The Bridge Outreach Service

Autism in fiction Thefollowinglistofbooksincludeautisticcharacterswithsomebooksalsowrittenbyautisticauthors.ThereviewsaretakenfromarangeofonlinesourcesanddonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsofTheBridge.Wherepossiblereviewsbymembersoftheautisticcommunitywereusedtoinformhowauthentictheportrayalofcharacterswereperceivedtobe.TheDisabilityinKidlitwebsiteprovidedsomeparticularlyusefulreviewshttp://disabilityinkidlit.com/.Suggestedreader’sagesareincludedasroughguidelines,however,itisadvisedthatyoulookoverthecontenttoensureitissuitableforyourreaders.

TheSpaghettiDetectivesbyAndreasSteinhafel(9+)

Thisisaquirkyandentertainingread.TranslatedfromGerman,itisthestoryoftwomisfitboyswhofindfriendshipastheysetouttosolveaveryunusualmystery.

Thereaderisdrawninrightfromthestart,whenthenarratorRicoisintriguedtofindasmallpieceofpastaonthepavement.Thisleadshimtouncoverthetruthbehindallmannerofstrangegoings-oninhisneighbourhood,includingalocalkidnappingplot.RicoisautisticandhisfriendOscarisgiftedandanxiety-ridden,andbothareenormouslylikable.

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AWholeNewBallgamebyPhilBildner(10+)

RipandRedarebestfriendswhosefifth-gradeyearisnothinglikewhattheyexpected.TheyhaveacrazynewtattooedteachernamedMr.Acevedo,whodoesn'tbelieveintestsorhomeworkandwholikesoff-the-wallprojects,themore"off"thebetter.Theyalsofindthemselveswithanewbasketballcoach:Mr.Acevedo!Easy-goingRipisknockedcompletelyoutofhiscomfortzone.AndforRed,whohasautismandreallyneedsthingstobeexactlyacertainway,thechangesareevenmoreofastruggle.Buttogetherthesetwomakeagreatduowhoknowhowtohelpeachother―andfindwaystomakeadifference―intheclassroomandonthecourt.

Withitsenergeticandauthenticstoryandartwork,thisisafresh,funbookaboutschool,sports,andfriendship.

AWizardAlone(NewMillenniumEdition)byDianeDuane(10+)

PartofthelargerYoungWizardsseriesfollowingKitandNita.InthisbookabuddingwizardnamedDarrylhasgottenstuckinhisOrdeal-awizards'initiation.Kitmustrescuetheyoungwizardwhohasvanishedonhisfirstassignment.Darrylisautisticandhe'samagicalprodigy.Hispowerisenormous.

ItiscrucialthattheNewMillenniumEditionofthebookisreadastheauthorhasthoroughlyrevisedtheportrayalofDarrylinresponsetocriticismshereceivedfromtheautisticcommunity.Shehasconsultedwidelyinmakingthechangestoprovideamuchmoreroundedcharacter.ThatexploresboththestrengthsanddifficultiesthatDarrylandallofthecharactersexperience.

AlCaponeDoesMyShirtsbyGenniferCholdenko(10+)

WhenMooseFlanaganandhisfamilymovehome,yetagain,andbecomeresidentsofthefamousprisonislandAlcatraz,thingsgetinteresting.Firstofall,theysharetheislandwithafewotherfamiliesandalotofprettyheavy-dutycriminalsincludingAlCapone.Andsecondly,Moose'ssisterisstartinganewschool,whicheveryonehopeswillhelpherbecomemoreintegratedwiththosearoundher.WhenMoosecomesupwithsomeprettycunningmoney-makingschemesbasedonhisfamousco-residents,hedoesnotcountonhissisterbecominginadvertentlyinvolved.

Moose’ssisterhashighneedautismandwhilstthisisnotmentionedinthenovelitisduetotheauthorwishingtokeeptruetothetimeitwassetwhenlittlewasknownaboutautism,indeedthediagnosiswasnotyetavailable.

TheCaseoftheDeadlyDesperados(TheP.K.PinkertonMysteries)byCarolineLawrence(aseriesofbooksofwhichthisisthefirst)(10+)

VirginiaCityin1862isaminingcampsittingabovearichveinofsilverinAmerica'sWildWest.It'sadangerousplace,fullofgamblersandgunmen.

Whentwelveyear-oldP.K.Pinkertonarrivesthere,homeless,pennilessandhunted,thingsdon'tlookgood.Brilliant,touch-averseandreclusive,he“cannotexpressemotionseasily.Norreadthemneither.”ButP.K.soonfindsalliesinSamClemens,anewspaperreporter,PokerFaceJace,agamblerwhocantellwhensomeoneisbluffing,andPing,aChinesephotographer'sapprentice.WiththehelpofthesefriendsP.K.takesonthetrickstersanddesperadosandtriestobecomeadetective.ThoughnoexplicitreferenceismadetoP.K.’sautismthecharacterconveysboththedifficultiesoflivingwithautismandtheautisticmind’sdistinctivestrengths.

TheCategoricalUniverseofCandicePheebyBarryJonsberg(11+)

CandicePheeisn'tatypicaltwelve-year-oldgirl.Shehasmorethanherfairshareofquirks,butshealsohastheverybestofintentionsandanunwaveringdeterminationtomakesureeveryonearoundherishappy.Thatincludesyou.Becauseyou'lllaughoutloudreadingthischarming,lovablenovel.Candice'staskisnoeasyfeatwhenshe'sdealingwithapetfishwithanidentitycrisis,afriendwhobelieveshecamefromanotherdimension,anage-oldfamilyfeud,andasickmom.Butsheisonamission!

Candiceisathree-dimensionalautisticfemaleprotagonist.Mostimportantly,sheseesherlifeasinterconnectedtoothers’lives.TheCategoricalUniverseofCandicePheeisafun,well-writtenyoungadultbook,ifanimperfectautismread.

TheReinventionofEdisonThomasbyJacquelineHoutman(11+)

EddyThomascanreadacollegephysicsbook,buthecan'treadtheemotionsonthefacesofhisclassmatesatDraytonMiddleSchool.Hecanspendhourstinkeringwithaninvention,buthecan'tstandmorethanafewminutesinanoisycrowd,likethecrowdatthesciencefair,whichEddyfailstowin.Whenthelocalschoolcrossingguardislaidoff,Eddyishauntedbythoughtsofthepotentiallydisastrousconsequencesandinventsatraffic-calmingdevice,usingpartshehasscavengedfromdiscardedmachines.

Thebookdoesfallintousingsomecrudestereotypesinitsportrayaloftheautisticvoice:Autisticsoftenreciteandfocusonfacts;Autisticsmaystrugglewithemotions;Autisticsobsessovertheirspecialinterests;Autisticscansoundstiffandofficial.Whilstafunstoryitisimportanttonotetherelativelyone-dimensionalportrayalofEddy.

NothingisRight(ShapingClayBook1)-MichaelScottMonjeJr.(anautisticauthor)(12+)

OtherpeopleterrifyClayDillon.He'sneverhadafriendbefore,eventhoughhismotherrunsadaycareoutoftheirhouse.Now,it'stimeforhimtofacethefirstgrade.Willhefinallyfigureoutwhatitisaboutotherpeoplethathedoesnotunderstand,orwillhehidehimselfinhisschoolwork?Willhestandoutasoneofthefewfirstgradersthatcanalreadyreadadultnovels,orwillhecamouflagehisabilitiessothathecanavoidtheextraattention?Claywantsdesperatelyforotherpeopletorealizethatheisvaluable,buteverytimetheytalktohim,ithurts.

IslaandthehappilyeverafterbyStephaniePerkins(14+)

FromglitteringManhattantomoonlitParis,fallinginloveiseasyforhopelessdreamerIslaandintrospectiveartistJosh.Untiltheyareforcedtoconfronttheheartbreakingrealitythathappily-ever-aftersaren'talwaysforever.Isla’sbestfriendinthenovel,Kurt,isautistic.

Thisisn’tthebestbooktopickupspecificallyforitsautisticorotherwisediverserepresentation.Thediversityisallsecondary.However,itisabookthatdoessomanysurprisingthingsright—rangingfromafresh,matter-of-factdepictionofautismtosubtleyetefficientsubversionsofassumptions—thatitisadelighteverytimeyouthinkofKurt’scharacter.

ColinFischerbyAshleyEdwardMillerandZackStentz(13+)

ColinFischercannotstandtobetouched.Hedoesnotlikethecolourblue.Heneedsindexcardstorecognizefacialexpressions.Butwhenagunisfoundintheschoolcafeteria,interruptingafemaleclassmate'sbirthdaycelebration,Colinistheonlyfortheinvestigation.It'suptohimtoprovethatWayneConnelly,theschoolbullyandColin'sfrequenttormenter,didn'tbringtheguntoschool.

ColinFischerisastorytoldbythescreenwritersofX-Men:FirstClassandThor,ZackStentzisalsoontheautisticspectrum.Theportrayalofautismdoesfallintoafewstereotypesandhasadistantnarrative.However,Colinisalikablecharacterwho’scapable,interesting,andadaptable.

ViralNationbyShauntaGrimes(thereisasequel-RebelNation)(14+)

Afteravirusclaimednearlytheentireglobalpopulation,theworldchanged.TheUnitedStatessplinteredintofiftywalledcities.TheCompany,whichendedtheplaguebybringingalife-savingvaccinebackfromthefuture,controlseverything.

Brilliant,autistic,sixteen-year-oldCloverDonovanhasalwaysdreamedofstudyingattheWaverly-SteadAcademy.ButClover’srefusaltopartwithherbelovedservicedogdeniesherentryintotheschool.Instead,sheisdraftedintotheTimeMariners,ateamofCompanyoperativeswhotravelthroughtimetogathernewsaboutthefuture.

OneofClover’smissionsrevealsthatherbrother,West’s,lifeisindanger.TochangeWest’sfate,they’llhavetotakeonthemysteriousCompany.Insavingherbrother,Cloverwillfaceamorepowerfulforcethansheeverimagined…

HarmonicFeedback–TaraKelly(14+)

ThisbooktellsthetaleofateenagegirlwithAsperger’ssyndrome,ADHD,andanxietydisorderwhojoinsabandandmeetsherdreamguy.Atleastthatiswhatyouthinkitmightaboutbutitturnsouttobenotthatstraightforward.

“Icannotpraisethisbookhighlyenough.Iwouldgiveitfiveoutoffivestarsanddefinitelyrecommendthisbooktootherautisticteenagersandyoungadults.Isaw,andstillsee,alotofmyselfinDrea,andIimagineotherautisticfolkswillbeabletodothesame.IsmiledwithrecognitionwhenIreadaboutDrearockingbackandforthandcoveringherearsinloudandstressfulsituations,becauseIstiminstressfulsituations,too.Itrulyunderstoodher.”-MaryWilsonhttp://disabilityinkidlit.com/

OntheEdgeofGonebyCorrineDuyvis(15+)

January29,2035,that’sthedaythecometisscheduledtohit—thebigone.Deniseandhermotherandsister,Iris,havebeenassignedtoatemporaryshelteroutsidetheirhometownofAmsterdamtowaitouttheblast,butIrisisnowheretobefound,andattherateDenise’sdrug-addictedmotherisgoing,they’llneverreachtheshelterintime…

Thebooktouchesonsomeverycommonapocalypseandpost-apocalypsetropesandDenise’sautismiswell-written.Duyvis,whoisautisticherself,neverlosestouchwithDenise’shumanity,butshealsoallowsDenisetostruggle.Shemeltsdown,hidesinherroominexhaustion,blamesherselffornotbeingabletofunctionwiththeoutwardsuccessofherNTfriends,andcallsherselfnames.Deniseisalsoabletotakeactionsthatshowherasbrave,resourceful,intelligent,andhard-working—not“despite”thesedifficulties,butalongsidethem.

AlCaponeDoesMyShirtsbyGenniferCholdenko(10+)

WhenMooseFlanaganandhisfamilymovehome,yetagain,andbecomeresidentsofthefamousprisonislandAlcatraz,thingsgetinteresting.Firstofall,theysharetheislandwithafewotherfamiliesandalotofprettyheavy-dutycriminalsincludingAlCapone.Andsecondly,Moose'ssisterisstartinganewschool,whicheveryonehopeswillhelpherbecomemoreintegratedwiththosearoundher.WhenMoosecomesupwithsomeprettycunningmoney-makingschemesbasedonhisfamousco-residents,hedoesnotcountonhissisterbecominginadvertentlyinvolved.

Moose’ssisterhashighneedautismandwhilstthisisnotmentionedinthenovelitisduetotheauthorwishingtokeeptruetothetimeitwassetwhenlittlewasknownaboutautism,indeedthediagnosiswasnotyetavailable.

RoguebyLynMiller-Lachmann(12+)

KiarahasAsperger’ssyndrome,andit’shardforhertomakefriends.Sowheneverherworlddoesn’tmakesense—whichisoften—shereliesonMr.Internetforanswers.Buttherearesomequestionshecan’tanswer,likewhyshealwaysgetsintotrouble,andhowdokidswithAsperger’ssyndromemakefriends?Kiarahasadifficulttimewithotherkids.Theytauntherandshefightsback.Nowshe’sbeenkickedoutofschool.ShewishesshecouldbelikeherheroRogue—amisunderstoodX-Menmutantwhousedtohurtanyoneshetoucheduntilshelearnedhowtocontrolherspecialpower.

ThisisthedebutnovelbyLynMiller-Lachmannwho,likeherprotagonist,hasAsperger’s.

TheLondonEyeMysterybySiobhanDowd(11+)

Tedlikestheweather,healsolikesstatisticsandroutinebuthislifeisthrownintodisarraywhenhisAuntGloriaandcousinSalimarrive,likeahurricane,tostayinLondonen-routetoanewlifeinNewYork.

TedandhisoldersisterKatarrangetotakeSalimontheLondonEyebutalthoughtheywatchhimgoupinapod,henevercomesdownagain.Salimismissing.Ted'sandKatmustpiecetogethertheinformationsurroundingtheircousin'sdisappearancetobegintounravelthemystery…

CriticismhasbeenleviedattheportrayalofTedasperpetuatinganexceptionalistnarrative(thesavantgenius)andthereforeshowinghimastooone-dimensional

AnythingbuttypicalbyNoraRaleighBaskin(12+)

JasonBlakeisanautistic12-year-oldlivinginaneurotypicalworld.Mostdaysit'sjustamatteroftimebeforesomethinggoeswrong.ButJasonfindsaglimmerofunderstandingwhenhecomesacrossPhoenixBird,whopostsstoriestothesameonlinesiteashedoes.

JasoncanbehimselfwhenhewritesandhethinksthatPhoneixBird-hernameisRebecca-couldbehisfirstrealfriend.ButasdesperateasJasonistomether,he'sterrifiedthatiftheydomeet,RebeccawillonlyseehisautismandnotwhoJasonreallyis.Thisisthedepictionofaboy'sstrugglestoconform-andastoryforanyonewhohaseverworriedaboutfittingin.