustrated by Cary Pillo. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Miller, Sarah. 2010. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. New York: Atheneum.

Porter, Pamela. 2006. The Crazy Man. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

Ray, Delia. 2006.  Singing Hands. New York: Clarion.

Sullivan, George. 2007. Helen Keller: Her Life in Pictures. New York: Scholastic.

Weeks, Sarah. 2004. So B. It. New York: HarperCollins.

Wright, Barbara. 2012. Crow. New York: Random.

Grade 7 and Higher

Abeel, Samantha & Charles R. Murphy. 1994. Reach for the Moon. Pfeofer-Hamilton.

Abeel, Samantha. 2005. My Thirteenth Winter. New York: Scholastic.

Engle, Margarita. 2012. The Wild Book. New York: Harcourt.

Hesser, Terry. 1998. Kissing Doorknobs. New York: Laurel Leaf.

Lowry, Lois. 2013. The Silent Boy. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Mass, Wendy. 2008. A Mango-Shaped Space. New York: Knopf.

Mikaelsen, Ben 2010. Petey. New York: Hyperion.

Mullin Jill. 2012. Drawing Autism. Mark Batty Publisher.

Palacio, R.J. 2012. Wonder. New York: Knopf.

Philbrick, Rodman. 2001. Freak the Mighty. New York: Scholastic.

Rees,Celia. 2000. The Truth Out There. DK Press.

Trueman, Terry. 2004. Cruise Control. New York: HarperTeen

Trueman, Terry. 2000. Stuck in Neutral. New York: HarperCollins.

Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2007. Reaching for the Sun. Bloomsbury.