I’ve really missed doing Friday Favorites, and since no one was currently hosting it, Cait @ Functionally Fictional decided to jump into the gap. Each week, she provides a prompt, and I get to talk about my favorite books that fit the topic. Feel free to join in – the more the merrier!

I am absolutely thrilled about this topic! As a person with a disability, I’m always on the lookout for books with disability representation. Far too often, books portray disabilities in harmful ways, and I’ve been thrilled to come across some books that feature characters with disability in an accurate and respectful way. Here’s some of my favorites:

1. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert — Chloe has fibromyalgia, and it’s done incredibly well. While I don’t have fibro, my condition causes chronic pain, and I could absolutely see myself in her character.
2. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer — Rachel has myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and struggles with fatigue. The depictions of her experiences are incredibly accurate, and I loved the story as well.
3. One for All by Lillie Lainoff — a gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers was enough to catch my attention, until I discovered that the MC has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). And I loved that she decided that it wasn’t going to hold her back from doing anything.
4. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer — I was all set to love this Beauty and the Beast retelling, and then found out that the MC has cerebral palsy, which only made me love it even more! Harper was such a great character in this book, and I always love a disabled character who can accomplish major things (just like us in the real world).
5. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo — you knew this would make it on here somehow. Kaz is one of the MCs, and he has a bone issue that causes him some mobility issues and to use a cane. However, it never stops him from doing what he does, and building his own empire.
6. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi — one of the MCs in this story is neurodiverse, and while it depicts the issues Zofia has faced, it also showed the way that the people closest to her get her and adapt to meet her needs.
7. The Edinburgh Nights series by T.L. Huchu — while Priya is more of a side character, she still features heavily in the story. Priya is in a wheelchair, and when I say it makes her even more of a badass, I mean it. This girl can do anything, and the wheelchair isn’t viewed as an issue or an obstacle at any point in the series.
8. The Unbroken by C.L. Clark — after a childhood injury, Luca, one of the MCs, relies on a cane and faces chronic pain. However, it doesn’t stop her from doing her best to reclaim her throne and govern.

What are some of your favorite books featuring characters with disabilities?