Disability Parenting Books
“My brain is always sending me off on little missions, whether or not I want to do them. And if I don’t obey, then I have to fight a feeling of horror. Really, it’s like I’m being pushed over the brink into a kind of Hell. For people with autism, living itself is a battle.”
~Naoki Higashida from The Reason I Jump
Very profound words, right? That book was life-changing for me. If you haven’t read it and have a autistic child, it’s a must-read. There are many first-person books from people living with disabilities, and hearing their words and their thoughts can be life-changing.

Let me just put it out there–I have the phrase “special needs” in the title and I really dislike that phrase. As do many disabled people. However, not everyone is there yet, and if I want to people to see this post, I have to use words that they are searching.
I asked my readers what they have read that are life-changing books for them. Books, that when you’re reading them, you’re having that Oprah “a-HA!” moment. It has changed the way you interact with your child, helped you understand your child better.
- Higashida, Naoki (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 03/22/2016 (Publication Date) - Random House Publishing Group (Publisher)
- Offit M.D., Paul (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 328 Pages - 03/29/2010 (Publication Date) - Columbia University Press (Publisher)
Side note: I am aware that I am not using people-first language, and I am also using disabled rather than special needs. All are acceptable to use. Neither people first nor using identity first is better than the other. And avoiding the word disabled implies that it’s a bad/negative word. It’s not. There is a movement right now called #SayTheWord to take back ownership of the words disabled and disability.
So, here is the list of books from my readers, books that gave them an “a-ha!” moment and were life-changing for them, as far as raising a child with disabilities or learning disabilities. I realized when I was grabbing the pictures and links from Amazon that they have a feature where I can grab a widget with the price too. So the price you are seeing on these life-changing books should be current, though it might vary for Kindle and so on. And there’s always the library!
Special Needs Parenting Books
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Greene PhD, Ross W. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 05/20/2014 (Publication Date) - Harper Paperbacks (Publisher)
- Great product!
- Robison, John Elder (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 302 Pages - 09/09/2008 (Publication Date) - Three Rivers Press (Publisher)
- Temple Grandin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 270 Pages - 01/10/2006 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Baker, Jed (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 150 Pages - 04/01/2008 (Publication Date) - Future Horizons (Publisher)
- Selznick, Richard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 222 Pages - 08/16/2012 (Publication Date) - Sentient Publications (Publisher)
- Levine Ph.D., Peter A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 248 Pages - 03/04/2008 (Publication Date) - North Atlantic Books (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Levine Ph.D., Peter A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 536 Pages - 12/26/2006 (Publication Date) - North Atlantic Books (Publisher)
- English (Publication Language)
- 336 Pages - 06/30/2020 (Publication Date) - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Heumann, Judith (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages - 02/25/2020 (Publication Date) - Beacon Press (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 09/03/2019 (Publication Date) - Liveright (Publisher)
- Great product!
- Stock Kranowitz, Carol (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 04/04/2006 (Publication Date) - TarcherPerigee (Publisher)
- Stock Kranowitz, Carol (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 05/24/2016 (Publication Date) - TarcherPerigee (Publisher)
- James R. Delisle Ph.D. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 224 Pages - 10/01/2018 (Publication Date) - Routledge (Publisher)
- James R. Delisle Ph.D. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 224 Pages - 10/01/2018 (Publication Date) - Routledge (Publisher)
 Wrightslaw Books
Some of the most popular IEP advocacy books are from Wrightslaw. Here are a few of their more popular ones.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 311 Pages - 01/01/2006 (Publication Date) - Harbor House Law Press, Inc. (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 442 Pages - 03/01/2007 (Publication Date) - Harbor House Law Press, Inc. (Publisher)
- Melissa Lee Farrall (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 173 Pages - 01/01/2018 (Publication Date) - Harbor House Law Press, Inc. (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 166 Pages - 01/01/2010 (Publication Date) - Harbor House Law Press, Inc. (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 166 Pages - 01/01/2010 (Publication Date) - Harbor House Law Press, Inc. (Publisher)
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