Books about learning differences: dyslexia, ADHD and more
Children who learn differently are often told what they can't do. These books celebrate how they think, and help classmates and siblings understand dyslexia, ADHD and other kinds of neurodiversity.
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The Moonlight Mystery Agency
by Vashti Hardy
Ages 5–9
Can Hana and her cat friend solve the mystery of the stolen unicorn's birthday cake? Dyslexia-friendly.
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The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin
by Julia Finley Mosca
Ages 6–10
Temple Grandin was told to be quiet and sit still. She became one of the world's most important animal scientists. A rhyming biography about the power of thinking differently.
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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
by Sonia Sotomayor
Ages 4–8
A garden of children with diabetes, autism, Down syndrome, ADHD and other differences work together to build something beautiful — narrated by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who has type 1 diabetes herself.
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Talking Is Not My Thing
by Rose Robbins
Ages 3–7
A lively picture book following a non-verbal autistic girl and her big brother through their busy day — full of energy, humor and a fresh way of seeing communication.
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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
Ages 9–13
Twelve-year-old Percy discovers he's the son of a Greek god and sets off on a quest to find Zeus's stolen lightning bolt. Funny and fast, with a hero who has ADHD and dyslexia.
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The London Eye Mystery
by Siobhan Dowd
Ages 9–13
Ted, whose brain works differently, and his sister Kat investigate when their cousin vanishes from a sealed London Eye pod — a warm, clever puzzle.
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Cloud Boy
by Greg Stobbs
Ages 3–7
Bobby floats up into the sky whenever his attention drifts. He ties himself down to focus like his friends, but it leaves him feeling empty, until the people around him learn to see the world his way.
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Wiggling Words
by Kate Rolfe
Ages 3–6
A child gets lost in a forest of letters as words wiggle off the page. With creative thinking, they find their own way through, sharing tips that helped the dyslexic author.
