Autism in
MG Books

Welcome!

This site shares information about autism in Middle Grade books.

Here, you can find:

an introduction to autism and neurodiversity
a list of recommended MG books by autistic authors
a list of websites about autism and writing autistic characters

Teachers and librarians can visit the Educators page for more resources!

What is Autism?

A line drawing of a brain, splattered with colorful paint.

Image from EliseRiva on Pixabay.

Autism and Neurodiversity

Autism falls under the umbrella of something called “neurodiversity,” which kind of means "different brains." People with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions have brains that work a little differently than most people's.

The idea behind neurodiversity is that just because someone's brain is different, it doesn't mean it's broken or bad!

Autism is a developmental disability that changes the way a person communicates, and changes the way they experience the world.

Ask an Autistic #23 - What is Autism? by Amythest Schaber

Ask an Autistic #19 - What is Neurodiversity? by Amythest Schaber

Recommended Books with Autistic Characters

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit

12-year-old Vivy really wants to play baseball, but her mom thinks she shouldn't, because she's a girl and she's autistic. Vivy’s mom spends a lot of time worrying about how Vivy doesn’t fit in, and she wants Vivy to act like everyone else, instead of being herself. Vivy has to figure out how to prove herself to her mom, and everyone else who doubts her.

Read more on Sarah Kapit's website.

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught

Jesse wants to clear her father’s name after he is wrongfully accused of stealing, but nobody believes in her (except her Pomeranian dog, Sam-Sam). Jesse isn’t even sure if she believes in herself. But when a tornado hits her town, Jesse gets a chance to prove that she can be a hero (and Sam-Sam can, too!).

Read more on Susan Vaught's website.

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla

Charlie must endure a cross-country road-trip in a tiny RV with his three loud and messy siblings. They are driving to a hospital to see their dad, who was injured in Afghanistan, and Charlie’s goal is to see every bird on the “Someday Bird” list that he made with his dad. Charlie thinks that maybe if he finishes the list before they arrive in Washington DC, it will make his dad feel better, and maybe everything will be okay.

Read more on Sally J. Pla's website.