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Disability Representation in Books Written by Disabled Authors

Updated: Jul 17

Happy Disability Pride Month, everyone!


Last year for disability pride, I curated a list of books with disability representation. (Read here!) 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.


Text: "Books with Disability Representation: 100% Disabled Author Edition." Features a heart, flag, person on a sofa, and infinity symbol.


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!


Click these to fast-track to what you're looking for:


Nonfiction (including memoirs)





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!

 
 
 

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