Children's Book Suggestions | Autism Awareness Month

Some of our favorite books for and about kids with autism, for readers age 4-14. More books can be found in the library's online catalog.

Updated March 14, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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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...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

My brother Charlie
Peete, Holly Robinson
Paper Book
From bestselling author and actress Holly Robinson Peete--a heartwarming story about a boy who happens to be autistic, based on Holly's son, who has autism."Charlie has autism. His brain works in a special way. It's harder for him to make friends. Or show his true feelings. Or stay safe." But as his...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Henry, like always
Bailey, Jenn
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Winner  A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book  A NPR 2023 Books We Love Pick A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023  A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the...

Early Reader (Level 3)

A boy called Bat
Arnold, Elana K.
Paper Book
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 good-surprise day. Bat's mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a stray baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The extraordinary adventures of Alice Tonks
Kenny, Emily
Paper Book
What if you could talk to animals? Alice Tonks desperately wants to make friends at boarding school but, being autistic, she's always found it hard to fit in. Then she discovers she is a "switcher" and can talk to animals. As she starts to explore her newfound abilities, to her...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Get a grip, Vivy Cohen!
Kapit, Sarah
Paper Book
In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won't let anything stop her from playing baseball--not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal. Vivy Cohen is determined. She's had enough of playing catch in the park. She's ready to pitch...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

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! ...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

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. ...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Me and Sam-Sam handle the apocalypse
Vaught, Susan
Paper Book
"Edgar-winning Vaught, a neuropsychologist, has both personal and professional experience to draw on in crafting a narrator who is admirably smart and resilient despite an 'itchy' brain and a compulsion to count things." --Booklist (starred review) "Deeply smart and...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

A different kind of normal : my real-life completely true story about being unique
Balfe, Abigail
Paper Book
In this joyfully illustrated memoir, Abigail Balfe recounts her journey growing up autistic and the challenges of navigating the "normal" world around her. This is a perfect book for both neurodivergent and neurotypical kids to learn more about neurodiversity. When Abigail was...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 8-12)

Temple Grandin : how the girl who loved cows embraced autism and changed the world
Montgomery, Sy.
Paper Book
When Temple Grandin was born, her parents knew that she was different. Years later she was diagnosed with autism. While Temple's doctor recommended a hospital, her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead. Today, Dr. Temple Grandin is a scientist and professor of animal...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 10-12)

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...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 5-8)


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