Stories about characters who happen to have a disability – whether polio, hearing or visual impairment, or perhaps a learning disability – are a wonderful way to normalize and humanize these circumstances for both kids who experience disability and those who don’t. The following books were fiction standouts in 2008.

Friendship on the Front: Polio
The Russian invasion of Finland during World War II sets the scene for The Winter War, William Durbin’s story of a young boy’s courage against all odds. Marko is determined to fight for his country despite his mother’s worry over his leg, kept in a brace from a childhood bout of polio.

Throughout the savage weather and demoralizing fighting, Marko and his fellow soldiers defend the home front and forge strong bonds. Read this one for insight into a part of WWII history that doesn’t get much attention in books, and for the inspiring portrait of a young hero. (Durbin, William. The Winter War.  Pegasus Books, 2008. ISBN 1933648503.)

A Poet’s Take on WWII and Disability
Ann Clare LeZotte’s T4 takes on a different aspect of World War II, using simple and elegant free verse to tell the story of Paula Becker, a deaf girl living in Hitler’s Germany. The book’s title comes from the program the Third Reich established to exterminate people with mental and physical disabilities. Paula’s family sends her into hiding to escape the Gestapo, who are sweeping through town looking for any children who have been reported by Nazi supporters.

Paula moves from a remote farm to a homeless shelter run by one of the few people brave enough to speak out against T4, and there she meets Poor Kurt, a young man with an unnamed developmental disability and a secret that he can’t tell anyone until after the German surrender. T4 is a good choice for young readers who are interested in history, poetry, and the changing treatment of disability—and for anyone who enjoys a powerful story.  (LeZotte, Ann Clare.  T4. Houghton-Mifflin, 2008. ISBN 0547046847.)

A Gentle Mystery, Learning Disabilities Explored
Why does a number seem to haunt Sam in Patricia Reilly Giff’s Eleven? The picture he finds in the attic of himself as a little boy, with the single word that he struggles to read—Missing—intensifies his curiosity.

Sam’s learning disability prevents him from reading the newspaper article that tells his story, but he doesn’t want to worry Mack, his grandfather, with questions about his past. Caroline, the new girl at school, promises to help, and together the two children who have always felt like outsiders solve the mystery and find a lasting friendship in one another.

This is a gently paced story with real emotional depth, perfect for introspective middle-grade readers. (Giff, Patricia Reilly. Eleven. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2008. ISBN 0385730691.)

A Braille Picture Book Breakthrough
Too often, picture books that treat disability rely more on the message than on the quality of the story or artwork, but The Black Book of Colors, written by Melena Cottin and illustrated by Rosana Faría, is both a stunning work of artistry and a moving exploration of the world as experienced through visual impairment. Raised illustrations, done in black on a black background, accompany descriptions such as, “Red is sour like unripe strawberries and as sweet as watermelon,” written in both the Roman and Braille alphabets.

The reader feels rather than sees the pictures, making this an ideal book for children who read Braille and siblings, friends, or classmates who are eager for an introduction. The thoughtful collaboration of words and illustrations brings together everything that is creative and beautiful in picture books, making this a welcome addition to any bookshelf. (Cottin, Menena. The Black Book of Colors. Illustrated by Rosana Faria. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2008. ISBN 0385730691.)