Autism Acceptance (Primary)

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Charles Santoso. Although Bat (A Boy Called Bat) doesn't like change, with older sister Janie at play rehearsal Bat must spend afternoons at new friend Israel's house. Thankfully, he has pet skunk Thor...but then Thor ruins Janie's performance and Bat must make things right. Arnold continues her sensitive depiction of Bat's autism, particularly as he struggles with accountability. Black-and-white illustrations convey the warmth of this loving family.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Charles Santoso. Third grader Bixby Alexander Tam (a.k.a. "Bat") loves animals, so when his veterinarian mother brings home an injured skunk, he's in heaven. Bat's love for the skunk, Thor, allows the boy to shine and connect with others in a world that often feels inaccessible to him because of his (implied) autism. A warm pet story starring a compassionately depicted atypical child. Sweet halftone illustrations are included.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. "Henry was looking for a friend." Unfortunately, everyone is just too much: some kids are messy; others don't follow class rules. The story turns hopeful when Henry meets Katie, a quiet girl who enjoys reading. Song's pastel-hued ink and watercolor illustrations depict realistic social situations in a supportive and diverse classroom. The story never uses an autism-spectrum label for Henry, leaving readers to follow him without preconceptions.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(1) 1-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. Henry, a boy on the autism spectrum (first introduced in the 2019 picture book A Friend for Henry, rev. 5/19), likes everything about school. Life in Classroom Ten is entirely predictable. Mrs. Tanaka posts the schedule for the week, and Henry can count on ­having Music on Wednesdays, Free Choice every Thursday, and Share Time on Fridays. So when Mrs. Tanaka announces that the class will hold a special parade on the upcoming Friday in place of Share Time, Henry responds with dismay. All week, Henry objects, but to no avail. On the big day, Henry hands his teacher his Quiet Card and enters the classroom closet to regroup. There, he encounters classmate Samuel, who is unhappy about the parade for a different reason. Henry finds a solution to Samuel's discomfort, a way to keep Friday as a time to share, and a comfortable place for himself in the parade. The ending of this short chapter book, heavily illustrated and with a format and content to appeal to new readers, is as satisfying as Bailey's understanding prose and Song's gentle, friendly illustrations. Henry is an extremely sympathetic hero--relatable and authentic. His open face expresses anxiety, calm, distress, or delight with just small changes to his eyebrows or mouth. Readers will recognize Henry as a child who succeeds in adjusting to what is, for him, an enormous challenge.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(1) 1-3 Henry series. Illustrated by Mika Song. In his second early-chapter-book outing (Henry, like Always, rev. 3/23), Henry -- a sensitive child who presents as being on the autism spectrum -- is ambivalent about a field trip to the natural history museum. "Henry was excited. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum. Henry was also worried. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum." Despite his concerns, Henry is looking forward to the dinosaur exhibit. When Samuel's dad (a field trip helper) asks Henry's group of three what they'd like to see, "'Dinosaurs!' said Henry. But he forgot to say it out loud." Each of his attempts to make his voice heard is inadvertently thwarted, and Henry patiently accompanies his group to the rock, bug, and mummy displays. Song's loosely rendered, limited-palette watercolor and ink illustrations telegraph emotion and deepen meaning for newly independent readers. When Henry eventually shouts "DINOSAURS!" the accompanying illustration makes clear his frustration, along with his classmates' bemused reactions. They finally find the dinosaur room (after getting a bit lost), and Henry's absolute joy is palpable. Bailey's relatable characters, familiar scenarios, and gentle humor make this a remarkably satisfying read...whether you embrace the new or not.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. "Henry had never practiced smiling. Maybe that was why he never looked like he thought he should in pictures. The idea made Henry not want to smile at all." In this third early chapter book (most recently Henry and the Something New, rev. 1/24), it's class picture day and Henry, who presents as being on the autism spectrum, is not happy about his shirt. The collar is too high, the cuffs are too tight, and "the buttons went on forever." And it's disconcerting that his classmates don't look like themselves, either. Henry remains an appealing character with relatable concerns (to readers neurodivergent or not); Classroom 10 is warm and supportive. As in the previous books, Song's breezy limited-palette illustrations are expressive and provide lots of opportunities for newly independent readers to pause. Before the photo is taken, Henry's tooth unexpectedly pops out (surprisingly quickly) and into some potting soil, causing a mild crisis and lots of digging through dirt. The conclusion is satisfying for all, and when Henry smiles for the camera, he means it.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Giselle Potter. Grandin, who grew up with autism and hypersensitivity to touch, saw a calf become calm after entering a squeeze chute and made a comparable human "hug machine." The authors take readers from Grandin's early childhood through young adulthood, lightly sketching in biographical information to focus on her antipathy to being hugged and her invention. Illustrations capture Grandin's likeness well and reinforce the text's emphasis on her interests.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) PS Illustrated by Marybeth Nelson. Julia may play differently than most kids, but Elmo doesn't mind: both like building blocks, toy cars, and tablet games. While swinging (another favorite), Abby joins them on the playground. Elmo's casual description of Julia's autism emphasizes his organic acceptance of her, which helps Abby and Julia become friends, too. This Sesame Street story positively models inclusion, as do the recognizable illustrations.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Rebecca Bender. A visit to North Dakota for her aunt's wedding throws a new set of challenges at flower girl Lauren (Slug Days), a second grader with autism spectrum disorder. Many of the laughs come from Lauren's precise narration: "It took us two days, eight movies, four chapter books, and three throw-ups to reach Auntie Joss's house." Black-and-white pencil and digital illustrations help clarify Lauren's (and others') emotions.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Rebecca Bender. Lauren knows her autism spectrum disorder makes her behave differently from her classmates, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to know how to act. First-person narration makes Lauren's logic clear, even as readers may see why something she does seems funny. Frequent pencil and digital illustrations break up the paragraphs and should help young readers understand Lauren's emotions and others' reactions.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Nixon. A boy named Leo feels like an alien. Everything around him is simply too much: too bright, loud, and ­confusing. For Leo, "life on the wrong planet was stressful. And tiring. And lonely." One day at the aquarium, he meets a fellow "alien": an octopus named Maya. He dives into octopus research, and then ­visits again. With the help and encouragement of Edgar the octopus-keeper, Leo even gets the courage to touch Maya. Her skin whitens, which (as Leo had learned) is a sign that she feels calm--she likes him! One day, Leo arrives to find a big, noisy crowd. He knows it's a problem as soon as Maya begins to turn red: this was too bright, too loud, and too confusing. The crowd finally dissipates, but Leo finds another (human) friend in a boy who stays behind. Marinov tactfully parallels Leo's neurodivergence with Maya's own talents, allowing readers to both sympathize with and admire their approaches to the world. Nixon's stylized illustrations, gently rendered in a muted palette, make excellent use of shape and color to communicate Leo's and Maya's senses of safety (or lack thereof), even linking the archway of Maya's enclosure to the shape of Leo's cardboard hideout at home. Using her own family as a model (per an appended note), Marinov simply and straightforwardly honors the experiences of a child on the autism spectrum who is ­negotiating this overstimulating planet.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo. Riley likes to tear up old newspapers, line stuffies up by size, and draw colorful swirls. But when Bossy Older Cousin Emma and her sister, Violet, come to visit, Bossy Emma says Riley's games are boring and insists on noisy play and having tea parties. Alborozo's mixed-media illustrations are all rounded corners, soft lines, and gentle pastel hues, giving the book a peaceful feeling appropriate to its quiet protagonist, a contrast to the cousins' more raucous forms of play. When Bossy Emma and Riley glare at each other, though, it's clear there's a difference between being mild and being a pushover. Riley wants Bossy Emma to understand that she isn't the only one who knows how to play, so Riley enlists the assistance of Charlie, a gray pooch with floppy ears and a waggy tail. When the kids' game of fetch turns into Charlie's game of keep-away, the children chase him "until we all fall down laughing." The language here is straightforward and instructive, and an appended author's note reveals Miller-Lachmann wrote this based on her experiences. ("It was only in adulthood that I found out I was autistic.") Negotiating relationships with children who play differently is a universal experience, though, and this will strike a chord with many readers.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ken Min. Sammy's epic bad day is followed by loneliness when, preoccupied by autistic brother Benji's moods, his family barely notices. But Benji does notice, and he reaches out to his big brother in his own special way. The spare text and sweeping acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations capture the emotions of both an autistic child and his sometimes-overlooked sibling. A spot-on and heartwarming snapshot of sibling connection.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(2) K-3 Drawn as a sunshine-yellow, dog-like creature with a heart-shaped nose and pointy triangular ears, a nonverbal girl tells readers via a thought bubble: "I don't speak. But my brother finds it easy!" During spaghetti dinner, TV-watching with Grandma, read-aloud time, and tooth-brushing, the girl's thoughts and her brother's words are in sync, with the girl's gestures and facial expressions aiding communication. But when it's pajama time, the girl notices that her stuffed animal, Bunny, is missing. Wailing "EEEEEEEEE!" she dashes outside to search for Bunny, startling her brother and grandmother, who don't understand what she's up to. Brother's flashlight saves the day, and the siblings' bedtime routine soon resumes its easy rhythm. Robbins eschews labels in her story, but a brief author bio notes how growing up with an autistic brother "informs and shapes her writing." With minimal text, Robbins presents challenges ("All the noises at dinner are too much. I wish I could turn my ears off"), moments of pride ("I am teaching my brother a guessing game with drawing"), and key supports, such as flashcards and bathroom help. Thick, loose-lined drawings imbued with cheerful color offer a family portrait that normalizes autism and celebrates love and connection. Pair this with Robbins's Me and My Sister for another slice-of-life story, told from the brother's perspective.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021