100-ish Books on Autism and Neurodiversity
If you want to learn about autism and neurodiversity, there’s plenty of resources to choose from!
We’ve been compiling this book list for over a year in That Au-Some Book Club. There are a few categories. Other than that, these books are in no particular order.
Consider this a working document. It is in no way complete, and I’ll be adding to it continuously. Feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions! Happy Reading!
Ten Books To Get You Started
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
NeuroTribes: the Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman
Loud Hands: Autistic People Speaking (Anthology) Julia Bascom
Uniquely Human: a Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M Prizant
Ido in Autismland by Ido Kedar
It’s An Autism Thing, I’ll Help You Understand It by Emma Dalmayne
Anatomy of Autism: A Pocket Guide for Educators, Parents, and Students by Diego Pena
Leaders Around Me: Autobiographies of Autistics who Type, Point, and Spell to Communicate ed by Edlyn Vallejo Peña, PhD
All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism edited by Lydia X Z Brown et al. (By autistic women of color)
Typed Words Loud Voices edited by Amy Sequenzia & Elizabeth J. Grace
***Beyond Behaviors by Mona Delahooke PhD – This book is not autism-specific but I consider it a must-read! We’re diving into it this August in my Unprofessional Development group!
Books by Nonspeaking Authors – AAC, RPM, FC
Ido in Autismland by Ido Kedar
Communication Alternatives in Autism: Perspectives on Typing and Spelling Approaches…by Edlyn Vallejo Peña
In Two Worlds by Ido Kedar (fiction)
Typed Words Loud Voices edited by Amy Sequenzia & Elizabeth J. Grace
Anatomy of Autism: A Pocket Guide for Educators, Parents, and Students by Diego Pena
Leaders Around Me: Autobiographies of Autistics who Type, Point, and Spell to Communicate edited by Edlyn Vallejo Peña, PhD
Back from the Brink: Stories of Resilience, Reconciliation, and Reconnection by Tim Chan and Sarah Chan
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Hashida
Fall down Seven Times Get Up Eight by Naoki Higashida
Books for Kids and Teens
Just Give Him the Whale by Paula Kluth & Patrick Schwarz
Too Sticky! :Sensory Issues with Autism by Jen Malia et al.
Anatomy of Autism: A Pocket Guide for Educators, Parents, and Students by Diego Pena
The Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide: A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens and Tweens by Yenn Purkis and Tanya Masterman
Suzi Spins by Emma Dalmayne
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty
The Reason I Jump by Naomi Hashida
Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos (novel, autistic author)
Fall down Seven Times Get Up Eight by Naoki Higashida
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J Pla et al.
Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
Get a Grip, Vicky Cohen! by Sarah Kapit (novel, autistic author)
The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla (novel, autistic author)
Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
Women and Girls
All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism edited by Lydia X Z Brown et al. (By autistic women of color)
The Edge of the Playground: Two Stories One Journey by Mary Lynn Ackerman Willis and Mikaela Ackerman
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome by Rudy Simone
Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism by Barb Cook (Editor), Michelle Garnett (Editor), Jen Elcheson (Contributor)
Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Understanding Life Experiences from Early Childhood to Old Age by Sarah Hendrickx and Judith Gould
Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer Cook O’Toole (autistic author)
Odd Girl Out by Laura James
Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (fiction)
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
General
The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children, ed. Michelle Sutton
And Straight on Till Morning: Essays on Autism Acceptance by ASAN and Julia Bascom
Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success by Margo Izzo and LeDerick Horne
Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet
The Explosive Child by Ross Greene (not autism-specific)
Raising Human Beings by Ross Greene (not autism-specific)
Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic: A Comedian’s Guide to Life on the Spectrum by Michael McCreary
Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism by Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Elizabeth Bartmess (ed.)
Look me in the Eye by John Elder Robison
Trauma, Stigma, and Autism by Gordon Gates (autistic author and therapist)
Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement: Stories from the Front Line edited by Steven K. Kapp
Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn
Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate by Cynthia Kim
Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism by Barb Cook (Editor), Michelle Garnett (Editor), Jen Elcheson (Contributor)
Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Brain Differences by Thomas Armstrong PhD
The Invisible Cage – Exposure Anxiety by Donna Williams
Nobody Nowhere and Somebody Somewhere by Donna Williams
Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Childhood: for Parents and Carers of the Newly Diagnosed by Luke Beardon
Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
On the Outside Looking In: My Life on the Autism Spectrum by Russell Lehmann
PDA by PDA-ers compiled by Sally Cat
The Creation of Dr. B by Richard Pollak (biography of Bruno Bettelheim)
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I mostly write about parenting. But I also enjoy reflecting on life experiences, people, and issues in our society.
