Neurodiversity Books for Teens

Updated June 10, 2026
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Building Independence : A Handbook for Teens, Young Adults, and Those Who Care about Them
Brunton, Jennifer
Paper Book
Transitioning into adulthood is already difficult, but being young and Autistic can make it so much harder. Leaving the protections and supports of childhood behind can feel daunting. In a world that often marginalises Autistic people, how do you begin to figure out and pursue your own goals and...
Asking for a friend
Riley, Ronnie
Paper Book
Eden Jones has exactly three friends. And they're all fake. From a web of lies and anxiety to true friendship and queer joy; this is the wonderful second book from the author of the Indies Introduce and Indie Next List pick, Jude Saves the World. Why go through...
The beat I drum
Bowling, Dusti
Paper Book
"This story was everything I wanted it to be. Heartfelt, thoughtful, and most of all . . . full of hope. I loved it!" --Lindsay Currie, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Locked Rooms Connor, beloved best friend of Aven Green...
Challenger deep
Shusterman, Neal
Paper Book
National Book Award * Golden Kite Award Winner * Six Starred Reviews A captivating novel about mental illness that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman. Caden Bosch is...
Colin Fischer
Miller, Ashley Edward.
Paper Book
SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions. But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday...
Excuse me while I ugly cry
Goffney, Joya
Paper Book
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by debut author Joya Goffney is a story of an overly enthusiastic list maker who is blackmailed into completing a to-do list of all her worst fears. It's a heartfelt, tortured, contemporary YA high school romance. Fans of Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before...
The fire never goes out : a memoir in pictures
Stevenson, Noelle
Paper Book
From ND Stevenson, the New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Nimona, comes a captivating, honest illustrated memoir that finds him turning an important corner in his creative journey--and inviting readers along for the ride. In a collection of essays and personal mini-comics...
The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn
Pla, Sally J.
Paper Book
Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? This contemporary novel is a must-read for fans of Leslie Connor and Ali Standish. A Schneider Family Book Award winner! ...
Joined at the joints
Eller, Marissa
Paper Book
When baking-obsessed Ivy meets a boy who shares her rare diagnosis, sparks fly outside of the kitchen for the first time in her life! Chronically ill seventeen-year-old Ivy has stayed inside baking all summer--pies are better than people, and they don't trigger her...
A kind of spark
McNicoll, Elle
Paper Book
Perfect for readers of Song for a Whale and Counting by 7s, a neurodivergent girl campaigns for a memorial when she learns that her small Scottish town used to burn witches simply because they were different. "A must-read for students and adults alike." ...
Komi can't communicate. Volume 27
Oda, Tomohito
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Lark & Kasim start a revolution
Callender, Kacen
Paper Book
From National Book Award-winner Kacen Callender, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution is a contemporary YA that follows Lark's journey to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution. "A hilarious and bold love story...
Lavender clouds : comics about neurodivergence and mental health
Ollerton, Bex
Paper Book
A dazzling, humorous, and highly personal portrayal of neurodivergence from a leading voice in mental health comics. Eisner Award nominated author Bex Ollerton--known as @Schnumn to her thousands of followers--is a talented comic artist who feels energized and courageous on some...
List of ten
Gomez, Halli
Paper Book
A harrowing yet hopeful account of a teen living with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . . . and contemplating his own mortality. Ten: three little letters, one ordinary number. No big deal, right? But for Troy Hayes, a 16-year-old suffering...
Marcelo in the real world
Stork, Francisco X.
Paper Book
Imagine Curious Incident of the Dog . . . with a romance, and you have the beginnings of this story of a young man struggling with the world outside his head--and the woman who gets inside it.The term "cognitive disorder" implies there is something wrong with the way I think or the way I...
Neurodiversity for teen girls : shine bright as you embrace your brain, your emotions, and your life
Roberts, Jamie D.
Paper Book
Shine bright as you embrace your unique brain, understand your emotions, and live your best life!  The teen years are a delicate balance of self-exploration, managing expectations, and establishing your independent identity. Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world adds a...
Queerly autistic : the ultimate guide for LGBTQIA+ teens on the spectrum
Ekins, Erin
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI CHILDREN'S & YA BOOK PRIZE The perfect companion to Queerly Autistic, The Queerly Autistic Workbook, is out now! 'An essential guide' LIZZIE HUXLEY-JONES 'This book is perfect' WENN LAWSON ...
Rules for camouflage
Cronn-Mills, Kirstin
Paper Book
Atypical meets Every Last Word in this relatable and heartfelt coming of age story about a neurodivergent teen navigating school, friendships and first love. ​ Evvie Chambers is doing her best to skate through the last month of high...
Six goodbyes we never said
Ganger, Candace
Paper Book
Two teens meet after tragedy and learn about love, loss, and letting go Naima Rodriguez doesn't want your patronizing sympathy as she grieves her father, her hero--a fallen Marine. She'll hate you forever if you ask her to open up and remember him "as he was," though...
This moth saw brightness
Vacharat, A. A.
Paper Book
A weird and revelatory debut that vividly captures the dislocation of growing up BIPOC and neurodivergent in a country awash in both conspiracy theories and genuine conspiracies. "The invisible D in my name is my mother's second most lasting contribution to my life." ...
Tilly in technicolor
Eddings, Mazey
Paper Book
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings's sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer. Tilly Twomley is desperate for change. White-knuckling her way through high school with flawed executive functioning has left her burnt...
Turtles all the way down
Green, John
Paper Book
FEATURED ON 60 MINUTES and FRESH AIR "So surprising and moving and true that I became completely unstrung." - The New York Times Named a best book of the year by: The New York Times, NPR, TIME, Wall...
Very bad at math
Larson, Hope
Paper Book
Hijinks, unexpected friendships, and math take center stage in this contemporary middle grade graphic novel perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller from New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning author Hope Larson. Verity "Very" Nelson can do it all.<...
Wired differently : 30 neurodivergent people you should know
Wells, Joe; Stringer, Tim
Paper Book
This collection of illustrated portraits celebrates the lives of influential neurodivergent figures who have achieved amazing things in recent times. Showcasing these 30 incredible people, the extraordinary stories in this book show that the things they've achieved, created and...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.