May reading list
This month's reading list features books that link to Neurodivergence.
Everyone thinks, learns and processes information differently.
Neurodiversity is all about recognising this, and understanding that people's brains all work in different ways and we all experience the world in a different way.
Check out these books and see what you can learn.
Rachel Lucas - The State of Grace
Grace is autistic and has her own way of looking at the world. She's got a horse and a best friend who understand her, and that's pretty much all she needs. But when Grace kisses Gabe and things start to change at home, the world doesn't make much sense to her any more. Suddenly everything threatens to fall apart, and it's up to Grace to fix it on her own.
Robin Roe - A List of Cages
A List of Cages is a dual-narrative book that centres around Julian and Adam. Julian used to be Adam’s foster brother but was taken away by his uncle. So when Adam finds out that Julian is now a freshman at his school, he’s ecstatic. But this Julian isn’t the bright, cheerful boy that he knows. Luckily, he’s assigned to accompany Julian to the school psychologist, which gives him lots of opportunities to get to reconnect with him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEJAT9RNlGc – You can access the audio book version here!
Francesa Zappia - Made You Up
Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoner’s attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.
https://yourbookshelf.net/?r3d=made-you-up#6 – You can access the e-book version here.
Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions.
He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the colour yellow.
This improbable story of Christopher’s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighbourhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years.
This book is on the LBS 150 Challenge list and can be found in the library!
Katherine Erksine - Mockingbird
In Caitlin's world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing.
That's the stuff that Caitlin's older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon is dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven year old girl with Asperger's, she doesn't know how.
When she reads the definition of closure, she realises that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white - the world is full of colours - messy and beautiful.
Try the audiobook here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxp1LuTdpA4
Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief summary involves the Percy Jackson plot, which tells of a 12-year-old boy attending a boarding school for troubled students. He struggles with ADHD and dyslexia, and strange things always seem to happen to him.
Half boy. Half God. ALL Hero.
I was just a normal kid, I went to school (got expelled a lot, but that wasn't my fault), played sports and hung out with my best friend.
Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher.
Now, I spend my time at Camp Half Blood, battling monsters and generally trying to stay alive.
And now that Zeus thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt, staying alive is going to be even harder....
This book is part of the LBS 150 Challenge and you can find it in the Library!
Make sure to keep reading and completing book reviews during the half term!
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