Neurodiversity Celebration Week Book Recommendations

'Unmasked' by Ellie Middleton  - Ellie talks about her experiences with late diagnosis and navigating her world with this new knowledge.

'Strong Female Character' by Fern Brady - Combining her experiences with sexism and neurodiversity, Fern Brady explores her life as autistic woman.

‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ by Mark Haddon - Haddon details the story of an exciting investigation, told through the lens of a young autistic man. Whilst trying to solve the murder of his neighbours dog, he battles the outside barriers faced by so many autistic people.

‘Convenience Store Woman’ by Sayaka Murata - Convenience Store Woman tells the story of Keiko, a 36 year old woman, working in a convenience store. Though it is never explicitly revealed that Keiko is neurodivergent, readers are keen to drawn connections between the protagonist's self-identified 'differences' with that of a neurodivergent person.

For when you just can't detach yourself from that one storyline. Or when you find yourself completely invested in a character, and you're not quite ready to let go. Below are two book series we would recommend...

'Delirium' Series by Lauren Oliver - Dystopian fiction, where love is a disease that needs a cure. The consequences that follow are enormous.

'Arc of a Scythe' Series by Neal Shusterman - What happens when the world is rid of all disease and all threats to mankind? The population must be controlled by Scythes. This series follows the story of two apprentice Scythes and the moral dilemmas they face, whilst simultaneously building a connection built upon fear and trust.

'Before The Coffee Gets Cold' by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - This  cozy read follows the customers and staff of a coffee shop that has a unique selling point. Customers can travel back in time, but must return before the coffee gets cold.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - It's the Roaring Twenties and Fitzgerald's narrator, Nick Carraway meets Jay Gatsby- a wealthy man of mystery, who is obsessed with a former lover- Daisy Buchanan. The novel unfolds through glamorous parties and the pleasures of the rich. An accessible classic.

We know that reading is not the most accessible activity for some neurodivergent people. Instead, you can take a look at some of our audiobook recommendations:

‘Dyslexia & Me’ by Onyinye Udokporo - A memoir exploring Udokporo's experiences with dyslexia, and the challenge of growing up in a society that believed neurodivergence only affected white males.

‘Everything is Going to be K.O.’ by Kayiyo Stone - The wittiness of this memoir's title is just one of the ways Kayiyo stone embraces her cognitive differences. She acknowledges how her neurodivergence compliments her creativity, whilst recognising the inevitable challenges neurodivergent folks face in life.

‘My Nonidentical Twin’ by Evie Meg, aka This Trippy Hippie - Famous for her honest and vulnerable social media content on life with Tourette's, Evie Meg digs deeper into her life with a neurodivergent condition.