Accidents of Nature

Reach for this book if your teenager is struggling with the isolation of being different or is ready to move beyond being a passive recipient of care. It is a powerful resource for those navigating the transition from seeing their disability as a medical problem to seeing it as a source of community and pride. Set in the 1970s, the story follows Jean, a girl with cerebral palsy who attends a summer camp for kids with disabilities. There, she encounters Sara, a firebrand who challenges everything Jean believed about the world and her place in it. This is a gritty, honest, and often humorous look at the birth of identity and the rejection of pity. It is highly appropriate for mature teens seeking an authentic voice that does not sugarcoat the realities of living in a world built for the able-bodied.