Books for 6th-12th Grade

For Individuals with Autism

Sometimes individuals with autism want or need to learn more about their autism. These books can help guide conversations with a child/teen about sensory issues, special interests, flexible thinking, and other matters. (If you are not a family member, be sure to include the parent/guardian/caregiver in the decision to have discussions about a child's autism before reading these books with a child.)

A 5 Is Against the Law: Social Boundaries - a Compassionate but Honest Guide for Teens and Young Adults (The Incredible 5-Point Scale)

Author: Kari Dunn Buron

Grade Levels: 6th- 12th grade

Short Summary:

This is the newly revised version of the Autism Society of America Award Winner (2008), A 5 is Against the Law!. The workbook was created especially for adolescents and young adults who have difficulty with social boundaries. The book offers an honest and compassionate look at the kinds of social situations many teens and young adults struggle with.

The author uses a concrete, direct and simple approach, incorporating highly systemized scales and stories, to define and visually illustrate what is meant by social boundaries. The book is written in a very user-friendly style with excellent suggestions and activities that can be done in a 1:1 format or a small group, and with the support of a parent, teacher or therapist.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Social
  • Harassment

Can You See Me?

Author: Libby Scott (autistic) and Rebecca Westcott

Grade Levels: 3-6 grade

Short Summary:

Things Tally is dreading about sixth grade:

  • Being in classes without her best friends
  • New (scratchy) uniforms
  • Hiding her autism

Tally isn't ashamed of being autistic -- even if it complicates life sometimes, it's part of who she is. But this is her first year at Kingswood Academy, and her best friend, Layla, is the only one who knows. And while a lot of other people are uncomfortable around Tally, Layla has never been one of them'…until now.

Something is different about sixth grade, and Tally now feels like she has to act "normal." But as Tally hides her true self, she starts to wonder what "normal" means after all and whether fitting in is really what matters most.

Inspired by young coauthor Libby Scott's own experiences with autism, this is an honest and moving middle-school story of friends, family, and finding one's place.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Self-awareness
  • Empathy
  • Middle school
  • Masking

Supplemental Resources:

Different Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes

Author: Jennifer Elder (mother of autistic son)

Grade Levels: Grades 3-7

Short Summary:

Different Like Me introduces children aged 8 to 12 years to famous, inspirational figures from the world of science, art, math, literature, philosophy and comedy.

Eight-year-old Quinn, a young boy with Asperger's Syndrome, tells young readers about the achievements and characteristics of his autism heroes, from Albert Einstein, Dian Fossey and Wassily Kandinsky to Lewis Carroll, Benjamin Banneker and Julia Bowman Robinson, among others. All excel in different fields but are united by the fact that they often found it difficult to fit in-just like Quinn.

Fully illustrated in color and written in child-friendly language, this book will be a wonderful resource for children, particularly children with autism, their parents, teachers, carers and siblings.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Diversity
  • Intelligence
  • Peers
  • Friendship

Jay Grows an Alien

Author: Caroline Anne Levine

Grade Levels: 6th-12th grade

Short Summary:

Jay, a young boy with Asperger Syndrome, often feels out of place in the world around him but doesn't know why. He doesn't understand why people call him names like space cadet and asp-booger. He has looked up asp in the dictionary to help find the answer to his wonderings, but knows he is not a small poisonous snake from Egypt. But what is he then? Caroline Levine's short novel follows Jay at school and home as he ponders these and other questions. In addition to independent reading, the book is great for use by teachers to promote an understanding of differences.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Differences

Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About - A Teenage Girl with ASD Shares Her Experiences First

Author: Haley Moss (a female with ASD)

Grade Levels: Middle/High School grades

Short Summary:

Middle school is an intimidating time for most students, but for students with autism spectrum disorder, it can be a veritable minefield of hidden curriculum rules, social misunderstandings and cliques - and that's before they even get to the academics! In Middle School - The Stuff Nobody Tells You About: A Teenage Girl with High-Functioning Autism Shares Her Experiences, a teenager with high-functioning autism relates her own experiences in middle school. Aimed at young teens, this resource tackles the issues that girls this age care about: fitting in, making friends, wearing the right clothes, succeeding academically and more. The book for teens, by teens approach makes it an easy, fun read while giving readers practical tips that they can use in their everyday lives. The author - already an accomplished artist - also illustrated the book.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Hidden Curriculum
  • Social rules
  • Making friends
  • Academics

My Strange and Terrible Malady

Author: Catherine Bristow

Grade Levels: 3-7 grade

Short Summary:

Ronita Ronnie Baker, 11th-grade individualist, is not happy. School is a struggle, and now doctors just diagnosed her with Asperger Syndrome. It s hard enough being the misfit daughter of a perfect mother, let alone being diagnosed with a disorder no one understands. My Strange and Terrible Malady takes a look at Asperger Syndrome from Ronnie s point of view. While she is clearly not socially savvy, things begin to change when she meets Hannah, a fellow student who takes the time to explain the mysteries of social interaction and other conundrums of daily life to Ronnie. With the help of Hannah and her new life coach, Ronnie shows readers that successful social and emotional interaction can be learned.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Social relationships
  • Emotional

Running on Dreams

Author: Herb Heiman

Grade Levels: 6-12 grade

Short Summary:

Put yourself in Brad's shoes. You're the school track star and all-around cool guy, and you get assigned to be the buddy of Justin, a 15-year-old boy with autism who is starting his first semester in a mainstream school. Thrown together in a story of teenage angst, confusion and friendship, Justin and Brad share their individual perspectives as an adolescent with autism and of a neurotypical teen struggling to understand each other and themselves. The book captures many bittersweet and humorous moments that bring new insight to a familiar world, the world of heartbreak for two boys whose relationship starts out quite turbulent but evolves into an enduring friendship of loyalty and trust.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Friendship
  • Adolescence

The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum

Author: Robin Steward

Grade Levels: Ages 16 and up

Short Summary:

In the same way that seatbelts give added protection to drivers, allowing them to travel safely wherever they choose to go, this practical book will help protect women on the autistic spectrum to negotiate risks and dangers as they live independent lives. Certain traits common to autism such as difficulty interpreting social cues can leave women susceptible to compromising their personal safety. Advocating that no woman on the autistic spectrum should be scared to enjoy independence provided she has the right knowledge and coping strategies in place, this book is filled with practical advice (for ages 16 plus) on how to stay safe while living life to the full. Informed by a survey of women on and off the autistic spectrum, it gets to the heart of the specific safety challenges faced by women, and offers numerous easy-to-use strategies to help avoid and overcome them. Topics covered include friendships, relationships and sex, alcohol and drugs, money and employment, and staying safe outside of the home and online. This will be a trusted and empowering companion for women on the spectrum and will also be valuable and insightful reading for anyone who cares for a woman on the spectrum, including their families, friends and teachers.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Friendship
  • Autism
  • Adolescent
  • Relationships
  • Social

The Reasons I Jump: The Inner Voice of a 13-Year Old Boy with Autism

Author: Naoki Higashida

Grade Levels: 6-12 grade

Short Summary:

You've never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Parents and family members who never thought they could get inside the head of their autistic loved one at last have a way to break through to the curious, subtle, and complex life within.

Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: "Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?' "Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?' "Why don't you make eye contact when you're talking?' and "What's the reason you jump?' (Naoki's answer: "When I'm jumping, it's as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.') With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights - into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory - are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.

In his introduction, bestselling novelist David Mitchell writes that Naoki's words allowed him to feel, for the first time, as if his own autistic child was explaining what was happening in his mind. "It is no exaggeration to say that The Reason I Jump allowed me to round a corner in our relationship.' This translation was a labor of love by David and his wife, KA Yoshida, so they'd be able to share that feeling with friends, the wider autism community, and beyond. Naoki's book, in its beauty, truthfulness, and simplicity, is a gift to be shared.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Sensory
  • Perspectives

Supplemental Resources:

The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents)

Author: Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve

Grade Levels: 2nd-8th grade

Short Summary:

This positive, straightforward book offers kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day. Some children with ASDs are gifted; others struggle academically. Some are more introverted, while others try to be social. Some get "stuck" on things, have limited interests, or experience repeated motor movements like flapping or pacing ("stims"). The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders covers all of these areas, with an emphasis on helping children gain new self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meant to be read with a parent, the book addresses questions ("What's an ASD?" "Why me?") and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers when needed. The book includes stories from real kids, fact boxes, helpful checklists, resources, and a glossary. Sections for parents offer more detailed information.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Autism
  • Self-acceptance
  • Emotions

Trainman: Gaining Acceptance and Friends Through Special Interests

Author: Stefan Kavan

Grade Levels: 3-7 grade

Short Summary:

In this warmly illustrated children's book, we meet Stefan, who has a deep interest in trains, roads, and maps. At first, Stefan's near-exclusive interest in transportation-related topics isolated him from other kids, but his parents and teachers helped turn his unique talents into an asset. His classmates now respect Stefan for his vast knowledge and have come to recognize that he is more like them than different. This book is an ideal addition to any autism awareness program at the elementary level.

Themes/Topics Covered:

  • Special interests
  • Autism
  • Acceptance