IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities

All young people need books they can read and enjoy. In addition to identifying excellent picture books and novels with plots that feature characters with varied abilities, we believe it is important for children and teens to be able to read on their own whenever possible. By highlighting accessible books, we increase the opportunities for people of all abilities to read independently. Access is enhanced through a range of formats such as Braille, Picture Communication Symbols, Sign language, Easy-to-Read language, tactile or textured illustrations, dyslexia-friendly font and other design features.

IBBY Collection

The IBBY Collection located at the Toronto Public Library features a large international selection of books for and about young people with disabilities. The books are chosen by the IBBY National Sections, as well as by independent experts and publishers.

Highlights of the Collection include:

4000+ books in over 40 languages
special formats such as Blissymbolics, PCS, Braille, sign language, tactile and textile books
fiction books that portray children and teens with disabilities as characters in stories and novels
books for adults with developmental delays, language disabilities or reading difficulties

The Collection offers:

a variety of books for hands-on experiences in the library
research opportunities in the development and evolution of children’s and young adult's literature in this specialized field
inspiring examples of book design and construction in unique formats
ideas and booklists for teachers, parents, caregivers and librarians
outstanding books in the field for authors and illustrators to study

Online access to the IBBY Collection can be made through www.torontopubliclibrary.ca and is searchable by title, author, subject, format, keyword and language.

IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities

Every two years the IBBY National Sections nominate books for young people with disabilities to be added to the Collection. A selection of Outstanding Books is then made and this selection is summarized in a catalogue.

The 2025 Selection of Outstanding Books is currently receiving nominations. IBBY Members can log in the Members' site to access the nomination material. For further enquiries, please contact the IBBY Secretariat or the Toronto Public Library.

Earlier catalogues can be found in the Archives. Print copies of the annotated catalogues, past and present, can be ordered from the IBBY Secretariat Publications.

2023 IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities

The 2023 Selection of Oustanding Books for Young People with Disabilities was launched at the 2023 Bologna Children's Book Fair. It encompasses 40 new titles from 22 countries.

➜ Discover the selected titles
➜ 2023 Catalogue

History

Exhibitions

The current IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities is available on demand through the IBBY Secretariat for exhibitions, conferences and book fairs. Contact us for more information.

The HIVE Centre at the University of Worcester, UK hosts a permanent exhibition of the Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People as a special research collection. The collection currently includes the 2015 Selection.

2023 Selection

Official launch at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2023

2 May–9 June 2023: Centro Documentazione Handicap Accaparlante, Bologna, Italy

22–24 June 2023: Lettore alla pari, Bari, Italy

10–30 July: Feria del Libro Infantil de Buenos Aires, Argentina

17 July–21 July 2023: 51st Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship, Rome, Italy

August 2023: Biblioteca del Congreso, Buenos Aires, Argentina

18–22 October 2023: IBBY stand, Frankfurt Book Fair

Past exhibitions

2021 Selection

Launch at the 2021 Frankfurt Book Fair
Exhibitions in Japan, USA and Greece

2019 Selection

Launch at the 2019 Bologna Children's Book Fair
Exhibitions in Italy, France, the Frankfurt Book Fair, USA, Shanghai Book Fair, Ukraine and Korea.

The 2019 IBBY Selection was also part of an exhibition in Tokyo and toured to nine other sites in Japan. JBBY found innovative ways to hold an exhibition despite the Covid restrictions.

2017 Selection

Launch at the 2017 Bologna Children's Book Fair
Exhibitions in Italy, Japan, UK (e.g. Brighton), USA, China (e.g. Shanghai), Ireland, Slovakia and at the IBBY Congress in Athens, Greece.

2015 Selection

Launch at the 2015 Bologna Children's Book Fair Bologna Book Fair
Exhibitions in Italy, Japan, Ukraine, UK and USA as well as at the Frankfurt Book Fair and the IBBY Congress in Auckland, New Zealand.

An exhibition and seminar on books for young people with disabilities was held in Sharjah at the Al Manal Forum 2014 with guest speaker Heidi Boiesen, Former Director of the IBBY Documentation Centre (a brief report of the event can be found here).