SJPL Picks: YA Nonfiction on Disabilities & Neurodivergence
Nonfiction books written for teens about disabilities and neurodivergence. These books include self-help workbooks, memoirs and biographies, graphic novels, supporting others with disabilities, and other nonfiction text. All titles selected by SJPL Librarians.
Do you hurt all the time? Chronic pain―the kind that lasts long after the normal healing period is over―can be devastating, especially if you’re a teen. You may feel anxious, scared, or sad as a result, and long to return to the normal activities of…
The teen years are a delicate balance of self-exploration, managing expectations, and establishing your independent identity. Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world adds a layer of complexity―it may feel like everyone got an instruction manual…
Do you find it hard to speak to people? Know anyone who blushes, stammers, or sweats whenever someone looks at them? Or perhaps you’d like to learn new ways to make friends and navigate social situations? If so, this fun and informational guide is…
A gripping graphic memoir adaptation of iconic, multi-award-winning author Walter Dean Myers’s autobiography, telling the story of his coming-of-age in Harlem, adapted by Guy A. Sims and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile.
Legendary author Walter Dean…
Being a teen is an exciting time, full of promise and possibilities. But for teens growing up in today’s world, it can also feel fraught with new and terrifying obstacles. From school and social media drama to relationships and peer pressure, it’s…
Maybe you've heard of autistic burnout before and want to learn more, or maybe you're feeling burnt out right now and really need help - however this book finds you, it's here to help.
In this informative and supportive guide, autistic author and…
When you're dyslexic, life at school can feel like a daily grind. In this book, around 40 dyslexic young people from across the globe, who have been where you are now, explain how they've made life beyond the school gates work for them. This is a…
General/Perspective. YouTube sensations Shane and Hannah Burcaw are back with a groundbreaking, uproarious collection of essays and short stories about what it means to be in an interabled relationship.
With their signature wit and hilarious voice,…
When Walela is diagnosed at twenty-three with advanced-stage blood cancer, they’re suddenly thrust into the unsympathetic world of tubes and pills, doctors who don’t use their correct pronouns, and hordes of “well-meaning” but patronizing people…
At age three, Mallory was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis--a disease that attacks the internal organs and would eventually kill her.
Despite living on borrowed time, Mallory pursued her passions: volleyball; writing; the environment; her boyfriend,…
Graphic Novel. A Fox In My Brain is a graphic memoir about a young woman’s emotional journey struggling to understand and control a disease that has plagued her, her entire life.
After many troubled years, Lou finally discovers what's causing…
Everything Anxiety Ever Told You Is a Lie is practical and therapeutic guide to managing anxiety, written specifically for those aged 14–25 by a psychologist with over 15 years of experience working with adolescents and young adults. It contains…
Pathological Demand Avoidance, PDA. Whether you've just been diagnosed with PDA -or are a seasoned PDAer keen to know a bit more - this warm and wittily illustrated guide will give you a better understanding of your amazing brain and why you are so…
Biography. Paralympic Skier/Cancer Survivor. As a semi-famous internet creator, Josh Sundquist knows what it's like to chase fame, but he also knows that more fame usually means more stress. So he set out on a pseudo-scientific investigation to find…
This intimate manga collection follows nine adults with developmental disorders as they outline their struggles and triumphs. Experience the stories of a high school dropout’s new path to education; a person seeing the world through new eyes thanks…
General/Perspective. People with disabilities (PWDs) have the same aspirations for their lives as you do for yours.
The difference is that PWDs don’t have the same access to education, employment, housing, transportation and healthcare in order to…
Activism. Judy Heumann was only five years old when she was first denied her right to attend school. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her Holocaust-surviving parents in New York City, Judy had a drive for equality that was instilled early in…
Autism. Are you living away from home for the first time, graduating from school or perhaps getting a new job? These transitions can be especially overwhelming to deal with as a young autistic adult. This survival guide is bursting with…
17 First-person Stories for Today : Adapted for Young Adults
General/Perspective. The seventeen eye-opening essays in Disability Visibility, all written by disabled people, offer keen insight into the complex and rich disability experience, examining life's ableism and inequality, its challenges and losses,…
Autism. Full of insights about being awesome and autistic, this book celebrates the strengths of understanding the world in a different way. It looks at all the reasons being you and thinking differently can be totally awesome! It also has tips for…
