Here at Turnaround, we are always uplifting the voices of underrepresented authors, sharing stories that feature inclusivity and highlighting awareness of topics when needed. So for this month, we are shining a light on Disability History Month.

If you weren’t aware, Disability History Month is an annual celebration in the UK, typically taking place between mid-November and mid-December. It celebrates the achievements of disabled people and raises awareness of their history and ongoing struggle for equality. It also provides an opportunity to encourage greater inclusivity and rights for disabled people through various events and discussions. From mental health and neurodivergence, to chronic pain and physical impairments, if you want to educate yourself on these topics (or want tools to understand your own disability), here are some recent releases from some of our publishers which delve into different forms of disabilities and their impacts across the community.

Dr. Faith’s original hit, Unfuck Your Brain — with 3.7 million copies sold — is now available in this illustrated format specially tailored for young adult readers. Your brain has a mind of its own. And sometimes, even when it’s doing its best, it can feel like it’s out to get you. If you’ve ever had a meltdown in class, suffered emotions nobody understands, or found yourself shutting down at the worst time, you know this all too well. Thankfully, this graphic guide is here to help you understand your brain and retrain it to better respond to serious upheavals as well as everyday indignities. This fresh take on the bestseller presents Dr. Faith’s insights and neuroscientific nerdiness (and swearing) as a non-fiction graphic novel with artwork by Gerta O. Egy. If you’re struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, anger, grief, or addiction, or if you just want to have a more chill response to life, this guide will help you get your brain back on track so you can take on the world.

June can name every flower species in the alphabet. She finds it much harder to cultivate an understanding of people. After her mother’s unexpected death, June has to leave her home. Her social worker suggests a flat with no garden—clearly, that won’t work. In search of a home where she can use her horticultural skills, she sets out to find her father, whom she’s only seen in an old photograph. When June arrives at her father’s door in Notting Hill, he panics and turns her away. With nowhere to go, June secretly moves into her father’s yellow garden shed. Now she’ll be surrounded by her beloved flowers. But when the family dog and her father’s twelve-year-old son discover June, she must choose between being seen or running away. A heart-warming and humorous portrait of a young woman who looks at the world differently, June in the Garden lets us see the world afresh. Because thinking unconventionally might be the key to appreciating the wonder around us.

As a novelist, memoirist, and poet, Amber Dawn regularly lays her heart bare in work that is fiery, raw, and intensely personal. In Buzzkill Clamshell, her third poetry collection, Amber Dawn circumvents the expectations of so-called confessional poetry, offering twisted mythmaking, extreme hyperbole, and lyrical gutter-mouthing that explore themes of sick and disabled queerness, aging, and desire. With poems populated by severed heads, domme swan maidens, horny oracles, and other horrible purveyors of pleasure, Buzzkill Clamshell reads as if a leather dyke and a demonic goat had a baby — gleefully embracing the perverse while stomping its way through chronic pain and complex PTSD. Already acclaimed for her candid and often kinky verse, Amber Dawn pushes further into trauma-informed eroticism with self-assured irreverence and uncomfortable abjectivity. Beneath her brilliant, carnivalesque imagery lies a prayer — not for the pain to end, but for finding fantastic new ways to cope with pain.

Sixteen-year-old Cadence was born with the ability to cry tears of diamonds—a secret talent her parents have abused to climb the royal ranks thanks to the infinite source of wealth. At their command, she cries diamonds to pay for the pricey treatments for her sister’s neuromuscular disorder. Regardless of the pain, she’ll do anything for her sister, who weakens by the day. When the prince heckles Cadence at the King’s Summer Solstice Ball about her sister’s disability while dancing in the ballroom, she’s left on the verge of tears, threatening to expose her power. She is saved by a mysteriously charming girl who sweeps in to take the next dance — and the single diamond Cadence cried. The stranger reveals the Magi Queen sent her to tell Cadence that she’s a mage, and that her power is a curse. Yearning to discover the secrets behind her powers, Cadence sets off for the City of Magi. To claim the life she wants, Cadence must embrace her power — before she loses the bright spots in her otherwise sad existence. After all, even diamonds can shatter.

Tsukino Hiiragi was born deaf. When her oblivious classmate Taiyo Enomoto suddenly starts talking to her, she’s interested. But, as she carefully reads his lips, she starts to wonder: what nonsense is he talking about anyway?

From one of the most influential voices in disability activism comes an essay collection that detonates a bomb in our collective understanding of care and illness, showing us that sickness is a vibrant part of life. In the wake of the 2014 Ferguson riots, and sick with a chronic condition that rendered them housebound, Johanna Hedva turned to the page to ask: How do you throw a brick through the window of a bank if you can’t get out of bed? It was not long before this essay, ‘Sick Woman Theory,’ became a seminal work on disability, because in reframing illness as not just a biological experience but a social one, Hedva argues that under capitalism—a system that limits our worth to the productivity of our bodies—we must reach for the revolutionary act of caring for ourselves and others. How to Tell When We Will Die expands upon Hedva’s paradigm—shifting perspective in a series of slyly subversive and razor-sharp essays that range from the theoretical to the personal—from Deborah Levy and Susan Sontag to wrestling, kink, mysticism, death, and the colour yellow. Drawing from their experiences with America’s byzantine healthcare system, and considering archetypes they call The Psychotic Woman, The Freak, and The Hag in Charge, Hedva offers a bracing indictment of the politics that exploit sickness—relying on and fuelling ableism—to the detriment of us all. With the insight of Anne Boyer’s The Undying and Leslie Jamison’s The Empathy Exams, and the wit of Samantha Irby, Hedva’s debut collection upends our collective concept of disability. In their radical reimagining of a world where care and pain are symbiotic, and our bodies are allowed to live free and well, Hedva implores us to remember that illness is neither an inconvenience or inevitability, but an enlivening and elemental part of being alive.

Navigating life as a neurodivergent, non-binary person, Alex Manley explores their dislocations from the norm as part of a relentlessly personal journey, as seen through the variety of lenses that have defined them. Post-Man delves into the ways in which Manley has always felt apart, alone, and othered, the ways in which they felt there was something wrong with them. In adulthood they came to recognise they were someone with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and possibly more, someone who existed outside the neat binary of gender that modern society imposes on us. These facets of personality have been consistent and undeniable presences in the author’s life, slowly and ineluctably making their way to the surface. Post-Man takes the reader through the stultifying machismo of hockey culture, the thrilling rule-breaking of jaywalking, the improbable job of working for a men’s website, the strange unpleasantness of going bald as a non-binary person, and more, each essay digging down into the meat of these experiences in search for its beating heart.

On the night of his major league debut in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium in 1993, Curtis Pride got his first hit to a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 45,000 fans. Profoundly deaf since birth, Pride couldn’t hear their thunderous applause. But as the cheers grew louder and more insistent, he realised he was feeling those vibrations within his chest — an undeniable acknowledgement of an extraordinary achievement. Pride went on to play in 420 more major league games over eleven different seasons with the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and New York Yankees. He was then hired as baseball coach at Gallaudet the world’s leading university for deaf students, and has received countless national and local awards for his achievements and his service in inspiring and educating others. With candour, warmth, and humour, Pride writes from the heart in I Felt the Cheers. From the first time he played T ball at age six and got a couple of hits, he dreamed of playing in the major leagues. No matter how unlikely it seemed, or how much skepticism he faced from teammates or coaches, Pride stayed resolute. Far from being a disadvantage, he came to see that his deafness could sometimes be a secret weapon, forcing him to use senses that other players take for granted. Curtis’s personal journey is unique, but his message is a powerful, universal one, sure to resonate deeply with everyone who has faced difficult challenges. I Felt the Cheers is living proof that dreams can come true, no matter how impossible they seem.

Since ancient times, people with disabilities have been ridiculed, ignored, and even tortured — and while this problem has plagued society for far too long, the media has largely turned a blind eye to it. Silent No Longer is the story of Robert Stack’s forty-year career in the disability industry, revealing the horrible neglect that persists today and asking why tens of thousands of people are still unnecessarily incarcerated in institutions that fail them. Stack is a veteran of the industry and the founder and CEO of Community Options — one of the largest non-profit organisations supporting persons with disabilities today — and offers a first-hand account of the neglect and abuse he has witnessed in his decades of advocacy. In this eye-opening dive into the disability industry, Stack pulls back the curtain on the systemic mistreatment that has plagued the disability community for far too long: exposing the disturbing rise of private equity firms investing in facilities that prioritise profits over care; highlighting the tactics used to make substandard institutions appear high-quality; revealing the stark disparities in funding and care across the United States. With over 7 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in America, and some 80 million family members who love and care for them, Silent No Longer is a crucial resource for industry professionals and policymakers alike—and a demand that we restore dignity to those most vulnerable members of our society.

Amber has carried the question of her past for years. With no memory of her childhood haunted by chronic pain, she assumes it’s amnesia — until a strange man claiming to have answers appears. And a story much darker, stranger, and more otherworldly begins to take shape. Amber and her girlfriend are caught up in a net of occult secrets and ancient monsters connected to the seaside town of Aquinnah, and as the town’s dark history is uncovered, Amber must decide if she will be the town’s salvation… or its doom. Writer Matteo Casali (Batman: Europa, Marvel’s What If) and artist Rachele Aragno (Mel the Chosen, Leonide the Vampyr) spin a terrible tale of history and injustice.

A funny, unflinchingly honest, and deeply compassionate memoir about one woman’s experience of raising an autistic child while discovering she is also “on the spectrum”. Almost 10 years after learning that her son is autistic, Julie Green was also diagnosed, shedding light on a lifetime of feeling othered and misunderstood. Motherness traces Julie’s journey from childhood to early motherhood, when she must advocate for her son while navigating her own struggles. With more girls and women being diagnosed in the last decade — many of them later in life — the face of autism is changing. Motherness provides a rich, intensely personal account of what it is like to be autistic, through the lens of both a mother and child. Topics include sensory processing, meltdowns and shutdowns, masking, empathy, alexithymia, bullying, elopement, special interests, disordered eating, gender diversity, twice exceptionality, and more. Motherness is a story about accepting your child while learning to accept yourself. This extraordinary, ground-breaking memoir speaks to the great challenges and great joys of autism, providing valuable insights to parents of autistic children, adults newly diagnosed or questioning their place on the spectrum, and anyone seeking a greater understanding of neurodiversity.

When Tymofiy is five years old, his small family in Cherkasy, Ukraine grows by one. Not with the birth of a baby sister or brother, but with the appearance of Felix — mentor and tormentor, enemy and friend — Tymofiy’s grandmother’s sometime-boyfriend. “Who are you?” Felix screams in the depths of a confused and drunken rage at all who cross his path, his memories of the Soviet-Afghan war clouding his eyes and senses. “Who are you?” Tymofiy asks himself as he drifts through the streets of his hometown, searching for love and protection, for a better, happier way of life. A gritty, realist depiction of Ukraine and the post-Soviet world, this book offers an affecting yet honest look into the life of someone suffering from PTSD. It is a story of growing up without much hope for a better future, and yet intense moments of connection and kindness persist. Just when things begin to seem insurmountably dark, a friendship begins, a kind word is said, or a hand reaches out and opens the curtains, letting in a little light.

Superstar writer Jed MacKay begins a new chapter in his highly acclaimed Moon Knight saga! As an avatar and agent of the Egyptian God of the Moon, Khonshu, former mercenary Marc Spector has died and come back to life on more than one occasion. To the ignorant, his fate beyond death’s grasp may seem idyllic — but being chosen as a Fist of Khonshu comes with a heavy cost! And like bones in a street fight, Marc Spector — and the multitudes he contains — may be about to break! Collecting: Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu (2024) 1-5.

What does depression look like through a camera lens? How can the act of photography itself become a lifeline in the midst of mental turmoil? In this striking personal essay and collection of photographs, architect Abele takes us on a visual exploration of his journey with bipolar disorder. From the frenetic energy of Tokyo’s cityscape to moments of profound solitude, each image offers a window into the photographer’s mind. Abele’s introductory essay provides context to his visual narrative. He candidly shares how his successful career took him to Japan, where the intensity of work and life exacerbated his yet-undiagnosed condition. As he grappled with the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, Abele discovered an unexpected therapeutic tool in his camera. Detour is not just a showcase of artistic photography; it’s a testament to the power of creative expression in managing mental health. Through Abele’s lens, we see how the act of capturing moments can bring clarity to a turbulent mind, offering both the artist and the viewer a new perspective on the complexities of living with bipolar disorder.

When thirty-one-year-old Michael King starts to act out of character, it gets the attention of his roommate and a woman he has started dating. After denying anything is wrong with him, Michael finally decides to visit a neurologist. His life takes an unexpected turn when he receives a life-altering diagnosis of epilepsy. What follows is a five-year saga of navigating the unpredictable terrain of seizures and the relentless pursuit of control. During this time, he finds solace in the unwavering support of the woman he is dating. At thirty-seven, Michael bravely elects to undergo surgery, setting a precent as the hospital’s first of its kind. The success of the procedure becomes a catalyst for a remarkable transformation. A serendipitous encounter with an old friend sets an unexpected career shift in motion just nine months post-surgery. Seizing the opportunity, Michael dives into the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley as a recruiter for software companies. Be There When I Return is an intimate narrative of resilience, courage, and the unwavering pursuit of one’s aspirations, set against the backdrop of a captivating love story. This memoir is not just a tale of overcoming health hurdles but a poignant narrative of seizing second chances and achieving professional excellence against all odds.

Marvel’s Premier Collection packs iconic stories into a sleek new format ideal for Marvel fans, gamers, and comic readers both old and new, as well as anyone looking for the perfect entry point into the Marvel Universe anytime, anywhere. This is the definitive Daredevil story, where Matt Murdock is stripped of everything — his secret identity, his friends, and his very sense of self. In this gritty and powerful tale, visionary creators Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City) and David Mazzucchelli (Batman: Year One) reforge Daredevil as a hero reborn, driven by pure faith and unshakable resolve, showing his true strength lies within. The book that inspired Daredevil’s portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Includes bonus material such as a foreword by author Frank Miller and an afterword by actor Charlie Cox. From the powerhouse pairing of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli comes the definitive Daredevil tale. Karen Page, Matt Murdock’s former lover, sets into motion a Machiavellian chain of events by trading away his secret identity for a drug fix. Now, Daredevil must find all the strength he can muster as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, wastes no time taking him down as low as a human can get. As he’s nursed back to health by a nun named Sister Maggie, Matt discovers a shocking secret that will change their relationship forever — but can he piece his life back together and survive a battle against the brutal super-soldier named Nuke?