Companion Books for
Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon

Here are related titles for all ages. Click on a link to jump to a section below.

Preschool and Read Aloud (below)
Elementary – Intermediate to Middle School (below)
Middle School and Young Adult (below)
Young Adult to Adult (below)
Nonfiction (below)
 

Preschool and Read Aloud

Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman

A story, told in part with American Sign Language, of a deaf boy and his classmates attending a concert. (There are more titles about Moses)

 

Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

Trisha’sdifficulty learning to read makes her feel dumb, until, in the fifth grade, a new teacher helps her understand and overcome her problem. A tribute to the author’s teacher, the first adult to recognize her learning disability and help her learn to read.

 

Can You Hear a Rainbow?: The Story of a Deaf Boy Named Chris by Jamee Riggio Heelan; illustrations by Nicola Simmonds.

A deaf child tells how he uses sign language, hearing aids, and his other senses to communicate, how his friends help him, and how he goes to public school with an interpreter.

 

What's Wrong with Timmy? by Maria Shriver ; illustrated by Sandra Speidel

Making friends with a developmentally disabled boy helps Kate learn that the two of them have a lot in common.

 

Don't Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability by Pat Thomas

Explores questions and concerns about physical disabilities in a simple and reassuring way including how people of all ages can deal with disabilities and live happy and full lives.

Elementary – Intermediate to Middle School

The Summer of the Swans By Betsy Byars

A teenage girl gains new insight into herself and her family when her mentally handicapped brother gets lost.

 

My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt

Growing up in Saitter, Louisiana, in the 1950's, twelve-year-old Tiger Ann struggles with her feelings about her stern, but loving grandmother, her mentally slow parents, and her good friend and neighbor, Jesse.

 

Niagara Falls, or Does It? by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver; illustrated by Carol Heyer

Fourth-graders Hank, Ashley, and Frankie are excitedly preparing for a magic show at the Rock 'N Bowl when Hank's creative alternative to an English essay lands him in detention and grounded the week of the show. (There are more titles about Hank)

 

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

To the constant disappointment of his mother and teacher, Joey has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription medicine wears off and he starts acting wired. (There are more titles about Joey)

Middle School and Young Adult

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.

 

A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

The summer that Hattie turns twelve, she meets the childlike uncle she never knew and becomes friends with a girl who works at the carnival that comes to Hattie's small town.

 

The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry

Katy, the precocious ten-year-old daughter of the town doctor, befriends a retarded boy.

Young Adult to Adult

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.

 

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Fourteen-year-old Shawn McDaniel, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy and cannot function, relates his perceptions of his life, his family, and his condition, especially as he believes his father is planning to kill him. (Companion book: Cruise Control)

Nonfiction

The Child with Special Needs: Encouraging Intellectual and Emotional Growth by Stanley I. Greenspan, Serena Wieder, with Robin Simons.

Covering all kinds of disabilities - including autism, PDD, language and speech problems, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and ADD, offering a new understanding of the nature of these challenges and also specific ways of helping children extend their intellectual and emotional potential.

 

It's So Much Work to be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success by Richard Lavoie.

Practical, expert advice to help learning-disabled children ages six to 17 achieve social success.

 

Laughing Allegra: The Inspiring Story of a Mother's Struggle and Triumph Raising a Daughter with Learning Disabilities by Anne Ford, with John-Richard Thompson.

When Anne Ford learned that her four-year-old daughter Allegra's "differences" were the result of severe learning disabilities, she faced a challenge that neither money nor position could ease. It was 1976, a time when there was limited information and resources available for parents confronted with this problem.

 

The ADHD Autism Connection: A Step Toward More Accurate Diagnosis and Effective Treatment by Diane M. Kennedy, with Rebecca S. Banks

For years, the label of Autism has carried a negative connotation. Parents were afraid to admit the diagnosis and banished the term from discussion. This book gives parents, educators, and doctors a reason to embrace autism with a renewed sense of hope and understanding.

 

Animal Helpers for the Disabled by Deborah Kent

Explores the history of guide dogs, service animals, and assistance dogs, and discusses the process of training them to help people who have physical disabilities.

 

Special Needs Trust: Protect Your Child's Financial Future by Stephen Elias.

 

Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-functioning Autism by Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy