The best books with great autistic representation

This book is particularly compelling in how it portrays the intersection of abuse and neurodivergence.

Maudie’s abuse makes her prone to doubt herself and her place in the world. She sees herself as “a girl with glitches” and has to learn to not mold herself for others but find confidence and joy in her own unique wiring.

This book also does a great job of portraying a nuanced portrayal of the ramifications and trauma of ABA therapy and Autism Mom culture, which we need more of in the media.

This is a speculative novel, asking readers: how might we use technology to replicate loved ones before they pass, so in a way, no one ever has to die? How would we want to remember them? How do we process and avoid grief through technology? And how might technology with an ableist focus create an erasure of neurodivergence?

The novel gives this speculative backdrop but focuses on authentic interactions and a beautiful relationship between the autistic protagonist Cora and her ADHD friend Adrien. The way Cora and Adrien express the pressure a neurotypical society imposes on neurodivergent people is resonant and nuanced. It also does a great job of showing the similarities and differences between autism and ADHD in a compelling way.

The book tackles so many critical and necessary conversations with such care and thought. 

Some of those topics include racism, classism and class segregation, the stress of excellence and being a “model citizen,” family expectations, ableism and neurodivergent treatment in a neurotypical world, police brutality and power imbalances. The book never feels bloated or didactic.

These topics are all so organically woven into the narrative that they only invite the reader to engage and think about the systems in the world we live in. All the Noise at Once is realistic in the difficult, but also the hopeful.

Aiden and Brandon, and their friends and family, go through so many hard things, but there is also light at the end of the tunnel. There is also joy and humor and a promising future.

Especially in these times, a dose of realistic hope is more important than ever.

This book uses the fantastic metaphor of an “upside-down” bat in a world of mammals.

At school, everything she does is perceived as “wrong” because it is different from the world of her classmates and instructor. But Bitsy learns to find joy in her differences and takes initiative to celebrate the strengths of not just herself but her classmates.

This picture book is a great way to introduce readers, young and old, to being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world, as well as how to welcome neurodivergent folks and create a neurodivergent-inclusive space.

Maya, like all of us, is messy. She can be overconfident, inflexible, and unfair to her friends. But she’s also passionate, hardworking, and struggling to cope in a world not built for her.

To some readers, Maya might just seem annoying and selfish—but this is oversimplifying. As an autistic person, I can absolutely see myself in Maya’s black and white thinking, her hurt over things not going as planned, and her struggles to “play the part” as Maya in Public, and to mask.

“Maya in Public” and other stage metaphors show how an autistic person uses their special interests to make sense of the world, and may help allistic readers better understand what it’s like to be autistic. I loved seeing Maya grow and try new things, even if it was uncomfortable, as well as apologize for her mistakes and learn from them.

Maya is a very honest reflection of how we all have strengths and ugly sides, but also provides a fantastic model for how we can grow and become our best selves. This is such a valuable story on learning to be flexible and seeing that there are many great roles we can play—even if it’s not the one we expected.

A highly recommended read for autistic and allistic readers alike.