If your New Year’s resolution is to read more, we’re here to help. We’ve curated a list of some of the most highly rated new and nearly new books for readers of all ages.
Nonfiction for Adults
“Demystifying Disability” (Ten Speed Press, 176 pages)
By Emily Landau
Activist, writer and speaker Emily Landau describes her book as “an approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more accessible, inclusive place.”
“Difficult: Mothering Challenging Children” (Rowman & Littlefield, 222 pages)
By Judy Smith
When adult children can’t take care of themselves due to mental illness, addiction or unemployment, their mothers may feel obliged to care for them and their families. Too often, this caretaking comes at the expense of the older woman’s own self-care and safety. This 2022 book by Smith, a therapist and social work professor at Fordham University, provides insight and advice for the many older mothers who face this dilemma.
“We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation” (HarperCollins, 304 pages)
By Eric Garcia
As a journalist on the autism spectrum, author Eric Garcia was dissatisfied with media depictions of people with autism. He wrote “We’re Not Broken” to shed light on the misconceptions, prejudices and stereotypes of people with autism and to educate others about the gaps in social policy that make life difficult for individuals with autism.
Fiction for Adults
“True Biz” by Sara Novic (Random House, 400 pages)
This New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club Pick takes place at a boarding school for the deaf where students and teachers grapple with relationships, politics and change. NPR and the Washington Post both listed “True Biz” as a best book of the year for 2022.
“One, Two, Three” (Henry Holt & Company, 416 pages)
In the small town of Bourne, chemicals from a local factory have caused illness and disability to countless residents. Three 16-year-old triplets – two of whom are disabled – tell this remarkable story.
Young Adult Fiction
“Me, You and Our Heartstrings”
By Melissa See (Scholastic Press, 320 pages)
In this new novel, readers meet Daisy, a violinist with cerebral palsy, and Noah, a cellist with an anxiety disorder. When they play together at a holiday concert, the video of their duet goes viral. Instead of helping them with their mutual goals to gain admission to the Julliard School, the viral video leads to unforeseen consequences.
Young Adult Nonfiction
“Hello Darkness” (Post Hill Press, 160 pages)
By Sanford D. Greenberg
This highly rated memoir is the story of a high achieving college student who’s confronted with blindness. With determination, the help of his future wife Sue and his best friend Art Garfunkel (yes, that Art Garfunkel) Greenberg hangs onto his dreams and finds success.
Children’s
“We Move Together” (AK Press, 42 pages)
By Kelly Fritch
This beautifully illustrated children’s book by a disabled author shows how everyone moves differently and has a powerful disability justice message. “We Move Together” can be enjoyed by children with all different abilities thanks to its text for image descriptions, read aloud and zoom-in features that allows readers to magnify the illustrations and move around the page.
“What Happened to You” (Faber & Faber, 32 pages)
By James Catchpole and Karen George
This adorable book helps young children to understand disability and helps parents to talk with their children about disability.
