Hello, hello!
As many of my neurodiverse friends know, April is AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH.
Being neurodiverse myself, and being a librarian, of course, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by… I just had to come up with a list of wonderful books for the occasion. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I decided to branch out on all spectrums of neurodiversity.
So, without further ado, here are over 100 book recommendations, ranging from children's picture books and middle-grade stories, teen and young adult fiction and adult reads!
For Children’s Picture Books
1. Up and Adam by Debbie Zapata
2. ADHD and Me by Chelsea DiCicco
3. All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer
4. How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville
5. It Was Supposed to Be Sunny by Samantha Cotterill
6. Juan Has the Jitters! by Aneta Cruz
7. The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca
8. Big Truck Play Date by Laurie Carmody
9. Rowdy in the Library by Yvonne Fletcher
10. Cory Stories: A Kid's Book About Living with ADHD by Jeanne Kraus
11. The Playground Problem: a book about anxiety by Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway
12. The Perfect Project: a book about autism by Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway
13. The Classroom Mystery: a book about ADHD by Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway
14. My Friend has Autism by Amanda F. Doering
15. Some Kids Have Autism by Martha Rustad
16. Aurora's Gift by Emily Bunny
17. A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
18. Dyslexia by Ann Squire
19. Balloons by Rainbow Mosho
20. Dyslexia: My Health Series by Alvin Silverstein
21. The Abilities in Me ADHD by Gemma Keir
22. Dyslexic Brains Are Beautiful Brains by Kaitlin McCartny
23. My Wandering Mind by Merriam Sarcia Saunders
24. A Walk in Words by Hudson Talbott
25. A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
26. Different- A Great Thing to Be! By Heather Avis
27. When things get too loud: A story about sensory overload by Anne Alcott
28. When Oliver Speaks by Kimberly Garvin
29. Me is Awesome: The Story of my Dyspraxic World (Dyspraxia) by Terri Lamberton
30. My Friend Josh Has DCD by Christine R Draper
31. What Your Friend With Apraxia Wants You To Know by Laura T Bruno
32. Beyond Words: A Child's Journey Through Apraxia by Dana Hall
33. My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete
34. Dyslexic Legends Alphabet by Beck Feiner
35. Mindfulness Workbook for Kids with ADHD: Engaging Activities to Help Children Clam, Focus, Self-Regulate, and to Promote Health and Wellness in Children by Jennie Miller
For Children’s Middle-Grade
1. The Spaghetti Detectives by Andreas Steinhöfel
2. A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin
3. The Brave by James Bird
4. Tune it Out by Jamie Sumner
5. The Summer of June by Jamie Sumner
6. Roll With It by Jamie Sumner
7. One Kid's Trash by Jamie Sumner
8. Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught
9. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Bruce Hyman
10. The Autism Acceptance book: Being a Friend to Someone with Autism by Ellen Sabin
11. Best Kept Secret : The Third Generation by Ann M Martin
12. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery
13. Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor by Temple Grandin
14. Get a grip by Cohen Vivy
15. Real by Carol Cujec
16. Bad Best Friend by Rachel Vail
17. The Someday Birds by Sally Pla
18. The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson
19. Can you see me? by Libby Scott
20. A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
21. Nobody's perfect by Marlee Matlin
22. Superstar by Mandy Davis
23. Focused by Alyson Gerber
24. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
For Young Adult/Teens
1. Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe
2. Stuff That's Loud: A Teen's Guide To Unspiraling When Ocd Gets Noisy Ben Sedley
3. Obsessed: A Memoir Of My Life With OCD by Allison Britz
4. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
5. Six goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
6. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison
7. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
8. The Easy Part of Impossible by Sarah Wones Tomp
9. The Anxiety Survival Guide For Teens : CBT Skills To Overcome Fear, Worry & Panic by Jennifer Shannon
10. Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson
11. A List of Cages by Robin Roe
12. Slider by Pete Hautman
13. Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer
14. Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl
15. The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide : How to Grow up Awesome and
16. Autistic by Siena Castellon
For Adults
1. A Thorn In My Pocket: Temple Grandin's mother tells the family story by Eustacia Cutler
2. Down Syndrome by Salvatore Tocci
3. Just This Side of Normal by Elizabeth Gerlach
4. Unraveling The ADD/ADHD by Fiasco: Successful Parenting Without Drugs by David Stein
5. Finding Ben : A Mother's Journey Through the Maze of Asperger's By Barbara LaSalle
6. Louder than Words : A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism by Jenny McCarthy,
7. The Asperger's Answer Book : The Top 300 Questions Parents Ask by Susan Ashley
8. Thinking in pictures : And Other Reports From My Life With Autism by Temple Grandin
9. Visual Thinking : The Hidden Gifts Of People Who Think In Pictures, Patterns, And Abstractions by Temple Grandin
10. Unraveling The Mystery Of Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorder : A Mother's Story Of Research And Recovery by Karyn Seroussi
11. With the Light : Raising An Autistic Child by Keiko Tobe
12. Neurotribes : The Legacy Of Autism And The Future Of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman
13. Getting the Best for Your Child With Autism: An Expert's Guide To Treatment by Bryna Siegel
14. ADHD in Adults: What the Science Says by Russell Barkley
15. The Autism Sourcebook: Everything You Need To Know About Diagnosis, Treatment, Coping, And Healing by Karen Siff Exkorn
16. OCD : A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Michael A. Tompkins
17. Against Medical Advice : A True Story by James Patterson
18. The Brain That Changes Itself : Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge
19. Asperger's Syndrome : A Guide For Parents
20. And Professionals by Tony Attwood
21. Developing Talents : Careers For Individuals With Asperger
22. Syndrome And High-Functioning Autism by Temple Grandin
23. Dyspraxia Developmental Co-ordination Disorder by Dr. Amanda Kirby
A few other honorable mentions:
1. Listening to My Body: A guide to helping kids understand the connection between their sensations (what the heck are those?) and feelings so that they can get better at figuring out what they need by Gabi Garcia
2. Find Your Calm: A Mindful Approach To Relieve Anxiety And Grow Your Bravery (Growing Heart & Minds) by Gabi Garcia
3. Acceptance is my Superpower: A children’s Book about Diversity and Equality (My Superpower Books) by Alicia Ortego
First off, I'd like to thank the fabulous hosts, fellow librarian and kidlit Author Ciara O'Neal and Literary Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez for yet another amazing Kidlit opportunity to not only showcase our work but to just have fun with our community!
This has been such a terrific way to make friends, build relationships, and overall branch out with other writers. I speak for myself and my critique group partners when I say, we are all so grateful for events like these that help make this line of work even more enjoyable.
For most of us, writing can be very solitary work so fun events like these really add a breath of fresh air and get our creative juices flowing.
If you're not familiar with what the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest is, no worries! I'll be sure to include all the rules and details below.
So, what IS Spring Fling Kidlit?
Your challenge, should you accept it, is simple.
Find a gif and write a spring-inspired story. That's it!
Here are the official rules from Ciara's website:
1. Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.
2. Choose a gif to inspire your story. be sure to share where you found your wonderful gif. (The website or if you created it yourself!)
3. All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.
4. Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.
(Your title is not included in the word count.)
5. No illustration notes pretty please.
6. Your gif should be the only visual with your story.
7. The Spring Fling contest officially begins on Saturday April 1st and closes April 3rd, post your gif and story on your blog.
8. On April 1st, we will post a google form on this blog. (You can use the quicklink above titled "official rules" to get to the blog post.) Fill out the form, paste your blog website and story, and you my friend, will be entered!
9. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is April 3rd at 11:59pm CST.
10. Only one entry per contestant is permitted.
****If you don't have a blog, no worries, you can put your whole story on the google form. The form will open on April 1st. If you want others to read it too, feel free to post your story in the comments with the link to your gif.***
And that's it!
Now... the moment we've been waiting for; my entry for this year's 2023 Spring Kidlit Contest. This year I wanted to write a story that incorporated not only spring but sharing it with a beloved friend and who better to splash in puddles with than your dog?! So, without further ado, I give you my entry: WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!
Title: Wake up, World! It's Spring!
Written by: Chelsea DiCicco
Word Count: 121
Dewdrops dance on dainty petals.
Tweets and twitters fill the air.
This can only mean one thing…
“WAKE UP, WORLD! IT’S SPRING!”
Padding paws and racing feet.
Hurry, scurry; we can’t wait!
Nature’s calling- here we come!
“WAKE UP, WORLD! IT’S SPRING!”
Butterflies outstretch their wings.
Bees are buzzing off to work.
Mower’s roar, and flowers bloom.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"
Showers sprinkle in the sun.
Puddles are for everyone!
Happy slappy splashy feet.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"
Wagging tails and cheerful eyes.
Dirty paws and sun-kissed skin.
Shaking, quaking, laughs and barks.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"
Hoots and chatters fill the night.
Evening stars pierce the sky.
Look! There goes a firefly.
"Rest up, world. It's Spring."
This GIF was created by Chelsea DiCicco (me) on Canva for the purpose of being used for my 2023 entry for the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest.
I think there’s a lot that can be said for people who are on the picture book path and have been for a while. Navigating the picture book world is like travelling down a road of potholes, and signs pointing in every direction. There are a million different routes your can take. And it can be intimidating, overwhelming, scary, and tiring. Sometimes, it feels like we’re drowning in endless options and crippling self-doubt! Fortunately, we aren’t quitters!
Navigating the picture book world is like travelling down a road of potholes, and signs pointing in every direction!
How do I know this? Because the hurdles upon hurdles, the always-changing pace, the fickle as a pickle market, and the unpredictability of times haven’t deterred us from continuing down this road. Some say madness. I prefer passionate. And really, to be successful in the ways that count, you have to be passionate about what you’re doing. What do I mean by successful in ways that count? Well, that really depends on how you view success. What does success mean to you? Money? Power? Freedom? Recognition? Whatever it is, you must have passion to reach it. And I’m convinced there isn’t a single picture book writer out there, who has been at this for years, that doesn’t have that passion. And guess what. Good news! Passion is KEY!
But, passion with no outlets can be exhausting. So, I ask you, how do you write picture books and stay sane? I think it’s imperative that when doing something that you love, at your full 100%, you must also be able to balance that with time to unwind. Because going at 100% nonstop, can be draining. Eventually, you will overload. And when that time comes, you must be willing to walk away. Because, just like a car’s engine needs to be parked and rested, so does your engine. But, what if you refuse to stop? Well… you might just end up like this car. Overheated!
Just like a car’s engine needs to be parked and rested, so does your engine.
But hopefully you won’t let things get this far. So, how can you avoid the overheating point? Well, a few things I find that help are setting boundaries and knowing my personal limits. These are both CRUCIAL for maintaining sanity- and avoiding overheating! (Oh, and caffeine. Did I mention that already?) But, seriously. Boundaries and limits!
BOUNDARIES
Set boundaries for yourself.
So, my writing boundaries. Firstly, I have a writing office. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you write in a basement, during free time at work, on lunch breaks. Maybe you write when your kids are asleep, when you’re husband is working, when your roommate is out of the house. Or maybe you write from a hammock. If you do, props to you; it sounds like you’re living your best life! Whatever the situation, having a space that is yours, and yours only, is a good boundary to have. If you don’t have a designated spot- find one. It could be a closet, outside under a tree, on a speedboat with Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron- it doesn’t matter- but find one.
Have a space that is yours!
Having a space to your own is not to say that you can’t write elsewhere. What it does, however, is give you a designated area to create. Which can be increasingly helpful to your sanity. And next, making sure that you know your limits.
LIMITS
Know your limits!
What are your limits? What does that even mean? I’m not talking about speed limits. Although sometimes speed comes into play. But that’s a different topic. I’m talking about knowing yourself. If you’re pushing yourself to a point that you are no longer enjoying your work- that’s not working within your limits. Writing should never be a place of confined, mandatory restriction. It should be a happy place of creative freedom. If you are demanding too much out of yourself and pushing your limits to a point of frustration, not only are you going to be unhappy but guess what- your writing will suffer. Yeah. You heard me right. Your writing will suffer! There’s a scene in Toy Story 2 where Woody is getting fixed up by Geri, an antique cleaner. And if you haven’t already seen this and aren’t interested in watching the full movie, I highly recommend watching it HERE because it is just *chef’s kiss* GOLD.
“You can’t rush art!”
Geri is taking his time, situating himself with his tools that he’s about to use to clean and fix Woody.
Al says to Geri, “So, uh, how long is this going take?”
And Geri says, with a wag of the finger, “You can’t rush art!”
There’s a lot of truth in this statement. When you push yourself to write in an unnatural or uncomfortable state, the work is never your best. So, remember to be kind to yourself. Give yourself the time and space you need to find your creative rhythm. And once your mojo kicks in, write, write, write!
But, what if you can’t write? You feel zero inspiration. You’re tired. You’re staring at the page, and nothing is coming to you. CHANGE THE SCENERY. Taking a walk, doing some light exercise, or getting lost in a favorite binge tv-show can help give your brain a break. Again- forcing yourself to be creative isn’t how it works. Creativity is a natural thing that comes at its own pace. But how can you encourage creativity?
Read, read, read. Reading stimulates our natural curiosity and encourages creative brain flow! Read books in your genre that are new in the market. Go to the library. Bring a notebook with you! Jot down ideas you like. Ask yourself, “Why do I like this? What about it stands out?” And brainstorm how you could implement things into your own writing. Ideas are contagious. When we let others in, it inspires our own.
So, what am I rambling about anyway? Well, this morning, I read a fellow writer’s new blog post and walked away saying, “Ah, that was encouraging.” And do you know what my next thought was? “I want to encourage someone!” IDEAS ARE CONTAGIOUS- INSPIRATION FOLLOWS. And that’s really what it’s all about.
Now, encouragement. Why do writer’s need encouragement? Well, everyone needs encouragement from time to time. It’s healthy and natural to both give and receive encouragement. But, why might a writer need encouragement more than some? Well, being in the writing business, unlike other jobs in an office where you’re surrounded by co-workers and smiling faces, for a writer, it can often be a solitary affair. So, encouragement comes in handy. Having your writing community in your corner, your supporters, your critique partners, your friends, your family, your “fans” can help you get by and make it to that next milestone.
Speaking of milestones, here we go.
What are your goals?
What milestones do you hope to achieve?
And have you been able to?
If so, congratulations! If not, don’t fret. Just continue down the road until you get there, and sooner or later, I have faith you will. I believe in you- you should too! And sometimes, it can be tough. The waiting. The pushing. The hope. The letdowns. When I find myself losing courage, I like to think of Jane Eyre.
“Renewing then my courage, and gathering my feeble remains of strength, I pushed on.” -Charlotte Bronte
Remember,
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.” – Albert Einstein
And another one of my favorites…
“You never fail until you stop trying.”
Cliché, perhaps. But that doesn’t make the statements any less true! There is, after all, a reason that clichés exist! So, this is my brief cheerleader speech for today. If you’re writing picture books, or NOT pictures books- it could be anything- DON’T GIVE UP!
So, in conclusion to my ramble, I just want to remind you that you are loved, and awesome, and incredible, and most likely a total 10, the whole shebang, the greatest thing since sliced bread, the apple of someone’s eye, all that and a bag of chips. Remember, to stay sane in the writing world, 1. Give yourself boundaries. And 2. Know your limits!
