For many of us, curling up with a good book is our idea of heaven. Books are an escape FROM the world, and a bridge TO the world, all at the same time. We’re delighted to be working with The Book Centre to keep you informed on the best books to read for every mood and occasion, whether you want to stay more informed about current issues, feel more empowered as a woman, or just visit a world vastly different to your own. This article focuses on some of the most empowering books for neurodiverse readers, and because our pals at The Book Centre are the soundest, they are giving you a chance to win a copy of all the books mentioned in this article! Keep an eye on our socials over the next few days to see how you can win them. But for now, it’s over to Amy…
Reading is for everybody!
Not one person in this world is the same and everyone should be represented in books. It has taken a long time but thankfully there are finally books out there that mean neurodiverse people can see that there are others like them. And not only that but some books are printed in more accessible ways to make them easier to read for everyone. Below are some fiction and non-fiction titles to inform and delight in equal measure.
Rebel Girls: Celebrate Neurodiversity is a collection of 25 well known successful women who just so happen to have disorders such as auditory processing order, ADHD and tourettes. It features sportswomen, singers such as Billie Eilish and many other inspirational women. This is a book that shows us all we can achieve anything!
Being Autistic (And What That Actually Means) is a fantastic resource for young people with autism. It combines lots of information on social anxieties, masking and special interests in an accessible format with lots of illustrations. This book is a brilliant resource for autistic young people, but also for friends and family to try and understand where autistic people might be furstrated with some things neurotypical people say and do.
Freya Harte Is Not A Puzzle is a fantastic book written by Meabh Collins. It features Freya, who has just found out she is autistic, struggling to open up about her autism with her friends. She always feels like she’s being weird and different to everybody else. But can she start to feel more confident in her own skin and make friends? (You will have to read it to find out!)
What I love now about publishing is that books can take so many different formats to suit so many different people. Adelaide by Melinda Salisbury is not only a brilliant thriller featuring an AI powered robot but is accessible for dyslexic readers. Barrington Stoke publish so many different books for a variety of interests and ages, they are definitely worth looking into!
So moral of the story is, if you feel like you are excluded from books, think again, there is a book out there for everyone! Feel free to pop into us at The Book Centre and we would love to help you find something to suit you!
By Amy Devereux, The Book Centre
If any of the books caught your eye, they are available to purchase here.
Or if you feel like browsing even more of our top pics, check them out here.