Tough Topics with Picture Books: Disabilities

By Angela Martinez, Children's Associate, Broken Arrow Library

Talking to children about disabilities, whether they have a disability themselves or are learning about others, is an important part of helping them grow into empathetic, understanding humans. Kids are naturally curious, and picture books give families a gentle, age-appropriate way to explore big questions about how people move, communicate, learn, and experience the world differently. These conversations help children recognize that disabilities are a normal part of human diversity, and that everybody and every brain deserves respect, support, and inclusion.

One beautiful place to start is Every Body: A Celebration of Diverse Abilities by Shelley Rotner. Through real photographs and simple text, this book celebrates kids with a wide range of abilities. It shows them playing, learning, moving, and thriving. It’s a joyful reminder that disability is part of the natural spectrum of who we are.

Another powerful read is Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus, a picture book inspired by the author’s own childhood experience with hearing loss. With warmth and humor, it gently explores what it’s like to navigate the world when you can’t hear everything happening around you. This book can help children understand not only hearing disabilities, but also what it feels like when communication is difficult.

For readers who benefit from clear, straightforward explanations, I Live with Diabetes by Christina Earley offers an honest, child-friendly look at what diabetes means for kids. It introduces medical routines, emotions, and daily life with a chronic condition—all through language families can easily build on at home.

These books help children see that disabilities are not something to fear or tiptoe around but instead that they’re something to talk about openly and compassionately. When kids read stories about a wide range of experiences, it helps normalize differences and strengthens their ability to understand others.

Check out the titles below to explore more stories that highlight disability, identity, and inclusion. Together, we can help young readers build empathy one picture book at a time.

disability picture books