Hi everyone, hope you enjoyed Scarlet Ibis as much as I did. Ever since reading it I have been avidly looking for other reads about autistic kids. I have had the experience of meeting a few in my time but didn’t get a proper chance to get to know them. These reads feature a main character who has autism and details their adventures!! Hope you enjoy reading these books!!
Title: Can you see me?
Author: Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
Genre: Fiction – contemporary
Publication details: Scholastic Children’s Books; London, 2019
What this book is about: Tally is autistic, but she hides it as much as she can. She knows how uncomfortable people feel around her – they don’t understand autism. They don’t understand her. By masking her autism, Tally is hiding her real self. But when your real self is fierce and wonderful, it can’t stay hidden forever. With moving diary entries by 11-year-old Libby Scott, based on her own experience of autism, Can you see me?, is an authentic, powerful and truly memorable collaboration with esteemed author Rebecca Westcott that will change the way you think about autism.
My review: Such an awesome story!! I hadn’t laughed and cried like that for a while!! Tally sure has a powerful personality and the alternate narrative in her diary entries allows us to see inside her head and learn more about what she’s thinking. A sweet story of a family at its heart, of friendship, learning to navigate school, all the while growing up autistic and understanding relationship dynamics. I really liked this story as I learned quite a lot about the lives of autistic tweens and felt so much compassion towards young Tally. Libby Scott is one brave and amazing girl who has showed us basically her story in the diary entries!! The authenticity and honesty portrayed in this read is quite powerful and has, in my opinion, given those tweens a voice!
My rating: 5 ⭐
Title: M is for autism
Author: The students of Limpsfield Grange school and Vicky Martin
Genre: Fiction – contemporary
Publication details: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; Philadelphia, 2015
What this book is about: Welcome to my world. It’s tipsy-turvy, sweet and sour, and the beast of anxiety lurks outside classrooms and stops me from having a normal existence. I want a NORMAL existence. I want to be like all the other girls my age, who know that to say and what to do. I want to be with Lynx, the juicy-lipped, hair-gelled love of my life. So why does it feel like I’m on a different plane of existence to everyone else? And what does normal even mean anyway?
My review: What an amazing story!! A story told by teenager autistic girls of how autism affects them. Very illuminating and exceptionally moving. Entirely written and illustrated by autistic teenager girls this book gives me a clearer understanding of how autism can make life more challenging and stressful for teenage girls at a time when it’s confusing anyway. With support and understanding I think teens with such conditions can get a sense of achievement in their lives and go on to believe in themselves and achieve greatness!! Very well written for a collaborative first book!!
My rating: 4 ⭐
Title: Something different about dad: how to live with your Asperger parent
Author: Kirsti Evans & John Swagger
Genre: Fiction – contemporary (Graphic Novel)
Publication details: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; London, 2010
What this book is about: There’s something different about Dad. He gets upset when we’re even a minute late for dinner, noisy family gatherings make him angry, and he really likes talking about buses. He is always on time to pick us up from school, and has a detailed knowledge of car engines that has saved day trips from breakdown disaster… it’s okay that there’s something different about dad.
My review: A very informative and detailed read explaining the autism spectrum. We find out about the other end, and mostly about how it affects a child when the parent is the one who has Asperger’s. Some really good artwork here and a relatively good story. There is a fairly large chunk of information provided here as both the writer and illustrator feature as characters who explain the condition. This would make this graphic read better for parents who are trying to help their kids understand autism in an adult and their respective behaviour.
My rating: 3 ⭐
Title: Rain reign
Author: Ann M. Martin
Genre: Fiction – contemporary
Publication details: Feiwel and Friends; NY, 2014
What this book is about: Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She’s thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposefully gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein) which, according to Rose’s rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose’s obsession, her rules, or the other things that make her different – not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father. When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose’s father shouldn’t have let Rain out. Now, Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose’s point of view.
My review: A masterful piece of storytelling by Newbery Honour Award winner and bestselling author Ann M. Martin. Told from the point of view of a child with Asperger’s. Ann M. Martin has exceeded our expectations. We catch a glimpse of how one such child’s world works, their emotions and how they survive in this world, especially one who lives with Asperger’s syndrome. Some very vivid imagery and poignant storytelling. I found myself learning quite a bit about Asperger’s from this book and found Rose a remarkable story!!
My rating: 5 ⭐
Additional notes: This title has won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle School in 2015 and nominated for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award in 2016, the Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s literature in 2015, the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award in 2017 and some more.
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 
You might also enjoy the A Boy Called Bat series by Elana Arnold (main character is on the autism spectrum) and the Al Capone at Alcatraz series by Gennifer Choldenko (main character’s sibling is autistic).
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Thanks for these!! Gennifer Choldenko’s Alcatraz series has been sitting on my TBR list for a while!! I’ll definitely give these a go.
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I could not refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!
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“Having read this I thought it was very enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this article together. I once again find myself personally spending way too much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!”
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