The Disability Book Archive

[ID: A book cover. The background is dark blue with various stars dotted around. At the top, a pattern of blue and red vine like shapes, with a white tiara in the centre. Below this, small light blue writing reads:
“It could just be the biggest heist of her life” with “heist” written in capitals.
Below this, the title “Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star”. “Cosima” is in large blue capitals, with the dot of the “i” as a large star. “steals a star” is written in small yellow capitals in a red banner.
Below the red banner, art of a young girl, with long brown hair and a red dress, holding a walking stick. She is positioned in front of a large glass building, with the shadows of other girls around her. Across the bottom of the cover and the bottom half of the girl, a long blue banner with text. Text in the banner reads:
The author’s name “Laura Noakes” in black capitals, and “illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino” directly below this in smaller black capitals. /end]

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Content Warning:

• Ableism
• Child Abuse
• Racism
• Genocide/Eugenics
• Abandonement

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Summary:

Cosima Unfortunate has spent all her life at the Home for Unfortunate Girls – a school where any disabled children, or children deemed different, are sent, whether their families want it or not. It is there that she meets her friends – Pearl, Mary and Diya – and they start to practise mini heists involving the theft of cakes, biscuits and other sweet goodies.


But when Cos finds out that Lord Francis Fitzroy, the explorer behind the Empire Exhibition, is planning to adopt them, she and her friends plot the biggest heist of their life. Instead of fondant fancies, they’re going to steal Fitzroy’s prized tiara, containing the legendary Star Diamond of India! But, as they start preparing for the day, Cosima finds herself drawing ever closer to discovering the one secret she’s always wanted to know – the truth about her parents…

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Notes:

The MC of this book, Cosima, shares her Hypermobility disorder with the author, Laura Noakes.

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Archivist Comments:

I can’t remember who suggested this one to me, but I think the cover art is gorgeous. Also apparently there are other forms of disability representation in this book but I do not know what they are.

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