Neurodiversity and Autism booklist for Parent, Children and Teenagers
Books for Parents
Parenting rewired: how to raise a happy autistic child in a neurotypical world
Danielle Punter
Packed with lived-experience insight and easy-to-follow advice this transformative guide will change how you view the behaviour of your autistic child and challenge you to rewire your thinking to see the world through the autistic lens, giving you all the tools, you need to not only parent your autistic child, but also to understand them.
Supporting your neurodiverse child
Written for parents by parents
Essex Family Forum, SEND the Right Message (STRM) Support Services and MyOTAS (My Own Time And Space) Charity are proud to have written and produced a pack which is full of useful information for families with a neurodiverse child.
Andrew Brenner
Pablo is the first animated TV series to star an autistic character. Pablo and his friend Wren don't want to go to sleep because they think they will disappear. The rest of Pablo's friends rally round them and help them understand that there is nothing to be worried about at night time. All Pablo books are written by writers on the autistic spectrum and are grounded in the real-life experiences of autistic children.
Melanie Heyworth
‘Remarkable Remy' is a warm and optimistic story that introduces an autistic character to a young audience. The story helps explain the autistic brain - how it works a little differently and how unique it is - and how our neurodivergent friends make the world remarkable!
Jon Roberts
'Through the Eyes of Us' is a beautiful, colourful picture book for children which gives insight into the world of children with autism following the experiences of Kya, who has severe autism.
Rose Robbins
The autistic sister in this sibling pair is non-verbal, but she finds plenty of ways to communicate and have fun with her brother. Although she can't talk, this little girl understands everything, and has plenty to say, and lots of ideas. Her brother and granny can understand her whether she needs help or is helping them!
The Extraordinary adventures of Alice Tonks
Emily Kenny
Alice Tonks desperately wants to make friends at boarding school but, being autistic, she's always found it hard to fit in. As she starts to explore her newfound abilities to talk to animals, to her horror she learns that creatures are going missing. Only Alice holds the key to solving the mystery and finding the culprit, and to do that she'll need a bit of help both human and animal.
Frankie's World
Aooife Dooley
12-year-old Frankie knows she's not like anyone else in her class, but she can't quite figure out why. Everyone else seems to think she's weird too. Frankie's dad left when she was a baby - maybe he was different too? It would explain why she always feels like an alien. So, she and her best-friend Sam, embark on a mission to track him down.
Moojag and the Auticode secret
N.E. McMorran
Winner of the Nautilus Book Award 2020. When Nema and her friends discover a hidden sugar-hooked society holding lost kids, they find their perfect world in danger. 'Moojag and the Auticode Secret' is a quirky, Alice-esque cli-fi adventure written by an autistic author, featuring diverse autistic characters, for readers 10 years and up.
Isabelle Marinov
Hugo hates that he’s not friends with Alex and Julie any more. When he learns about the tunnels and catacombs under Paris, where he lives, he knows that this dark, quiet place will be where he belongs.And so begins an underground adventure involving robbers, secret passages, monsters – and true courage. Hugo can only be himself, with his differently wired brain. It’s up to others whether they like him or not.
Aooife Dooley
Frankie is worried about starting secondary school. Especially when the bully from Frankie’s previous school, Nadine, joins the school. Will she make Frankie feel bad again, or can Frankie find her voice and stand out? This is a funny, positive book to read before starting senior school. Like Frankie’s World, this is a graphic novel with humour and heart. The creator is autistic herself and it’s based on her experiences. Honest and funny, this will engage upper primary readers and prompt discussions around empathy.
Growing up autistic and happy: a perfectly weird guide to being perfectly you
Camilla Pang
Diagnosed with autism age 8, Camilla saw the world very differently. But with science as her sidekick, she was able to translate ideas she could understand (like gravity and algorithms) onto things she couldn't (like peer pressure and finding your voice). Today, Camilla is here to share her scientific survival guide with you.
The awesome autistic go-to guide: a practical handbook for autistic teens and tweens
Yenn Purkiss
A guide for young people aged 10-14 on the autism spectrum. It encourages teens and tweens to identify their strengths, suggests how they can develop their identity, and celebrates neurodiversity. It also has tips for managing tricky situations such as anxiety and meltdowns, as well as fun activities and interactive sections.
Joe Wells
This empowering book showcases successful neurodivergent role models from the worlds of sport, art, science, music and more. Written by a stand-up comedian, with illustrated portraits, it highlights the incredible achievements of the 30 neurodivergent people you need to know and shows that their neurodivergent traits helped get them where they are.
Lark & Kasim start a revolution
Kacen Callender
When 17-year-old nonbinary, neurodivergent and aspiring writer Lark pretends that they are the creator of a viral thread that their ex-best friend, Kasim, accidentally posted onto their Twitter account things get out of hand fast. As Lark's lie deepens and they begin a famous relationship with their own crush, Lark searches for the courage to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution.
Jessica Scott-Whyte
It's often said that the first day at a new school can be nerve-wrecking, but for 13-year-old Leon Crothers, joining his seventh new school, simply raises the question of who or what will be the reason for his departure. A funny novel exploring themes of neurodiversity and dyslexia.