This month in Book Corner, we celebrate those we love with neurodiversity! Follow the characters in these books as they learn to navigate the world around them and come to appreciate their strengths and individuality.
YOUTH
Teach little ones that our differences make us unique with these picture books.
My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete
Find out how someone with autism thinks and learns differently. They may not be good at some things, but they are great at other things!
A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott
Based on the author’s own experiences with dyslexia, this story takes the reader on his journey to overcome a fear of reading. The words on the page are scary at first, until he learns how to approach reading in his own way.
Beginning readers will laugh along as Hank faces challenges at school in a humorous way.
Here’s Hank Series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
In the younger version of the Hank Zipzer series, Hank is a student who struggles with school, especially memorizing and spelling. He is equally bad at math and reading, too! In this series, readers will follow Hank as he navigates the different challenges he faces, learning how to overcome them in his own special and sometimes funny way. (Written in Dyslexia-friendly format)
Kids will appreciate Max’s ingenuity in this chapter book series.
The Secret Games of Maximus Todd Series by L. M. Nicodemo
Max is super fidgety and cannot sit still! Readers will follow Max as he tries to invent numerous, funny ways to keep his fidgets at bay through each story. (Written in Dyslexia-friendly format)
Find encouragement and practical advice in these nonfiction titles about learning differences.
How I Learn: A Kid’s Guide to Learning Disability by Brenda S. Miles and Colleen A. Patterson
Enjoy this simple story that lets kids know it’s ok to be different. Whether reading, writing, or math is hard for you, it’s ok to ask for help and keep trying your best.
The Homework Squad’s ADHD Guide to School Success by Joshua Shifrin, PhD
This guide for students with ADHD provides hints, tips, and tricks to help them recognize the best way for them to learn individually. Not everyone learns in the same way, even if they have the same learning difference. With short snippets throughout the book and great characters, this book is sure to help improve study skills in multiple subjects as well as increase the reader’s ability to concentrate and more.
TEENS AND TWEENS
Be inspired by the teens in these stories who have overcome challenges and gained confidence in their abilities.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the troublemaker. With his help, Ally learns that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, she discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.
Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it’s just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does. This enlightening book is for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.
Something More by Jackie Khalilieh
Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off script.
