Whether your child experiences neurodivergence or you want your child to understand more about those who do, this book list is for you!
The following children’s picture books celebrate kids with all kinds of neurodiversity, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, synesthesia, Tourette’s, and more.
Picture books about autism
A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond
The autistic main character in this story doesn’t speak in words — he communicates with a tablet, tapping buttons with pictures on them.
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Come Meet Drayden by Dana Young-Askew
Get to know Drayden, who is autistic, through his supportive siblings who explain his day-to-day life and what it’s like to spend time with him.
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Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap: NT is OK! by Clay Morton & Gail Morton
This is a great story from the point of view of a child with autism explaining why it’s okay to be neurotypical, too.
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All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph
Zane the zebra feels different from other kids, but his mother helps him appreciate all of his “stripes,” including his autism stripe.
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Picture books about dyslexia and reading struggles
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty
This book, part of the popular Questioneers series, follows a child with dyslexia who discovers the power of expressing himself through art.
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Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids with Dyslexia and Learning Differences by Shaina Rudolph & Mary Vukadinovich
This main character struggles with reading and writing, but finds alternative ways to learn and to tell her story.
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A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott
In this picture book memoir, Hudson struggles to read as quickly as his peers, and eventually learns to embrace his own pace.
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Picture books about ADHD
My Brain Is a Racecar by Nell Harris
Written by a mother with ADHD whose child was also diagnosed with ADHD, this book explains in simple terms what it can be like inside an ADHD brain.
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It’s Hard To Be a Verb by Julia Cook
This book describes what it feels like to have ADHD and looks at practical ways to calm an active body.
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Picture books celebrating different types of neurodiversity
Some Brains: A Book Celebrating Neurodiversity by Nelly Thomas
This book is all about uplifting neurodiversity and encouraging kids to find strength in their unique qualities.
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Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
The main character has synesthesia and struggles with social situations, and the book is also a general celebration of neurodiversity.
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Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor
Written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who explains her childhood experience with diabetes, this book also features kids who have autism, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, and more.
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