Middle Grade Books Roundup

13 books that made this Autistic & ADHD adult feel seen, including several #ownvoices novels

Growing up as an American-born Indian kid in the South, I often felt like I existed on the fringes. My parents immigrated to the U.S. separately in the 1980s and met and got married here. Our family built a beautiful and often complex life here, but I always felt a little untethered—too “American” in some spaces, too “foreign” in others. I was a quirky, gifted, sometimes bullied kid who struggled with anxiety and depression. My father was chronically and terminally ill. My grandmother lived with us sometimes. We rarely encountered other kids at school who looked like us.

The most common thread through all of this was frequently that I didn’t have the right language to describe what I was experiencing. It wasn’t until I became a mother that things started to make sense. After my kids were diagnosed as autistic, I sought my own evaluations and discovered that I, too, am autistic—with ADHD on top of that.

Since then, I’ve been diving deep into books that explore neurodivergence, trauma, identity, and resilience. Both fiction and nonfiction, but I have a particular affection for middle grade literature. These books aren’t just for kids—they’ve helped me understand myself better and feel seen in ways I never did as a child. Two of my absolute standout authors are Sally J. Pla and Elle McNicoll, whose work centers neurodivergent characters with care, complexity, and joy. Sally J. Pla also runs A Novel Mind. If you’re looking for books featuring increased mental health and neurodiversity representation, this is the place to find it.

Heidi Fiedler

also just published her own round up of neurodiversity-affirming picture books earlier today, and reading it was the motivation I needed to get this finished and posted. Check out her post, and be sure to follow Heidi while you’re there!

Below, I’ve compiled a list of middle grade books I read in the past year or so that resonated with me for a number of a reason. But first, a few things to note.

What Is Neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence refers to brain differences that affect how people think, learn, and experience the world. This includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences and neurological variations. Being neurodivergent isn’t a problem—it’s just a different way of experiencing and processing the world. But because society is largely designed for neurotypical people, neurodivergent kids often struggle with things like sensory sensitivities, social expectations, and executive functioning.

Understanding Trauma and Resilience in Kids

Trauma isn’t always loud or obvious. For kids, it can look like withdrawal, perfectionism, “acting out,” or even extreme people-pleasing. Marginalized children—whether due to race, disability, immigration status, or other factors—often experience trauma in ways that go unnoticed or misunderstood. Books that thoughtfully portray trauma and resilience through trauma can provide comfort, validation, and tools for healing.

Why “Own Voices” Stories Matter

The term "own voices" refers to books written by authors who share the lived experiences of their characters. When neurodivergent, immigrant, or marginalized writers tell their own stories, they bring authenticity that makes a world of difference. These books help kids (and adults!) see themselves accurately reflected and remind us all that our stories matter.

Now, onto the book recommendations!

Photo by Klim Sergeev on Unsplash

13 Middle Grade Books Helping Me Feel Seen

• Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo

  A lyrical novel in verse about Nima, a Muslim girl in the U.S. struggling with her identity and the loss of her father. When she begins to wish for a different life, she is transported into an alternate reality where she sees the path not taken. It explores immigration, racism, and longing for a different life while ultimately celebrating self-acceptance. The characters in this book are not explicitly neurodivergent, but I found some of the social struggles within one’s own community relatable and viscerally related to the feeling of wanting to be transported to another reality.

• Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold

  Bat, an autistic boy, struggles when his sister starts taking up more space in their lives, and his best friend makes a new friend. Through his love for his pet skunk, Bat learns about navigating friendships and social expectations. This was a tender and affirming story that explored the main character’s neurodivergence in an authentic way.

• Unsettled by Reem Faruqi

  Nurah, a Pakistani girl, moves to the U.S. with her family and struggles to find her place in a new school, experiencing racism and bullying while trying to stay connected to her cultural roots. I loved that a constant source of solace and also challenge was her love for swimming, and I really resonated with how she learned to stand up for herself and her family. This was such a heartfelt novel in verse about immigration, identity, and resilience. I also loved that it was a novel in verse, and I resonated with the small details of being set right outside of Atlanta. I had the privilege doing a virtual book club with

  Reem Faruqi
  through
  Coffee + Crumbs
  ’ Exhale Creativity community, and I can’t wait to read her other books. Again, no explicitly neurodivergent characters, but definitely many relatable themes around struggling to fit in.

• Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

  Simon and his family move to a town with no internet to escape the aftermath of a tragedy. With the help of new friends, including a neurodivergent girl and a service dog, he finds ways to process his trauma while rediscovering joy and humor. I thought this was a sensitive yet funny exploration of grief, PTSD, and neurodivergence. I loved the emphasis on self-acceptance.

• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

  Roz, a robot, washes up on a deserted island and learns to adapt to the wild with the help of the local animals. A number of factors lead her to develop new instincts and test her survival and emotional capacity. I also read the sequel, The Wild Robot Escapes. Both books touch on themes of isolation, identity, and belonging, and could be a way to open conversations about belonging, survival, and trauma. I never expected a robot book to make me cry.

• The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla

  Charlie, a neurodivergent boy who loves birds, embarks on a cross-country trip with his siblings to visit their injured father. As he searches for birds on his father’s "someday" list, he learns to navigate an unpredictable world and cope with anxiety. It was such a beautiful treatment of autism, trauma, grief, and the complexities of family.

• Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan

  Told in alternating perspectives, this novel follows Ravi, an Indian immigrant adjusting to American school, and Joe, a white boy with auditory processing disorder. Both boys face bullying but ultimately find an unexpected friendship. Themes of racism, neurodivergence, and resilience make this an important and relatable read. I thought the dual perspectives were an effective way to share the stories of two kids struggling with different yet overlapping experiences.

• Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

  Willow, a highly gifted and neurodivergent girl, loses her adoptive parents in a tragic accident and must build a new family with an unlikely group of people. I found some of the characters really difficult to accept, but I thought the book did a good job weaving a thread through gardening, relationships, and perseverance as we experience Willow’s movement toward healing and connection. Themes of grief, neurodivergence, and healing, as well as a few cultural components. I’d probably flag this book for kids on the older end of “middle grades.”

• The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

  This is the favorite of all the books on this list. Maudie, an autistic girl, spends the summer with her father in California, discovering a love for surfing while dealing with the aftermath of an abusive home situation. As she finds empowerment in the ocean, she learns to embrace her strengths and advocate for herself. Flagging that are themes of trauma and abuse, but Maudie’s journey to healing and realizing her own resilience was so moving. Would also flag for “older kids.”

• Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll

  This was such a great read and the only fantasy book on this list. Ramya, a neurodivergent girl, discovers that she can see magical creatures hidden in her city. As she uncovers a dangerous secret, she must embrace her differences to protect those around her. Exploring themes of ableism, self-acceptance, and empowerment.

• Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll

  Anothr amazing read from Elle McNicoll. This is also the only sci-fi book on my list. Cora, an autistic girl, befriends Adrien, a boy with ADHD, while investigating a futuristic AI company. As she uncovers unsettling truths, she fights for disability representation and autonomy. I thought this was such a thought-provoking and effective story, and I think it would be a great way to connect with late elementary age kids/tweens about ableism, ethics, and neurodivergence.

• Stanley Will Probably Be Fine by Sally J. Pla

  Stanley, a boy with anxiety and sensory processing disorder, enters a comic book trivia scavenger hunt to push himself out of his comfort zone. With the help of a new friend, he learns to manage his fears and find confidence. A simultaneously fun and meaningful exploration of neurodivergence and anxiety. Classic comic book fans will enjoy some of the details, too.

• A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

  My other favorite on this list. Addie, an autistic girl, campaigns for a memorial for women who were wrongfully accused of witchcraft in her town’s history. As she faces bullying and misunderstandings, she finds strength in her neurodivergence and fights for justice. This was such a compelling and powerful story about ableism, advocacy, and identity. The BBC show adaption of this book was absolutely fantastic, as well. I’ve watched both seasons a few times. In the U.S. we can stream this for free on BYU TV.

Reading these books as an adult has been an emotional and eye-opening experience. Some of them mirror struggles I faced growing up, while others have helped me better understand my kids’ perspectives. More than anything, they’ve reinforced why representation matters—because when kids see themselves in stories, they know they aren’t alone.

If you or your child are looking for books that explore neurodivergence, trauma, identity, or resilience, I highly recommend checking out these titles. And if you have any favorites that resonated with you, I’d love to hear about them!