Happy Thursday, bibliophiles!
As some of you may know, April is Autism Acceptance Month here in the U.S.! I don’t think I’ve highlighted a book list for the occasion, but in my ongoing quest for disability rep in general, I’ve come across many great books with Autistic protagonists and stories. If you’re looking to diversify your reading, it’s always important to uplift every kind of marginalized voice, and disability rep in general often gets left in the dust. So I’ve compiled a list of books by Autistic (with one exception—the author is still neurodivergent, just not Autistic) for this month.
NOTE: some of the older books on this list may still use the term Asperger’s, but in recent years, the term has since been renamed to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the DSM-5, in part because of its association with Hans Asperger, who was involved with Nazism. Some people still use the term, but it is still important to acknowledge the history behind the term.
Enjoy these book recs!
THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S BOOKS FOR AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH
READ:
- The Outside (The Outside, #1) – Ada Hoffmann: (Adult, Sci-fi) a fascinating science fiction story on a massive scale! | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
- The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily – Laura Creedle: (YA, Romance) a sweet love story between a girl with ADHD and an Autistic boy! | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- On the Edge of Gone – Corinne Duyvis: (YA, Sci-fi) a harrowing, dystopian vision of the world moments after a comet’s blast changes a girl’s life forever. | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
- Queens of Geek – Jen Wilde: (YA, Fiction) a fun love letter to comic cons, fandom, and geek culture! | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester – Maya McGregor: (YA, Paranormal) add a 30-year-old murder mystery to a nonbinary teen’s coming-of-age story, and you’ve got something like this book! | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- An Unkindness of Ghosts – Rivers Solomon: (Adult, Sci-fi) the raw, unforgettable story of a colony ship structured like the Antebellum South, and one woman’s quest to change things for the better. | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ON MY TBR:
- Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology, #1) – Ivelisse Housman: (YA, Fantasy) I have this one on hold at the library, and I can’t wait for it to arrive—a fantasy novel about an Autistic changeling!
- Afrotistic – Kala Allen Omeiza: (YA, Fiction) I love that this novel centers a young Black Autistic girl—it’s so refreshing to see disability rep that isn’t just white!
- Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal – Anna Whateley: (YA, Fiction) I’m a woman of simple tastes. I see queer and neurodivergent rep, and I click “want to read” without a second thought.
- Ellen Outside the Lines – A.J. Sass: (MG, Fiction) I don’t read much MG these days, but I’m excited about the queer and Autistic rep in this one!
- Social Queue – Kay Kerr: (YA, Fiction) I just started reading this one—I’m excited to see how it explores autism and dating!
- Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl – Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum: (YA, Fiction) again—queer and neurodivergent rep. Need I say more?
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and if so, did you like them? What are your favorite books with Autistic rep? Let me know in the comments!
Today’s song:
That’s it for this list of recommendations! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
The Bookish Mutant 