Working in a school, you get to meet students from many different backgrounds and those who have many different experiences and challenges. Finding books for autistic tweens and teens that will reflect what they are feeling and experiencing is really, really tough because there is a wide spectrum of experiences and emotions when we are considering autism. Books that cover these types of topics are hugely important because it allows those who are neurotypical to attempt to step into the shoes of someone who is neurodiverse, at least for a little while. It’s never fully possible to live inside someone’s mind, but in my experience, reading books on the subject — especially through fiction — is one of the best ways to do this. Because it’s so important for tweens to be able to see themselves in literature, it’s disappointing that I was unable to find many titles by authors of color published on this subject. I hope that publishing prioritizes putting out more of those soon. From middle grade novels to guides for neurodiverse teens, these are some of the best middle grade books for autistic tweens and teens. Find even more books about neurodiversity here!
