Finding inclusive books
Most children's books today suitably reflect our multicultural society. However, not so many reflect other forms of diversity, for example the fact that one in five school-age children has special educational needs.
This is especially true of books for very young children. This list aims to help you to find early years books showing positive images of disability, as well as titles that may prove useful in discussing disability and diversity.
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See What I Can Do!
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See What I Can Do!
See What I Can Do! introduces a range of characters (based on real-life children) who each share an insight about disability …
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The Invisible Story
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The Invisible Story
A beautiful translated picture book celebrating braille.
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Talking is Not My Thing!
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Talking is Not My Thing!
With speech bubbles, bright colours and characters so lively they leap off the page, this is a vibrant and happy book with a lead …
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Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf
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Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf
Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a neurodivergent protagonist.
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Me and My Sister
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Me and My Sister
A delightful insight into sibling life is delivered through appealing animal characters in this simple and effective picture book,…
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Can Bears Ski?
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Can Bears Ski?
Why do people keep asking Little Bear "Can bears ski?" A lovely and authentic picture book about hearing loss, inspired by the aut…
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What Happened To You?
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What Happened To You?
Joe just wants to play pirates, but the other children notice that he only has one leg and start asking him a barrage of questions…
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Elmer's Friends
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Elmer's Friends
A colourful board book in which the ever-popular Elmer the Elephant praises each of his friends for their different strengths
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The Giant Turnip
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The Giant Turnip
The children in Miss Honeywood's class decide to grow vegetables in their school garden. What a shock they get when they discover …
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Seal Surfer
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Seal Surfer
A welcome re-publication of Foreman's timeless and evocative account of a boy's relationship with life and death.
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Brian Has Dyslexia
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Brian Has Dyslexia
Not knowing his left from his right, and his bad headaches are also adding to his problems. Then, with some help from Dr Spot and …
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This Little Piggy
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This Little Piggy
Annie Kubler’s exuberant characters tell the well-known rhyme. One child uses a supported chair.
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My Brother Sammy
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My Brother Sammy
If only his brother was “normal”. Mum says that Sammy is “special” but the narrator doesn’t want a s…
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Peek-a-Boo!
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Peek-a-Boo!
The exuberant characters include children on supported mats, a child with a leg splint and a parent with a hearing aid.
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The Animal Boogie
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The Animal Boogie
Boogie along with the jungle inhabitants who flap, shake, flap and slide their way through this colourful book
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I Am the Music Man
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I Am the Music Man
A large book featuring holes through which you can peek to spot which of the thoroughly inclusive band of musicians is playing eac…
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The Mulberry Bush
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The Mulberry Bush
A large-format picture book with strong pages and peep-through holes.
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Hamish: The Bear who Found his Child
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Hamish: The Bear who Found his Child
Wheelchair-using teddies (quite rightly) blend effortlessly into the landscape,as the toys have fun while the humans aren't lookin…
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The Ding-Dong Bag
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The Ding-Dong Bag
The fast-moving and rhythmic text make this great book perfect for reading aloud, and a subtle arm splint on one of the boys is ty…
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Susan Laughs
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Susan Laughs
Susan can do so many things - she can laugh, sing, fly, dance, swim and much more. The final page of this wonderful book reveals t…
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Winnie the Witch
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Winnie the Witch
This is the first of many stories about Winnie and her cat, Wilber. Winnie is a well-loved character, and the excellent illustrati…
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Pat-a-Cake!
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Pat-a-Cake!
Part of a series introducing well loved games and rhymes.
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My First Animal Signs
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My First Animal Signs
One of the series of board books introducing useful words - delightful illustrations show children signing the words.
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The Okay Book
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The Okay Book
With reinforced binding and bright primary colours, this fun little book encourages children to recognise that everything is okay,…
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Just Because
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Just Because
This uplifting book focuses on a sibling relationship, as a little boy affectionately describes his older sister
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Mary Had a Little Lamb - Classic Books with Holes
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Mary Had a Little Lamb - Classic Books with Holes
One of Child's Play's delightful early years books which reflect the true diversity of society in a natural and uncontrived way.
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Max the Champion
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Max the Champion
This inclusive book is about a boy who loves sport, his friends, and school - and has a vivid imagination
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The Black Book of Colours
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The Black Book of Colours
A visually impaired boy introduces us to colours as he experiences them – through his senses of hearing, touch, smell and ta…
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Benjamin & the Super Spectacles
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Benjamin & the Super Spectacles
Benjamin Bounce keeps bouncing into things and needs spectacles... A lovely picture book about friends making each other feel…
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Specs for Rex
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Specs for Rex
A perfectly judged niche story that has general appeal due to a clean text and cute character; Specs for Rex is a visual treat tha…
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