Why am I passionate about this?
I’m an autistic person and mother of an autistic child and a huge part of my book-loving life is finding characters like us. Up until the last few years that’s not been easy, but this lack of fair representation has driven me to seek out books that shine a spotlight on neurodivergent children, smashing stereotypes and harmful notions that continue to be promoted and adored via mainstream media. Recommending books that portray neurodivergent characters in a way that does more harm than good and reinforces the stigma and treatment of neurodivergent people in real life, so I use my platform to talk about the right books telling the right stories.
Kate's book list on middle grade about neurodivergent kids
Why did Kate love this book?
The Someday Birds was an absolute page-turner for me.
The author draws you immediately into the main character, Charlie’s, head and keeps you there in the most delightful way with writing that is beautifully lyrical and immersive. To some, on the outside, the plot may seem quiet, but it is explosive and loud to Charlie. That is what matters and makes this book such a clever and accurate representation of an autistic brain.
It’s also a wonderfully balanced portrayal, not shying away from the everyday struggles autistic people often battle through, but also the purity and joy they can experience if allowed.
1 author picked The Someday Birds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.
The Someday Birds is a debut middle grade novel perfect for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree, filled with humor, heart, and chicken nuggets. Charlie's perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan. When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. He decides that if he can spot all the birds that he and his father were hoping to see someday along the way, then everything might just turn…