702 words
5 minute read
21. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Disability Representation: Yes (trauma)
Rating: 3 Wheels
Age Range: 12+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
What I Thought: Honestly? This one was really difficult for me to get into. But the last third of the book was amazing! I loved it so much because I didn't see it coming. Such clever story-telling. If the whole book had been at that level, this would have gotten 4 Wheels for sure!
22. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Disability Representation: Yes (trauma)
Rating: 2 Wheels
Age Range: 12+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts is full of new dangers. A convicted murderer, Sirius Black, has broken out of Azkaban prison, and it seems he's after Harry.
What I Thought: This one had its strong points but overall I found it harder to follow than the first two. I still liked it, hence the 2 Wheel rating, but I couldn't get into it as much as the previous books. I did like the new Dark Arts professor and the little twist at the very end.
23. Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
Genre: Psychology
Disability Representation: No
Rating: 4 Wheels
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents’ emotional immaturity, you can recover your true nature, control how you react to them, and avoid disappointment. Finally, you’ll learn how to create positive, new relationships so you can build a better life.
What I Thought: Really good. Dare I say, life-changing? One I'll definitely read again.
24. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Genre: YA
Disability Representation: Yes (Cerebral Palsy)
Rating: 0 Wheels
Age Range: 12+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.
What I Thought: This is one I picked up because I'd heard time and time again about kids as young as fifth grade reading it in school. There is not adequate time or space to detail how harmful the representation in this book is. Do yourself a favor and skip it. (For more details, check out my Twitter thread on the subject.)
25. The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Genre: Fiction
Disability Representation: Yes (trauma)
Rating: 0 Wheels
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.
What I Thought: This was a reread that I will honestly never reread again. I've read it twice previously, several years ago, but never quite came away with such an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.
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