Looking for your next great read? We have gathered recommendations from Motability Foundation colleagues for books that are written by disabled authors, that feature disabled main characters, or both!
Books for children
Fiction
Magic Pet Shop Books
By Matilda Rose and Tim Budgeon
“These books are filled with beautiful colours, and all the children are princes and princesses. The stories include children who have hearing aids, use wheelchairs, those who have anxiety, shyness, a hesitation to express their feelings, and more.
"The stories are lovely and engaging and teach children that they can save the day, however they are.
“My daughter and I have really enjoyed reading the books together, the bold colours, magical animals and stories of bravery have really drawn us in! I have most of the collection and am still adding to it.”
Best for: sassy, wannabe royalty who need a break from the iPad.
El Deafo
By Cece Bell
“This is a graphic novel for children! The author has hearing loss, and this is an entertaining, semi-autobiographic / memoir in graphic novel format about growing up with a hearing aid.”
Best for: little ones finding their superpowers!
Books for young adults
Fiction
The First Move
By Jenny Ireland
“The main character, Juliet, has arthritis and believes girls like her don’t get their own love stories. She loves online chess and plays with people from all over the world using a fake name.
“This coming-of-age romance novel follows Juliet’s journey when her online chess relationships and in-person relationships collide. It’s such a relatable story of teenage romance.”
Best for: those who love the competitive cosiness of online gaming and board games.
The Fault in Our Stars
By John Green
“This book follows the relationship between the two main characters Hazel and Augustus who meet at a cancer patient support group. Hazel is in remission for thyroid cancer that has affected her lungs. She uses an oxygen tank every day wherever she goes. Augustus is in remission for from osteosarcoma and is an amputee.
"The group of friends are witty, intelligent and form a great bond. It is a story of love, loss, friendship and survival. Heartwarming, tragic and oddly nostalgic, this endearing book is a great read.”
Best for: hopeless romantics.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
By Mark Haddon
“The main character, Christopher, finds his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, stabbed with a garden fork. The book follows Christopher’s investigation into Wellington’s death, and a mix of his everyday life.
"The book refers to Asperger’s syndrome (now widely known as Autism Spectrum Disorder / ASD). Even though it is not explicitly said that Christopher has ASD, it is widely speculated that he is neurodivergent.
"This is one of the first books I read as a teenager that was from a neurodivergent person’s point of view, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading from a new perspective. It was interesting to see how Christopher experiences the world as he navigates that time old ‘whodunnit’ mystery.”
Best for: murder mystery lovers.
Catching Fire
By Suzanne Collins
"This is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy.
"If you’ve not read the books, you may not know that Peeta actually loses the lower half of his left leg after it was bitten by a mutt in the first Hunger Games. Even though the Capitol give him a prosthetic, in the second book, Katniss describes how Peeta is slower and less agile when trying the navigate the difficult terrain of arena in the Quarter Quell.
"Katniss herself lost the hearing in her right ear in the previous games, but the Capitol were able to fix it so that her hearing is near perfect again. There is also Mags who is non-verbal after experiencing a stroke following the 11th Hunger Games which she won.
"Having seen the films before reading the books, disability representation was surprising but added another interesting layer to the storyline. They treat each other as equally valuable as they face the Capitol and fight to survive.”
Best for: teenage rebels.
Books for new adult and adult audiences
Fiction
DS Cross Series
By Tim Sullivan
“This series of eight crime novels features the autistic and brilliantly persistent DS George Cross. The novels are set in Bristol and the most recent book, The Tailor, was published this month (July 2026).
"I spend a lot of time in my car so generally listen to a lot of audio books and these are excellent.”
Best for: problem solvers and puzzle masters.
Fourth Wing
By Rebecca Yarros
“This is the first book in the Empyrean series.
"It’s often spoken about as an adult book, as it does have very mature content. The main character, Violet is written as having Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (the author has this condition as well as POTS), and there is a lot about the realities of day-to-day life, adapting to overcome obstacles, and being seen as strong and capable.
"I really like how all the characters have distinct personalities and something to contribute, and Violet is respected and valued by her peers. She is seen as an equal, and this representation is important to see in popular books.”
Best for: those who like magic and combat.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
By Jean-Dominique Bauby
“It captures Bauby’s reality of living with locked-in syndrome following a stroke. The memoir shares stories of his life before and after his stroke and shares his day-to-day experience of locked-in syndrome. This book was written by Bauby blinking his left eye lid with the help of partner assisted scanning and a transcriber to get his words on a page one letter at a time.
"It is an inspiring and moving story that shows resilience in the face of extreme disability.”
Best for: those who want an earnest read.
True Biz
By Sara Novic
“Set in a residential school for Deaf students, the novel provides an insightful perspective on Deaf culture and identity.”
Best for: those who love a classic coming of age story.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown
By Talia Hibbert
“This book features a protagonist with fibromyalgia. It is a romantic comedy with warmth and humour written by an author who is autistic and has chronic illness.”
Best for: comfort readers.
Non-fiction
Disability Visibility
By Alice Wong
“This is a collection of essays by disabled writers. It covers disability culture, identity, advocacy and lived experience and is an excellent introduction to contemporary disability perspectives.”
Best for: disability advocates.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions
By Stephen Hawking
“This book is excellent at explaining the science behind some of life's biggest questions in a way I could understand. It also leaves you with a few questions that us humans are yet to get answer, to ponder on well after you've finished.”
Best for: deep thinkers and ponderers alike!
Unmasked
By Ellie Middleton
“Named ‘The Ultimate Guide to ADHD, Autism and Neurodivergence’ – it is a bit of a self-help book.
"It is a supportive guide that shares insights on everything from masking to sensory overload. Even though it could be particularly helpful to those who are neurodivergent, every reader will learn something and have a better understanding of others. I really enjoyed her honesty, openness and casualness – it’s both eye opening and entertaining.”
Best for: curious minds.
Ramping up Rights: An Unfinished History of British Disability Activism
By Rachel Charlton-Dailey
“An eye-opening insight into the experiences of disabled people in the UK. It tackles policy, civil rights, ableism and inaccessibility. It is a powerful book and a call to action to inspire people, disabled and non-disabled alike to keep fighting."
Best for: activists and allies.
Celebrating stories that broaden perspectives
Whether you are an avid reader or just like to buy a random holiday book at the airport, National Book Lover’s Day is a chance to discover new genres and titles.
Stories from or about disabled people are not platformed as much as those from non-disabled people in the mainstream media. But there are some real page-turners out there. Which one will you get lost in first? Time to put the kettle on?