Neurodiversity Books for Kids

Updated June 10, 2026
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Being Autistic
Garvey, Niamh.
Paper Book
You're autistic - but what does that really mean? Welcome to the ultimate guide to understanding who you are and what it means to be autistic! In this fully illustrated graphic guide to what it means to be autistic and discover the differences between sensory seekers and...
A boy called Bat
Arnold, Elana K.
Paper Book
The first book in the Schneider Award Honor-winning young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum. For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises--some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is...
A day with no words
Hammond, Tiffany
Paper Book
An instant #1 New York Times bestselling picture book and Dolly Gray Award winner! A Day With No Words invites readers into the life of an Autism Family who communicates just as the child does, without spoken language. The American Library Association Booklist...
Ellen outside the lines
Sass, A. J.
Paper Book
Winner of a Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor! A heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons for fans of Rain Reign and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World. ...
Figure it out, Henri Weldon
Davis, Tanita S.
Paper Book
Tanita S. Davis, author of Partly Cloudy and Serena Says, has written another funny, warm story featuring middle school and family life--all about the complex calculations it takes for everyone to balance the equations of their lives and what it takes to be part of a team while handling a...
Fish in a tree
Hunt, Lynda Mullaly
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller. An emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in. "Fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and...
Flap your hands : a celebration of stimming
Asbell, Steve
Paper Book
This fascinating, groundbreaking picture book by an autistic creator celebrates stims--the repetitive movements that provide focused stimulation to people on the autistic spectrum. When you're feeling overwhelmed And the world's too much to bear... If your feelings...
A friend for Henry
Bailey, Jenn
Paper Book
Henry, a boy on the autism spectrum, has been on the lookout for a friend in his class. His best efforts are often misunderstood, but after an art project mix-up and a Reading Time setback, Henry finds a way to build a friendship in this charming and reassuring picture book.
The girl who thought in pictures : the story of Dr. Temple Grandin
Mosca, Julia Finley
Paper Book
NSTA Best STEM Books for K-12 Selection. NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books Selection. Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award. Recipient A Mighty Girl Book of the Year. If you've ever felt different, if you've ever been low, if you don't quite fit in, there's a name you should know. Meet Dr....
The goldfish boy
Thompson, Lisa
Paper Book
In this riveting debut, a boy struggling with OCD is uniquely qualified to solve a kidnapping.Lisa Thompson's debut novel is a page-turning mystery with an emotionally-driven, complex character study at its core -- like Rear Window meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time<...
Good different
Kuyatt, Meg Eden
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book An extraordinary novel-in-verse for fans of Starfish and A Kind of Spark about a neurodivergent girl who comes to understand and celebrate her difference. Selah knows her rules for being normal. She always, always...
Harley the hero
Collins, Peggy
Paper Book
An exciting picture book inspired by a real-life classroom service dog with themes of friendship, neurodivergence, and courage Harley the service dog is on the job! He goes to school every day with Ms. Prichard to make sure she feels safe. Their students are a lot of fun, but Harley...
Holy enchilada!
Winkler, Henry
Paper Book
PS 87 is having multicultural week, and Ms. Adolf's class is putting on a "Foods from Around the World" luncheon. Hank is thrilled&150no reading, no outlining, and no review questions, just cooking! Hank makes enchiladas, and at the luncheon, Ms. Adolf piles her plate with lots of food. But after a...
How to build a hug : Temple Grandin and her amazing squeeze machine
Guglielmo, Amy
Paper Book
Amy Guglielmo, Jacqueline Tourville, and Giselle Potter come together to tell the inspiring story of autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin and her brilliant invention: the hug machine. As a young girl, Temple Grandin loved folding paper kites, making obstacle courses, and building...
Joey Pigza swallowed the key
Gantos, Jack.
Paper Book
Joey Pigza can't sit still. He can't pay attention, he can't follow the rules, and he can't help it -- especially when his meds aren't working. Joey's had problems ever since he was born, problems just like his dad and grandma have. And whether he's wreaking havoc on a class trip or swallowing...
Just roll with it
Durfey-Lavoie, Lee
Paper Book
Starting middle school is hard enough when you don't know anyone; it's even harder when you're shy. A contemporary middle-grade graphic novel for fans of Guts and Real Friends about how dealing with anxiety and OCD can affect everyday life. As long as Maggie rolls...
A kids book about neurodiversity
Petix, Laura.
Paper Book
An informative and engaging introduction to neurodiversity, designed to help start conversations between kids and their grownups. This is a kids' book about neurodiversity. Everything we do is because of how our brains work, and everyone's brain is different. Seriously! But our...
A mango-shaped space : a novel
Mass, Wendy
Paper Book
"From the moment I read a story by Wendy Mass, I knew she was a writer to watch." --Judy Blume An award-winning book from the New York Times bestselling author of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life and The Candymakers for fans for of Wonder...
My brain is magic : a sensory-seeking celebration
Sooful, Prasha
Paper Book
Is your brain magic? Whether your brain buzzes around the room like a bee or tells you to be loud and roar like a lion, celebrate the many things that it can be! This sensory-seeking celebration shines a light on neurodiversity and sensory processing in a fun and action-packed way for all...
Next level : a hymn in gratitude for neurodiversity
Doyon, Samara Cole
Paper Book
Told from the loving perspective of a mother of a child with autism, Next Level shows the full humanity of people who move through the world and communicate in their own unique, complete, and powerful way. Doyon's powerful love letter to her son invites us to "level up" and see our shared humanity...
Real
Cujec, Carol
Paper Book
Inspired by a true story. My name is Charity. I am thirteen years old. Actually, thirteen years plus eighty-seven days. I love sour gummies and pepperoni pizza. That last part no one knows because I have not spoken a sentence since I was born. Each dawning day, I live...
Ruby's tools for making friends
Stott, Apryl
Paper Book
A little fox uses tools to overcome anxiety and make friends at her new school in this heartfelt picture book from the creator of the New York Times bestseller Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light! It's Ruby the fox's first day at a new school. She's a little...
I think I think a lot
Whipple, Jessica
Paper Book
A young girl notices, and celebrates, her way of looking at and experiencing the world. "I think. I think a lot. I think I think a lot. More than most other kids." A young girl notices and wonders about the ways she and her classmates approach doing good work, caring about people's...
This beach is loud!
Cotterill, Samantha
Paper Book
Patience, understanding, and a soothing exercise saves the beach day when excitement turns to sensory overload. Going to the beach is exciting. But it can also be busy. And loud. Sand can feel hot or itchy or sticky...and it gets everywhere! In This Beach Is Loud...
Too much! : an overwhelming day
Gutiérrez, Jolene
Paper Book
When feelings go on overload, I pause and breathe and all is . . . slowed. Sometimes everything is too much! Too loud, too bright, and all too overwhelming. Writing from her own experience with sensory processing disorder, award-winning teacher-librarian...
A walk in the words
Talbott, Hudson
Paper Book
Winner of a Schneider Family Honor! "A beautifully rendered and deeply inspiring book for everyone who has ever read slowly-myself included! Hudson shows us the beauty and magic that can come from taking our time. Brilliant."-Jacqueline Woodson Hudson Talbott's...
Wiggles, stomps, and squeezes calm my jitters down
Parker, Lindsey Rowe
Paper Book
"This book is for anyone who has ever felt the need for a wiggle, stomp, or squeeze!" This is a story about sensory differences and how some children experience their world, told from a child's perspective. The vibration in her feet when she runs, the tap-tap-tap of...
Wonderfully wired brains
Gooding, Louise
Paper Book
An informative and inclusive children's guide to neurodiversity for those not in the know and to inspire children who are neurodivergent. Wonderfully Wired Brains teaches children aged 7-9 all about the awesome abilities that neurodiverse individuals have, introduces them...

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