2025 Summer Book List for Young Readers: Stories That Welcome Every Kid
Step into a world of imagination and disability inclusion with our thoughtfully curated 2025 Summer Book List. These stories spark curiosity, nurture empathy, and inspire young readers to appreciate and respect the unique experiences that shape us all.
Summer offers the perfect opportunity for every child to embark on exciting adventures through the pages of a book. Stories hold the power to transport, teach, and transform — and this collection aims to do precisely that.
We’ve found a wide-ranging selection of books that highlight disability inclusion in meaningful and authentic ways. Each title invites readers to explore the richness of human differences and encourages them to build a more compassionate and welcoming world.
Download our printable Book Discussion Guide to spark conversations about empathy, kindness, and disability inclusion. Click the image to download.
Summer Book List
Browse our 2025 Summer Book List below and discover stories where all children and youth can see themselves and others represented with sincerity and depth.
Children’s Books (4-8)
- You’re SO Amazing! Winner, 2024 Inclusive Books for Children Awards
Synopsis: You’re SO Amazing! tells the story of Joe, a boy with a limb difference who’s often called amazing for his everyday, normal actions. These comments frustrate Joe, who simply wants to be himself. The book challenges common assumptions about disability with a humorous and honest approach.
About the Authors: James and Lucy Catchpole are a British duo committed to authentic disability representation in children’s books. James, an amputee, also wrote What Happened to You? Together, they co-authored You’re SO Amazing! and run The Catchpole Agency.
- Monster Hands, Honor Book, 2025, Schneider Family Book Awards
Synopsis: Monster Hands follows Milo, a boy afraid of a monster under his bed. With help from his best friend Mel, who uses American Sign Language (ASL), they turn fear into fun with shadow puppets. This heartwarming story highlights friendship and courage, and introduces American Sign Language (ASL) to young readers.
About the Authors: Karen Kane is an American children’s author and former sign language interpreter whose work highlights ASL and experiences shared by people who are deaf. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and co-authored Monster Hands, a rhyming picture book that uses ASL to ease bedtime fears.
Jonaz McMillan is a Deaf writer and producer from Los Angeles, earning his MFA in Writing for Film and TV at Emerson College. He co-wrote Monster Hands, creating an engaging ASL-based reading experience for children.
- A Little Like Magic, 2025 Children’s Literature Awards for Inclusive Storylines
Synopsis: A Little Like Magic is a heartwarming picture book about a girl who uses a wheelchair and finds unexpected joy at an ice festival. Through shimmering sculptures and a special surprise, she discovers the magic of new experiences. The story features expressive, cool-toned illustrations that mirror her emotional journey.
About the Author: Sarah Kurpiel is a self-taught picture book author, illustrator, and librarian. A Little Like Magic is a Schneider Family Book Award winner. Sarah uses a power wheelchair and celebrates disability representation in her joyful storytelling.
Books for Children in Grades 3 to 5 (8-11)
- The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn, 2024 Schneider Family Book Award
Synopsis: The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn follows Maudie, a girl with autism, who embarks on a journey of self-acceptance and self-advocacy after a wildfire forces her and her father to relocate to a beachside trailer. As Maudie learns to surf, she discovers her inner strength and resilience.
About the Author: Sally J. Pla writes award-winning books for young readers that celebrate neurodiversity and resonate with all ages. Her titles include The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn (ALA Schneider Award), The Someday Birds (Dolly Gray Award), Invisible Isabel, and the picture book Benji, the Bad Day, and Me. Her work has received starred reviews, Junior Library Guild selection, and appeared on numerous best-of and state award lists.
Diagnosed late with autism, Sally is a speaker and advocate for neurodiversity. She also runs the kidlit resource site A Novel Mind. Her stories celebrate characters who are ‘a little different,’ inspired by her unwavering belief in kindness, inclusion, and the remarkable beauty of every unique mind.
- Good Different, 2024 Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book
Synopsis: Good Different centers on a neurodivergent girl who learns to embrace her unique way of experiencing the world. Through her journey, she discovers the importance of self-acceptance and the value of being different.
“Neurodivergent” is a term used to describe people whose brain functions differently from what is considered typical or “neurotypical.” It includes conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others. Being neurodivergent means a person may think, learn, or process information in ways that differ from the mainstream — but it’s not a disorder or deficit; it’s simply a different way of experiencing the world.
About the Author: Meg Eden Kuyatt, a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of several children’s novels, including her most recent, Good Different (Scholastic, 2023).
- Popcorn, 2025 Schneider Family Book Award
Synopsis: Popcorn tells the story of a young boy navigating life with social anxiety disorder. The narrative conveys the experience of living with a disability, emphasizing themes of friendship, perseverance, and self-discovery.
About the Author: Rob Harrell is the author and illustrator of multiple series, graphic novels and the long-running daily comic strip Adam@Home, which appears in over 140 newspapers.
Young Adult Books (12-18+)
- Tilly in Technicolor, 2024 Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book
Synopsis: Tilly in Technicolor is a vibrant young adult (YA) romance about Tilly and Oliver, two neurodivergent teens with complicated pasts. Thrown together on an international business trip for their families’ fragrance companies, their clashing personalities ignite unexpected sparks. As they navigate travel, pitches, and self-doubt, they learn the power of being truly seen. With humor and heart, this story celebrates love, neurodiversity, and self-acceptance.
About the Author: Mazey Eddings is a bestselling author and dentist. Passionate about mental health advocacy, Mazey is on a mission to destigmatize mental illness and craft stories filled with heart, humor, and healing.
- Where You See Yourself, 2024 Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book
Synopsis: Where You See Yourself is a heartfelt young adult novel that follows Effie Galanos, a high school senior with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair. Effie is determined to attend college in New York City. She wants to pursue a career in political communications, despite the doubts and limitations others often place on her.
As she navigates college applications, friendships, a growing crush, and accessibility challenges, Effie finds her voice and fights for the future she deserves. This empowering coming-of-age story blends activism, ambition, and romance to explore identity, independence, and believing in your dreams.
About the Author: Claire Forrest is a Minneapolis-based author and essayist known for her work in YA fiction, picture books, and essays. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. Her thesis emphasized the importance of authentic disability representation in literature.
Take the journey of disability inclusion further. In addition to including this summer book list in your summer program, we invite you to explore KIT Academy Courses on disability inclusion and behavior support strategies. Together, we can champion the crucial mission to create a world where every child is valued.
Contact us today for information about our inclusion support training packages for organizations.