There are a ton of wonderful middle grade books coming out that feature neurodiverse characters. In an effort to share more books with my 5th graders, I've been creating bookmarks that feature six books on a single theme. You can download a full page of bookmarks here.
You can see the whole set of bookmark posts here: Book Recommendation Bookmarks. If you want recommendations from my fifth graders themselves, check out #iLoveMG for individual books and Best Book Lists for their end-of-year favorites.
Favorite Neurodiverse Middle Grade Stories
Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn. (Student review by Marcus) This book is about a kid named Elliot who has ADHD and can’t concentrate on anything except cooking. When he gets his anger out by throwing baseballs at a window he has to face consequences! He has the money that he needs saved up but he wants to go to a cooking camp with that money! What will he do? When he gets a chance in school to sell stuff at a local marketplace he teams up with a unlikely friend to get enough money to pay his dad back and still be able to go to cooking camp.
BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K. A. Holt. This novel-in-verse (and several other formats) features the point of view of four different students who are stuck in summer school. Their teacher helps them see their own strengths as they show her the benefits of video games! Perfect for all readers, as everyone can find a way to relate.
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacey McAnulty. A lightning strike might have turned Lucy's brain into a super-genius at math, but it might not have prepared her for her greatest challenge... middle school! This is a highly entertaining book about embracing what makes us unique and celebrating friendship.
How to Make Friends with the Sea by Tanya Guererro. Moving to the Philippines has given Pablo even more things to fear, and his mother seems intent on adding to his list. But when his mother brings in Chiqui, an orphaned girl with a cleft lip, Pablo learns new ways to discover his courage.
Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt [a Schneider Family Book Award Honor]. Selah has relied on her rules for being normal in order to mask her own feelings and true self. But when an outburst at school exposes more than she intended, she has to learn how to love all of herself and help her school to love all of themselves too. The novel-in-verse format makes this book particularly emotional and accessible.
What other neurodiverse middle grade books would you include? Share in the comments below!
Looking for more middle grade? Check out #iLoveMG for all my 5th graders' book reviews or Best Book Lists for their end-of-year favorites.
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