Diabetes in Fiction

Are you ready for a story filled with courage, friendship, and the magic of childhood? Hello Miss Lavender is about a delightful 10-year-old, Lavender Ann, named after her mother’s favorite color…purple! Lavender Ann loves to swim, ride bikes, and roller skate with her best friend Lilly, and nothing can stop them! Not even a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes at the tender age of seven. At first, Lavender Ann felt bewildered and out of place, wondering why she was different from her peers. This heartwarming book explains what it means to have Type 1 Diabetes, nurturing empathy and understanding among young readers. Lavender Ann's journey teaches kids that challenges may come their way, but with determination and the love of a true friend, they can conquer anything and pursue their dreams!

Could you plan the Fall Formal with your (hot) nemesis? Whit Rivera is about to find out. Frenemies Whit and Zay have been at odds for years (ever since he broke up with her in, like, the most embarrassing way imaginable), so when they’re forced to organize the fall formal together, it's a literal disaster. Sparks fly as Whitney—type-A, passionate, a perfectionist, and a certified sweater-weather fanatic—butts heads with Zay, a dry, relaxed skater boy who takes everything in stride. But not all of those sparks are bad. . . . Has their feud been a big misunderstanding all along? Blisteringly funny and profoundly well-observed, The Fall of Whit Rivera is a snug and cozy autumn romcom that also tackles weightier topics like PCOS, chronic illness, sexuality, fatphobia, Latine identity, and class. Funny, honest, insightful, romantic, and poignant, it is classic Crystal Maldonado—and it will have her legion of fans absolutely swooning.

While traveling across the country on a much needed vacation, Noland and Judah Calhoun stop to appreciate the scenic views of the Appalachian wilderness. To shield themselves from the less-than-friendly locals as they rest from their long journey, Judah parks their RV in the middle of a clearing well off the beaten path. A concerning storm rolls in overhead, shifting the sky to a sickly green that drowns out the night sky with a thunderous roar... Waking the next morning to discover the wheels of their RV have sunk deep into the saturated ground, Judah steps outside to assess the situation. Within seconds, his flesh is set alight as the unnatural rain begins to eat away at his hand. The storm rapidly consumes the skin and sinew of living creatures, turning the once peaceful clearing into a boneyard. Stranded and unable to leave the supernatural tempest, Judah and Noland must weather the storm together, facing not only the horrors of nature, but their own personal demons they refused to acknowledge for far too long. All the while, the bones start to pile up...

"Hey Grayson, how 'bout that field trip in a couple of weeks? I guess you're gonna' bring your nurse with you?" Braden sneered, while his friends looked on and laughed. Braden was the biggest bully in school, and this year, he seemed even meaner than before. Could Grayson use his summer camp smarts and Owen's tech wizardry to stand up to the bullies? Summer camp was a blast—Grayson and Ava did it all: They climbed rocks, caught fish, and even had cooking battles by the campfire. It was a place where kids like them, who have diabetes, could feel like total champs. And with adventurous Nurse Sean, kind Dr. Woodland, and the coolest camp counselors ever, Grayson finally learned what it felt like to fit in--even if only for a little while. Now, with school back in session, Grayson's got to face Braden and his mean jokes. But Grayson isn't the same kid he was last year. He's got a Squad now, and with techie friend Owen at his side, he's ready to teach the whole school that being different is actually pretty awesome. If you enjoyed R. J. Palacio's Wonder, you'll love this first book in The Sugar Squad Chronicles. It's a story about friendship, courage, and the superpowers that make every kid special. So dive in and join the adventure—because this Squad is about to show everyone what true heroes look like!

A girl and her diabetic alert dog face impossible odds when they're stranded in the unforgiving wilderness. Hatchet for a new generation! Emily has always excelled at sports, and her athletic abilities have given her confidence on and off the courts. So when she starts to drag during her middle school volleyball season, she assumes it must be the flu. Why else would she be missing simple spikes and blocks? But after a particularly intense game she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, a paramedic telling her that her life will never be the same. Adjusting to life with type 1 diabetes isn't easy. Emily is desperate to prove that she's just as strong and capable as ever, so she jumps at the opportunity to go on a backcountry ski trip with her dad and her new diabetic alert dog, Molly. But when an avalanche rips through the area, separating Emily from her father, she and Molly are left to face a challenge far greater than anything she could have imagined. When it becomes clear that no one will come to their rescue before their food and insulin run out, Emily and Molly must find strength they didn't know they possessed -- and faith in one another -- to survive the harsh wintery conditions and escape the backcountry.

She was mine. Made for me. Born to ruin me. Evangelina: I lived my life surrounded by luxuries, love, and attention. While at the mercy of lies, death, and deceit. I was tired of being just a pretty face. The woman who always had to prove her worth. When tragedy tears yet another gash in my heart, he was there to help mend my grief. But there was a mystery hidden behind those alluring diamond eyes. A whisper of ghosts and trauma from his past. Red flags I knew I shouldn’t ignore. Yet I couldn’t help the feelings blossoming within me or the fire that scorched my skin under his touch. Derek Cain held promises of love and protection. But what if he was who I needed saving from? Derek: As a child, I knew nothing but hate and pain. I was a soulless, unlovable bastard bred into a killer. Bound by blood to the world’s most obscure and elite society of global puppeteers. For years, I fantasized about taking revenge on the man who’d abandoned me. And when his time finally came, that’s when I saw her . His weakness. Detective Evangelina Cruz was mine to taint, use, and ruin. Until the lines of vengeance and obsession blurred. And she consumed my every thought. Though my secrets would destroy her, I’d bathe the world in blood before letting her go. Would the love we forged in darkness prevail in the light of truth?

Skandar’s adventure among the warrior unicorns continues in this spectacular sequel to the instant New York Times and international bestseller Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. Skandar Smith has achieved his to train as a unicorn rider. But as Skandar and his friends enter their second year at the Eyrie, a new threat arises. Immortal wild unicorns are somehow being killed, a prophecy warns of terrible danger, and elemental destruction begins to ravage the Island. Meanwhile, Skandar’s sister, Kenna, longs to join him, and Skandar is determined to help her, no matter what. As the storm gathers, can Skandar find the key to stop the Island tearing itself apart before it’s too late for them all?

Too often, science fiction and fantasy stories erase—or cure—characters with disabilities. Soul Jar , edited by author and bookstore owner Annie Carl, features thirty-one stories by disabled authors, imagining such wonders as a shapeshifter on a first date, skin that sprouts orchid buds, and a cereal-box demon. An insulin pump diverts an undead mob. An autistic teen sets out to discover the local cranberry bog’s sinister secret. A pizza delivery on Mars goes wrong. This thrillingly peculiar collection sparkles with humor, heart, and insight, all within the context of disability representation. Stories with diabetic representation: “Ziabetes” by Lily Jurich and “A Balanced Breakfast” by Eirik Gumeny

A sweeping novel about a single house in the woods of New England, told through the lives of those who inhabit it across the centuries—a daring, moving tale of memory and fate from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Piano Tuner and The Winter Soldier. When a pair of young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become home to an extraordinary succession of inhabitants . An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to apples. A pair of spinster twins survive war and famine, only to succumb to envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths a mass grave, but finds the ancient trees refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a conman, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle; as each one confronts the mysteries of the north woods, they come to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive. Traversing cycles of history, nature, and even literature, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we’re connected to our environment and to one another, across time, language and space. Written along with the seasons and divided into the twelve months of the year, it is an unforgettable novel about secrets and fates that asks the timeless how do we live on, even after we’re gone?

It took a sudden heart attack and a long-coming diagnosis of type 2 diabetes for Dr. Cody Walker to admit he had to turn his life around and practice what he had preached all these years as a physician. With a second chance at life, he moves from Atlanta to the small town of Magnolia Hill to take over old Doc Porter’s practice. But saving his patients—and himself—from the grim outlook of preventable chronic diseases is easier said than done when Jenna’s cupcake bakery across the street from his practice is testing his—and his patients’—willpower to resist her sweet temptations. Jenna Wilson’s dream of owning a successful cupcake bakery had finally come true. However, that dream shatters when the grumpy new doctor in town accuses her of poisoning his diabetic patients with her sugary treats and threatens to shut down her shop. But when a natural disaster strikes close to home, they are forced to challenge their beliefs. Is there any hope Cody and Jenna can work out their differences and maybe even find love in this grumpy/sunshine enemies to lovers sweet romance?

A feel-good, coming-of-age rom-com from debut author Page Powars that follows a trans teen who joins a boyfriend borrowing service masquerading as an Italian Club to prove that he’s one of the guys, especially to its frustratingly handsome leader. Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that’s what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender. His plan? Join the school’s illustrious (and secret) Borrow a Boyfriend Club, whose members rent themselves out for dates. Once he’s accepted among the bros, the “slip-ups” end. But Noah’s interview is a flop. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club’s prickly but attractive president, Asher. Noah will help them win an annual talent show—and in return, he’ll get a second shot to demonstrate his boyfriend skills in a series of tests that include romancing Asher himself. If Noah can’t bring home the win, his best chance to prove that he’s man enough is gone. Yet even if he succeeds, he still loses . . . because the most important rule of the Borrow a Boyfriend Club is simple: no real boyfriends (or girlfriends) allowed. And as long as the club remains standing as high as Asher’s man bun, Noah and Asher can never explore their growing feelings for one another.

When a child is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, it can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. But what if the child learning to live with diabetes was not a child at all? What if it was a young T-Rex? TYLER THE TYPE 1 T-REX is a fun, adventurous picture book for children with Type 1 Diabetes, especially kids who love dinosaurs, action, and big feelings. Tyler loves going on adventures with friends. But when Tyler starts feeling unwell and is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, everything suddenly feels uncertain. Tyler is upset, confused, and unsure whether life will ever feel normal again. With help from family and friends, Tyler learns that managing Type 1 Diabetes takes courage, support, and a bit of practice – but it does not mean the adventures are over.