When Melody saves an elderly back-in-the-day actress's life, she ends up on their local TV channel. The studio is so impressed with Melody that they arrange for her to be a speaker at an international symposium for kids who are differently abled, and this year's symposium is in London! To Melody's utter shock and delight, her parents say yes. Yes!

Melody finally gets to fly on an airplane, and many adventures in London await, including a cheeky interaction with a royal guard's horse, becoming a little too acquainted with old-timey armor, and a run in with one of the most popular pop stars on the planet! But the biggest adventure is the I.D.E.A. symposium.

There, Melody meets kids from all over the world who are rallying for greater accessibility and more thoughtful planning on how to make the world more equal for every kid, no matter the challenges they face. But as Melody's time to speak approaches, big-time nerves set in: how can a girl who's never spoken a word out loud in her life give an entire speech?

Meet six wonderful kids. They love playing games, reading books, making stuff, and being silly. And like kids everywhere, they want to feel safe, loved, and included.

The reader is introduced to six amazing kids: Sam, Rishi, Jay, Audrey, Ty and Zara - each with unique abilities. 'Included' sets out to explore diversity and inclusion, and to ensure all kids understand that children with disability are just like kids everywhere - they have things they are good at and things they need to work on. And just like kids everywhere, they want to feel that they belong and that they matter.

This book provides the reader with ways they can be more inclusive in their play and encourages the celebration of diversity in all its unique and wonderful forms. Children will come away with a growing understanding that people everywhere have differing abilities, and this only makes the world a more colourful, exciting, diverse and amazing place.

Throughout the text, open-ended questions are provided so children can bring their own experiences to the narrative. Further Discussion Questions are included to spark important and thought-provoking conversations.

A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes. --School Library Journal (starred review)
Unflinching and realistic. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes a story that will forever change how we all look at anyone with a disability, perfect for fans of RJ Palacio's Wonder.

Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She can't walk. She can't talk. She can't write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She's the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people--her teachers, her doctors, her classmates--dismiss her as mentally challenged because she can't tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she's determined to let everyone know it...somehow.

Racky the raccoon has lots of words in his head, but when he tries to talk, they get jumbled instead of said.

Racky is a clever little raccoon who is great at using his hands to communicate through sign language but finds it difficult to communicate with his mouth. One day, while out on a walk with his mom, Racky stumbles upon a mysterious cave filled with something fascinating: letters! As he explores these hidden treasures, he learns how the funny shapes can come together to create sounds. With his newfound knowledge, Racky discovers how to use letter sounds to create words he can communicate through speech as well as with his hands.

Racky's Magic Letters, a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated children's book from author Jenna Anderson, offers a gentle introduction to speech delay, celebrating the many ways we can share our thoughts and feelings. Perfect for young readers, this story fosters understanding and empathy, encouraging every child to find their own voice, whether through signs, words, or both.

New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia has returned with a middle grade graphic novel about the struggles of a game-loving girl who gets diagnosed with dyslexia and her loving support network that help her along in the journey.

Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they all got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game!

But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top. Why does it take her so long to read? And how can she keep up with friends in the Witchlins game if she can't get through the text-heavy guidebook? It takes loving teachers and her family to recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed.

Bestselling author Kami Garcia was inspired to write this special book by her daughter's dyslexia journey; her own neurodivergent experience; and the many students she taught over the years. With subtle design and formatting choices making this story accessible to all readers, Mixed-Up shows that our differences don't need to separate us.

Mixed-Up has been lettered in Dyslexie to make reading as comfortable as possible for dyslexic readers.

Praise:

A cozy blanket for those of us with learning differences. I wish I'd had this book when I was growing up with dyscalculia. -- Hope Larson, New York Times bestselling & Eisner-winning cartoonist

Carefully and gently discusses the frustrations and struggles...and handles it beautifully with empathy and compassion. --Dan Santat, National Book Award winner

[I love] the pacing, the length...the easter eggs, the magic, and Brittney Williams' art.--Kwame Alexander, Emmy Award-winning producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author

Our young narrator doesn't like itchy hats or cold wind, and she especially doesn't like going places she's never been before. But she reluctantly agrees to join her mom at an ice festival, where they watch sculptors chisel and drill until it's too cold to watch anymore. That night the girl discovers that she has lost the horse figurine she'd brought with her, and she wishes she'd never gone . . . until the next night, when they return to the festival and see what the artists have created: sparkling, glorious sculptures that feel a little like magic. One surprise in particular seems even more magical to the girl. The ice art will stay with her long, long after it has melted away.

New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia has returned with a middle grade graphic novel about the struggles of a game-loving girl who gets diagnosed with dyslexia and her loving support network that help her along in the journey.

Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they all got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game!

But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top. Why does it take her so long to read? And how can she keep up with friends in the Witchlins game if she can't get through the text-heavy guidebook? It takes loving teachers and her family to recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed.

Bestselling author Kami Garcia was inspired to write this special book by her daughter's dyslexia journey; her own neurodivergent experience; and the many students she taught over the years. With subtle design and formatting choices making this story accessible to all readers, Mixed-Up shows that our differences don't need to separate us.

Mixed-Up has been lettered in Dyslexie to make reading as comfortable as possible for dyslexic readers.

Praise:

A cozy blanket for those of us with learning differences. I wish I'd had this book when I was growing up with dyscalculia. -- Hope Larson, New York Times bestselling & Eisner-winning cartoonist

Carefully and gently discusses the frustrations and struggles...and handles it beautifully with empathy and compassion. --Dan Santat, National Book Award winner

[I love] the pacing, the length...the easter eggs, the magic, and Brittney Williams' art.--Kwame Alexander, Emmy Award-winning producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author

When nighttime comes, Milo has a problem--he's convinced there's a monster under his bed! Luckily, his best friend Mel knows just what to do--scare the monster more than the monster scares you! So using shadow puppets on the wall, Mel and Milo make monster hands that roar, chomp and even laugh to scare the monster away. But uh oh! What if the monster thinks this is funny! This is NOT funny! Milo has an idea to show the monster who's boss once and for all. Together Milo and Mel hatch a plan to scare the monster away forever. But in the end, they discover the true cure to a monster problem is a best friend who will stand and face it with you.

Accompanied by warm, atmospheric art that dazzles, this soon-to-be bedtime favorite will provide much comfort to children facing a common bedtime fear.

A beginning chapter book series based on the award-winning picture book, A Friend for Henry!

Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always.

Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes.

GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS: With short chapters and simple text, this book is perfect for newly independent readers who are just moving into longer books.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Familiar school scenarios--from new schedules to making new friends--are portrayed with humor and understanding in this series that will appeal to and reassure any child starting or continuing in school.

DIVERSE STORIES: Representing neurodivergent kids is a vital aspect of expanding diverse representation across books for all ages. Henry, Like Always provides a mirror and a window for kids on the autism spectrum and their friends to see themselves in the stories they read.

AN AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Jenn Bailey and Mika Song were awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award for their picture book A Friend for Henry. See how the story continues in this classic-feeling early reader series based on the same character!

Perfect for:

• Newly independent readers
• An excellent resource for parents of kids on the spectrum
• Librarians, teachers, and booksellers looking for a children's book that offers a window into the experience of autism
• A reassuring read for kids with varying levels of social anxiety
• Gift-givers looking for a sweet and relatable book about friendship

The paperback edition of the bestselling middle grade novel about a spunky girl born without arms and a boy with Tourette syndrome navigating the challenges of middle school, disability, and friendship--all while solving a mystery in a western theme park.

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she'll have to answer the question over and over again.

Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It's hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven's about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

Autumn 2017 Kids' Indie Next Pick
Junior Library Guild Selection
Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018

All these months of staring at the wall?
All these months of feeling weak?
It's ending--
I'm going back to fencing.
And then it'll be
like nothing ever happened.

No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale's thing is fencing. She's the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was . . . until the accident.

After months away, Vale is finally cleared to fence again, but it's much harder than before. Her body doesn't move the way it used to, and worst of all is the new number one: Myrka. When she sweeps Vale aside with her perfect form and easy smile, Vale just can't accept that. But the harder Vale fights to catch up, the more she realizes her injury isn't the only thing holding her back. If she can't leave her accident in the past, then what does she have to look forward to?

In this moving novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All, one girl finds her way back to her life's passion and discovers that the sum of a person's achievements doesn't amount to the whole of them.

Effie is Deaf, and no one in her family speaks sign language, her language. This moving story of survival and found family, inspired by a true court case, is perfect for fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind.

* Quietly extraordinary. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* Elegantly weaves a heartbreaking story with hope. --School Library Journal, starred review

Through Effie, young readers both deaf and hearing will encounter a heartfelt homecoming story, and reassurance that they are not alone.--The New York Times

Effie and her older sister, Deja, have recently moved into their father's trailer after an incident at their mom's house. Daddy communicates with Effie by pointing, stomping on the floor, and making thoughtless jokes. Even if they did understand each other, could she tell the terrible secret she carries when telling feels impossible--and dangerous?

But what if telling is the only way to be seen?

This tender, spare, emotionally charged story about the impact of abuse and the power of love explores what it feels like to be an outsider in your own family and to awaken--through friendship, writing, and kinship with the natural world--to a new understanding and appreciation of yourself.

With love and adaptation, this is how we play! This joyful read-aloud with an empowering refrain, from disability rights activists Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, demystifies and respects how disabled people and their families use adaptive, imaginative, and considerate play so everyone can join in the fun.

Back matter consists of a kid-friendly guide to thinking, learning, and talking about disability; a glossary of the different disabilities represented throughout the book; and a guide for grown-ups on ways to encourage discussions about disabilities with the children in their lives. Throughout, This Is How We Play centers, affirms, and encourages the disabled children and adults who are already doing the challenging work of advocating for themselves and finding strength in community.

Bay Ann doesn't think she's a star--she knows it! Now how does she prove it to the rest of the world? This is a hilarious graphic novel about friendship, fame, and fighting for control of your own story, perfect for fans of Nat Enough, Click, and Invisible.

Bay Ann wants to shine. No matter what.

She's sure her moment in the spotlight has arrived when she wins the school talent show with a showstopping tap routine! But then her classmate and crush, Alyee Maq, causes her to wobble and almost fall. The video of him catching her goes viral, making Alyee an overnight sensation for helping her. Bay Ann is reduced to her disability and her talent is ignored.

Bay Ann doesn't want her classmate to get all the fame, and she is NOT satisfied being anything but the best. She'll do everything in her power to beat Alyee at his own attention-seeking game. With the help of her two best friends, Michelle and Davey Matt, she'll go up against Alyee and his crew to prove she's number one.

But as Bay Ann tries to find the thing that really makes her stand out, everything she tries goes disastrously wrong. What if the only way to beat her enemy . . . is to join him?

It's the very end of eighth grade and all everyone can talk about is high school--everyone except Ellie Cowan. Ellie wants to freeze time. Middle school was epic. She moved to Oklahoma, made her best friends, won a baking championship, quit a beauty pageant, and dominated Putt-Putt golf in her wheelchair.

But now her feelings for her best friend Bert are starting to change. When did Bert get so cute? And why are all the other girls suddenly noticing, too? As if that isn't enough to deal with, Grandpa's health takes a turn for the worse. So what do you do when you don't know how to hold on or when to let go?

We are the scrappy ones. / We live, we adapt, we defy. / Made of stardust and grit, we are spectacular.

Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn't always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair--and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.

Author and disability advocate Rebekah Taussig has written a groundbreaking anthem of belonging that celebrates the wide range of disabled children and affirms their worth, just as they are. Luminous illustrations by Kirbi Fagan portray a diverse cast of characters living, learning, and playing. A warm, joy-filled book for disabled and non-disabled readers alike.

Joe and his friend Simone are practicing their best playground tricks, but everyone keeps saying how amazing Joe is, even when he tries to let Simone be the star. Will he ever get to be just Joe, whether he's amazing or not?

This companion to What Happened to You? addresses the assumptions people make about those with disabilities in an accessible, honest, and funny way. Based on James Catchpole's childhood experiences and written with his wife, Lucy, a wheelchair user, You're SO Amazing! encourages young readers to think of disability the way disabled people do: as normal.

In this powerful and inspiring picture book, a deaf girl stands up for herself and takes off her shoes while dancing at her Carnival performance so she can feel the music through her bare feet.

Cesaria is going to perform for the seaside Carnival. She skips past the beach barefoot, dressed in her favorite peacock leotard.

But when her dance director tells her she must put on her shoes to go on stage, Cesaria signs, Peacocks don't wear shoes!

You see, Cesaria hears the music through the soles of her feet, but no one seems to understand...

...That is, until all the dancers take off their shoes, and learn to feel the music, just like Cesaria.

Cesaria Feels the Beat is a lyrical and heartfelt story about deafness, community, and Carnival.

This helpful story for kids with autism spectrum disorders follows a young zebra who learns to understand how he is different from the rest of his classmates.

It teaches us to embrace not only who we are, but also to embrace the people around us who are brilliantly different thanks to their own amazing, colorful stripes.--Stan Lee, Chairman emeritus of Marvel Comics Gold Medal, Mom's Choice Awards

Zane the zebra often feels different. He worries that his classmates don't notice his curiosity, honesty, or caring stripes, just his autism stripe. With the help of his Mama, Zane comes to appreciate all his stripes, including his autism stripe, as the unique strengths that make him who he is. Included is a Reading Guide with additional background information about autism spectrum disorders, a Note to Parents and Caregivers with tips for finding support, and a foreword by Alison Singer, President, Autism Science Foundation.

Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie's world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie's oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie's new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don't want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.