Welcome to our series, "Ready to Go! Book Display." Once a month we'll highlight the latest or greatest for every age group that you can promote within your library or order for your collection. This month we are showcasing books on a variety of bodies.
Recommendations for Adults
Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides (Sep 2002)
Calliope's friendship with a classmate and her sense of identity are compromised by the adolescent discovery that she is a hermaphrodite, a situation with roots in her grandparents' desperate struggle for survival in the 1920s.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon (May 2011)
A novel about a woman who can't speak, a man who is deaf, and a widow who finds herself suddenly caring for a newborn baby.
Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern (Jun 2006)
In the aftermath of a child's shocking murder, the mother of the only witness, an autistic boy, struggles to work through her son's trauma and his communication disabilities in order to help.
The Girls by Lori Lansens (Jan 2005)
One of the world's oldest living craniopagus conjoined twins at the approach of her thirtieth birthday, bookish Rose Darlen attempts to pen her autobiography while remembering the joys and challenges of life with sister Ruby.
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (Jul 2020)
Frustrated by a lack of body diversity on her favorite reality show, a plus-sized fashion blogger uses an unexpected invitation to star in the show to bolster her career, before unexpected romance complicates her prospects.
Recommendations for Teens
I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee (Jun 2020)
A celebration of body positivity follows the experiences of a plus-sized teen girl who shatters expectations on a televised competition to become the next big K-pop star.
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy (Sep 2015)
Sixteen-year-old Willowdean wants to prove to everyone in her small Texas town that she is more than just a fat girl, so, while grappling with her feelings for a co-worker who is clearly attracted to her, Will and some other misfits prepare to compete in the beauty pageant her mother runs.
Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw (Oct 2014)
With acerbic wit, Shane Burcaw describes the challenges he faces as a twenty-one-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy.
Run by Kody Keplinger (Jun 2016)
Bo Dickinson, an over-protected, legally blind girl, and her best friend, Agnes Atwood, steal the Atwood's car in a desperate attempt to get out of town after a brush with the law.
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais (Aug 2019)
After moving to Colorado, deaf seventeen-year-old Maya is forced to attend a hearing school, where she must navigate a new life and prove that her lack of hearing will not stop her from pursuing her dreams.
A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman (May 2014)
In India, a girl who excels at Bharatanatyam dance refuses to give up after losing a leg in an accident.
Recommendations for Kids
Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin and Ebony Glenn (Jul 2019)
Tameika is excited to audition for the school's Snow White musical, but when she overhears her classmates say she is too tall, chubby, and brown to play Snow White, she questions whether she is right for the part.
Brontorina by James Howe and Randy Cecil (Aug 2010)
Despite her size and not having the proper footwear, a determined dinosaur pursues her dream of becoming a ballerina.
It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Sep 2001)
Illustrations and brief text describe all kinds of differences that are "okay", such as "it's okay to be a different color," "it's okay to need some help," "it's okay to be adopted," and "it's okay to have a different nose."
What I Like About Me by Allia Zobel Nolan and Miki Sakamoto (Oct 2005)
This fun-loving book, proves to kids that, in a world where fitting in is the norm, being different is what makes us special.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Feb 2012)
Born with a facial deformity that initially prevented his attendance at public school, Auggie Pullman enters the fifth grade at Beecher Prep and struggles with the dynamics of being both new and different, in a sparsely written tale about acceptance and self-esteem.
Lulu The One and Only by Lynnette Mawhinney and Jennie Poh (Jun 2020)
Lulu gets help from her brother Zane, to respond to other people's confusion about her racial identity by using a "power phrase" to declare who she is, rather than what.
Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayer and Rafael Lopez (Sep 2019)
In this creative non-fiction story, Sonia and her friends plant a garden, and each one contributes in his or her own special way, in a book that celebrates the many differences among humans.
Rules by Cynthia Lord (Apr 2006)
Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (Apr 2003)
Afraid that she is crazy, thirteen-year-old Mia, who sees a special color with every letter, number and sound, keeps this a secret until she becomes overwhelmed by school, changing relationships, and the death of her beloved cat, Mango.
Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky, Patrick Downes and Scott Magoon (Apr 2018)
When he is paired with a girl who has lost her legs, Rescue worries that he isn't up to the task of being her service dog.