
2020 YA Book Covers Bring Disability Representation to the Forefront
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In 2016, authors Corinne Duyvis and Kayla Whaley wrote this about the state of disability representation on book covers for young readers:
“Given the consistency with which this erasure happens, it’s safe to say these aren’t oversights or missteps. They are likely intentional choices made with a non-disabled audience in mind, and as a result, disabled readers may browse hundreds of books in any given bookstore’s YA section and not see a single visibly disabled character on the cover.
Disabled readers deserve to see themselves represented. They deserve to be visible on the covers of the books they star in. They deserve to be treated with the same respect as their non-disabled counterparts.
It’s time we see more and better disability representation on our covers.”
Their piece examined the places where disability representation was front and center on book covers, as well as the gaping holes when it comes to representation.
Representation on book covers has shifted significantly since 2016. It’s far from perfect, of course, and there never will be a “perfect” when it comes to representation. Readers and those working within the publishing industry can only continue to speak up and out and demand more. That’s how the work has been done, particularly in relation to teens of color showing up on YA book covers.
But what about disabled teens?
Over the last few years, there’s been more movement toward seeing disabled teens on YA book covers. Certainly, there are limitations to how disabled teens can be represented on a book cover, as Duyvis and Whaley describe in their exploration. But there are also tremendous possibilities.
Though it’s far from perfect, though there is so much more work to be done, 2020 is looking better when it comes to disabled teens on YA book covers.
Find below a look at some of the rad YA book covers featuring disabled teens hitting shelves this year. Where designer and artist information is readily available, it’s been included.
It’s worth noting that, despite the strides made to bring more representation to YA book covers, the books below don’t represent the diversity of writers in this category. That said, it’s utterly refreshing to see the characters depicted as more than solely white.