AccessAbility Week is here, and we’re celebrating and recognizing Canadians with disabilities in style! Each of these amazing books highlights the importance of making a more accessible and inclusive world for all, while celebrating unique perspectives and experiences centered around disability, neurodivergence, and chronic illness.
Whichever story you decide to dive into first, you’re bound to emerge with a fresh perspective, a sense of solidarity, and newfound understanding. Whether you’re looking for stories that reflect your own lived experiences, or for narratives that expand your mind to different points of view, there is something for you on this Read Local list.
Dispatches from Disabled Country by Catherine Frazee (UBC Press)
Shifting policy to better reflect the aspirations and rights of diverse disabled communities is a significant endeavour. It necessitates freeing ourselves from prevailing narratives that associate disability with incapacity, tragedy, and loss.
These writings initiate this shift by uncovering what has been happening beneath the surface of ableist society for decades. From the heart of “disabled country,” Frazee introduces us to “a poetics of identity, an ethos of empathy, and a refuge from philosophies of greed and pragmatism.”
Dispatches from Disabled Country is vital reading for anyone involved in disability activism or interested in the subject, as well as for students and educators in various fields such as politics, medicine, law, sociology, and education, or for career professionals whose work intersects with policies affecting the lives of people with disabilities.
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Crip Up the Kitchen by Jules Sherred (TouchWood Editions)
The kitchen is the most ableist room in the house. With 50 recipes that make use of three key tools—the electric pressure cooker, air fryer, and bread machine—Jules has set out to make the kitchen accessible and enjoyable. The book includes pantry prep, meal planning, shopping guides, kitchen organization plans, and tips for cooking safely when disabled, all taking into account varying physical abilities and energy levels. The book is also organized from least to greatest effort (or from 1 to “all your spoons,” for spoonies).
With rich accompanying photography and food histories, complete nutritional information and methods developed specifically for the disabled and neurodivergent cook, Crip Up the Kitchen is at once inviting, comprehensive, and accessible. If you’ve craved the economy and satisfaction of cooking at home but been turned off by the ableist approach of most cookbooks—this one’s for you!
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Stazy and the Magic List by Nancy Hundal (Rebel Mountain Press)
Stazy can’t believe her lousy luck. Her parents are separated, she’s at a new school, and she has a new (tiny!) house. It’s Stazy’s first day of seventh grade, and on top of navigating her dyslexia at a new school, she discovers a group of snobby classmates might also be hiding a secret magical power. Could this be the start of an unexpected adventure?
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Autistic Adults: Exploring the Forgotten End of the Spectrum by Daniel Smeenk (Ronsdale Press)
Autistic Adults: Exploring the Forgotten End of the Spectrum explores the subject from multiple points of view. Daniel Smeenk examines autism research, self-advocacy communities and the fundamental differences between groups that want to help autistic people but disagree on how to do so. Thoroughly researched yet accessible, Smeenk takes an even-handed approach to current debates such as how funding should be spent and what kind of supports are most beneficial. He also addresses topics such as employment, lack of research on autistic adults, issues with public perception, and also provides practical advice to inspire neurotypicals to a greater empathy and understanding of the autistic adults in their lives.
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The Longest Climb: A Memoir of Love, Mountaineering, and Healing by Paul Pritchard (Rocky Mountain Books)
Born in Bolton, England, Paul Pritchard was one of the foremost British climbers of the 1980s and 1990s, climbing difficult routes across the United Kingdom and around the world. Paul’s life took a sharp turn when a falling boulder hit him while climbing the Totem Pole, leaving him with a traumatic head injury. Now, hemiplegia has impaired his right-side movement and affects his speech and memory. A remarkable story that highlights life’s surprising gifts and crucial lessons, The Longest Climb chronicles Paul’s inspiring journey back to life and reminds us all that “when we spend time in the mountains, we do not escape from our woes. We come home and learn how to accept them.”
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The Disability Experience by Hannalora Leavitt (Orca Book Publishers)
People with disabilities (PWDs) don’t have the same access to education, employment, housing, transportation, and healthcare that others have to achieve their goals. In The Disability Experience, you’ll meet people with different kinds of disabilities, and you’ll begin to understand the ways PWDs have been ignored, reviled, and marginalized throughout history. The book also celebrates the triumphs and achievements of PWDs and shares the powerful stories of those who have fought for change.
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Accidental Blooms by Keiko Honda (Caitlin Press)
Keiko Honda, a successful cancer epidemiologist at Columbia University, suddenly loses strength in her legs, leading to a diagnosis of a rare autoimmune disease. Permanently paralyzed from the chest down, she moves to Vancouver, where she discovers a passion for art and builds a supportive community. Despite leaving her career, Keiko finds fulfillment in motherhood, art, and self-discovery. Her journey parallels the unpredictability of watercolor painting, inspiring her to embrace life’s unexpected beauty. Accidental Blooms is a tale of profound transformation, showcasing how adversity can positively reshape one’s perspective.
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