April is Autism Acceptance Month so we've gathered a list of books for all ages written by autistic writers. Take a look to read about the experiences of autistic people and how they make our world richer!
For more information, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has put together many resources on the debate between saying "autistic person" and "person with autism," resources and toolkits, and ideas for anyone to take action to protect the rights of autistic and neurodivergent people.
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Sincerely, your autistic child : what people on the autism spectrum wish their parents knew about growing up, acceptance, and identity
by Emily Paige Ballou NONFICTION: An anthology of autistic contributors who tackle the everyday challenges of growing up while honestly addressing the emotional needs, sensitivity and vibrancy of autistic girls and nonbinary people, helping parents to avoid common mistakes and overcome challenges while raising their child. Original. |
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by Autistic Self Advocacy Network, edited by Elizabeth Bartmess NONFICTION: This anthology includes essays from a diverse group of adult-diagnosed autistic people. Our essays reflect the value of knowing why--why we are different from so many other people, why it can be so hard to do things others can take for granted, and why there is often such a mismatch between others' treatment of us and our own needs, skills, and experiences. Essay topics include recovering from burnout, exploring our passions and interests, and coping with sensory overload, especially in social situations. |
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The art of saving the world
by Corinne Duyvis TEEN SCI-FI: On her sixteenth birthday, Hazel Stanczak discovers that she is the Chosen One who is meant to save the world with the aid of five alternate-dimension doppelgängers and an exasperated dragon mentor |
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NONFICTION: This book is a message from autistic people to their parents, friends, teachers, coworkers and doctors showing what life is like on the spectrum. It's also my love letter to autistic people. For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another language. |
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Navigating autism : 9 mindsets for helping kids on the spectrum
by Temple Grandin NONFICTION: Empowering strategies for anyone who works with children and teens on the spectrum. International best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions and checklists help readers put them to practical use. Temple Grandin shares personal experiences and anecdotes from the thousands of parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them. So many people support the lives of these kids, and this book is for all of them: teachers; special education staff; mental health clinicians; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; parents; and anyone interacting with autistic children or teens. Readers will come away with new, empowering mindsets they can apply to develop the full potential of every child. |
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Act your age, Eve Brown : a novel
by Talia Hibbert ROMANCE: When his life is taken over by a purple-haired tornado of a woman named Eve Brown, B&B owner Jacob Wayne tries to fight his attraction to this sunny, chaotic woman who is his natural-born enemy. |
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The heart principle
by Helen Hoang ROMANCE: When she suddenly loses her ability to play the violin, Anna Sun must learn to listen to her heart and falls in love with a man her parents disapprove of, forcing her to choose between meeting expectations and finding happiness in who she really is. |
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Odd girl out : my extraordinary autistic life
by Laura E James NONFICTION/MEMOIR: The author, a journalist who is married and a mother, describes her discovery as an adult that she is autistic, how it explains her lifelong feeling that she does not fit in, her struggles to cope, and her approach to her work and her home life. |
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The boys in the back row
by Mike Jung TWEEN FICTION:Best friends Matt and Eric are hatching a plan for one big final adventure together before Eric moves away: during the marching band competition at a Giant Amusement Park, they will sneak away to a nearby comics convention and meet their idol--a famous comic creator. Without cell phones. Or transportation. Or permission. and support for one another. That's exactly what we love so much about The Boys in the Back Row: it's an unabashed ode to male friendship, because love between boys, platonic or otherwise, is something to celebrate. And of course, because this is Mike Jung, we'll be celebrating it with hilariously flawed hijinks and geekiness galore! |
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TEEN SCI-FI: When Eris faked her death, she thought she had left her old life as the heir to the galaxy's most ruthless empire behind. But her recruitment by the Novantaen Resistance, an organization opposed to the empire's voracious expansion, throws her right back into the fray. Eris has been assigned a new mission: to infiltrate a spaceship ferrying deadly cargo and return the intelligence gathered to the Resistance. But her partner for the mission, mechanic and hotshot pilot Cloelia, bears an old grudge against Eris, making an already difficult infiltration even more complicated. |
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The fox's tower and other tales
by Yoon Ha Lee SHORT STORIES: In this magical collection of flash fiction fairy tales, encounter science-minded fox spirits, tiger wives, books that can be read by anyone but their owner, and more! |
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Too sticky! : sensory issues with autism
by Jen Malia PICTURE BOOK: With help from her family and teacher, Holly overcomes her dislike of having sticky hands to participate in a science experiment. Includes author's note about living with autism and sensory issues and a recipe for making slime. |
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Funny, you don't look autistic : a comedian's guide to life on the spectrum
by Michael McCreary NONFICTION/MEMOIR: Stand-up comic and activist Michael McCreary describes how he was diagnosed with ASD in early childhood and found healing and empowerment through journaling, as a comedian and in dispelling misconceptions about autism. |
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Divergent mind : thriving in a world that wasn't designed for you
by Jenara Nerenberg NONFICTION: A journalist who with autism and ADHD reveals why these conditions are often overlooked and misdiagnosed in women and shares real stories from fellow women to dispel widely-held misconceptions while offering a path forward. |
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Planet earth is blue
by Nicole Panteleakos MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Autistic and nearly nonverbal, twelve-year-old Nova is happy in her new foster home and school, but eagerly anticipates the 1986 Challenger launch, for which her sister, Bridget, promised to return. |
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The Awesome Autistic Go-to Guide : A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens and Tweens
by Yenn Purkis NONFICTION TEEN: This book explores what it feels like to be a young person on the autism spectrum and looks at all the brilliant things people on the autism spectrum can do.Full of insights about being awesome and autistic, this book celebrates the strengths of understanding the world in a different way. It looks at all the reasons being you and thinking differently can be totally awesome! It also has tips for managing tricky situations such as meltdowns, sensory differences and anxiety. It includes fun activities and diary pages where you can write your thoughts and feelings to help you concentrate on your strengths and work on your challenges.This book helps you develop the confidence to be who you are and help you live life with as little stress and anxiety as possible. |
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Ellen outside the lines
by A. J. Sass TWEEN FICTION: When a school trip to Barcelona to reconnect with her best friend doesn’t go as planned, Ellen, a neurodivergent 13-year-old, must expand her horizons as she makes new friends and learns to let go of old ones. |
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Sorrowland
by Rivers Solomon SCI-FI: Fleeing from the strict religious compound where she was raised, Vern, in the safety of the forest, gives birth to twins, and to keep her small family safe, unleashes incredible brutality far beyond what a person should be capable of. |