Disability Representation in Books Written by Disabled Authors
Happy Disability Pride Month, everyone!
Last year for disability pride, I curated a list of books with disability representation. This year, I wanted to focus on highlighting disabled authors. Every author on this list (according to my research of their social media, websites, etc.) is disabled and writes books with disability representation. There will be some overlap from last year's list. Please support these authors by requesting their books at your local library, following them on social media, and sending encouragement.
If you're new here, welcome! I'm Hannah, a freelance editor, proofreader, and sensitivity reader. My disabilities include chronic fatigue, autism, OCD, ARFID, CPTSD, and others. If you're in need of editing services, please reach out :) More information on my services can be found here, my inquiry form can be found here, and my social media can be found here.
Disclaimers:
Please look up the trigger warnings and content of books before you read them! Some of these books are dark, have high spice levels, etc.
I am listing the disability rep that is in the books, not necessarily the disability the author has. I do not feel comfortable saying that the author has a specific disability when they may have only mentioned generally that they are disabled on social media.
Everything on this list was either something I have read, or it was recommended to me by someone on Threads or in my editing groups.
I am also unable to personally read and vet every single one of these books. If there is harmful representation, please let me know so I can correct this post. Thank you!
Table of Contents:
Nonfiction (including memoirs)
Fiction
Poetry
Children's
Looking for specific representation? Ctrl-F this page and search for it!
Nonfiction
A Girl Behind Dark Glasses: One teenage girl's battle against severe M.E. by Jessica Taylor-Bearman
Being Heumann by Judith Heumann
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
Different, Not Less: A neurodivergent's guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after by Chloé Hayden
Disability and the Church by Lamar Hardwick
Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong
How to be Sick by Toni Bernhard
How to Do Life with a Chronic Illness: Reclaim Your Identity, Create Independence, and Find Your Way Forward by Pippa Stacey
I Haven't Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
Notes from a Sickbed by Tessa Brunton
Ramping Up Rights: An Unfinished History of British Disability Activism by Rachel Charlton-Dailey
Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
The Anti-Ableist Manifesto by Tiffany Yu
The Collected Schizophrenias by Esme Weijun Wang
The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Songs, and Mourning Notes by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke
The Long Covid Survival Guide: How to Take Care of Yourself and What Comes Next, edited by Fiona Lowenstein
The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me by Keah Brown
What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt by Tessa Miller
Fiction
E M Anderson:
The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher
Hearing loss, anxiety disorder, PTSD
Elin Annalise:
My Heart to Find
Lyme disease, encephalitis-induced OCD
Ellie Blackbourne:
I Can Be The One
Fibromyalgia
Corrine Dalton:
If the Cardinal Flies Home; Yes, No, & the Infinity in Between
Depression, OCD
Katie Duggan:
From the Start, Back to Me, On My Side
Neurodivergence, mental health, type 1 diabetes
Erica Rose Eberhart:
Tarnished, Diminished (out August 18th, 2025), Vanquished (out January 20th, 2026)
Neurodivergence, mental health
Clare Edge:
Accidental Demons, Mixing Magics (out November 11th, 2025)
Type 1 diabetes
Claire Forrest:
Where You See Yourself
Cerebral palsy, wheelchair user
Bryan Gonzalez:
The Boyfriend Cue
Autism
Cait Gordon:
Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space!, Nothing Without Us, Nothing Without Us Too
Autism, Deafness, Blindness, mental illness
John Green:
Turtles All the Way Down
OCD
Ivelisse Housman:
Unseelie
Autism
Elizabeth Hopkinson:
Cage of Nightingales, Masquerade of Finches
Paraplegia, dwarfism, visible and vocal scarring, castration
Natalie Kelda:
Reflections of Lilje Damselfly
Chronic illness
Crystal Maldonado:
The Fall of Whit Rivera
PCOS
Sunny Marshell:
Entwined Hearts, Highest of Priorities, The Pain of Kippae
Chronic illness, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, trauma, eating disorder recovery
Jean Meltzer:
The Matzah Ball
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Diana Morgan:
Alliances
Autism, ADHD
Alex Nonymous:
A Dying of Starlight, How to Breathe Ash, The Cupid Column, many others!
Autism, physical disability
Sabina Nordqvist:
It's All in Your Head (out February 10, 2026)
IIH, POTS, hEDS, IC, autism, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, mobility aids, trauma, mental health, chronic pain
Sara Novic:
True Biz
Deafness
Joy Peregrine:
As Boundless as the Sea
Neurodivergence, autism, ADHD, sensory processing, PTSD, acquired hearing and vision loss, chronic migraines
Kathryn Rossati:
Naturally Nic/k, The Curse of Earthias, Cosmic Witch
Autism, limb difference, hypermobility spectrum disorder, chronic pain, PTSD
Melissa See:
You, Me, and Our Heartstrings
Cerebral palsy
Jenni Simonis:
Where the Heart Is, Where the Heart Leads, The Perfect Addition
Mental health, mobility aids, PCOS
Erin Stewart:
Every Borrowed Beat
Heart failure
Katya Summers:
All In
Diabetes
Elle Sprinkle:
Puppy Love
OCD, anxiety, adjustment disorder, service dog
A.M. Weald:
Even If We're Broken
Chronic pain, mental health
Cleo White:
You're It
Social anxiety, OCD
Melissa Whitney:
Book Boyfriends (out August 26, 2025), Happy Ever Afterlife, Coming Home, At First Smile
Celiac's disease, autism, PTSD, blindness
Felicity Wilder:
Finding the Flame
Cane user
Tia Williams:
Seven Days in June
Migraines, chronic pain
Poetry
MJ Anthony:
Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars
Lyme disease, PMDD, autism, ADHD, mental health, OCD, CPTSD, chronic pain, chronic fatigue
Erelah Emerson:
Queen of Cowards, Herringbone
Chronic pain, chronic illness
Sage Evergreen:
Best Cat in Show (out August 19th, 2025)
Autism, chronic pain, ADHD, mental health
Children's
Ayanna Davis:
I'm Autistic & I'm Phenomenal
Samantha Cotterill:
This Beach is Loud!; Can I Play Too?; Nope. Never. Not For Me!; It Was Supposed to be Sunny
And that's all I have for now!
I hope you find enjoyment and feel seen from these books.
Are you an author? Contact me to have your book put on this list!
