Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life

Author: Helen Fisher

Year: 2024

Genre: Feel Good Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:

Plot

Joe-Nathan is neurodivergent and lives his life being a good friend, following the rules, and following the advice his mother writes for him in notebooks. He goes to work and slowly learns how to make friends and accept friendship in return. He also learns that he can do the hardest things with the help of good friends.

Trigger Warnings

Physical abuse

Why Jackie loves it

I loved Joe Nathan and his view of life. His character grew so much and I loved taking the journey with him. My heart ached and burst simultaneously in this wonderful book. #gifted

Find this book in: Feel-Good Fiction / August 2024 Book Releases / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Happiness Falls

Author: Angie Kim

Year: 2023

Genre: Mystery

More info: September 2023 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:

Plot

Happiness Falls is a captivating and heartwrenching tale about a Korean-American family in Virginia. When her dad mysteriously vanishes, Mia is convinced there’s a logical explanation. But as the search unfolds, family secrets unravel, and Mia’s younger brother, who is non-speaking Autistic, becomes the only witness.

Packed with shocking twists and thought-provoking questions, this book explores love, language, disabilities, and the lengths a family will go to understand one another. It was more than just a mystery. It was an exploration of the bonds of family.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a parent

Why Kirsten loves it

I love the portrayal of this family. Not only is this book filled with twists, it delves into the complexity of family and expressions of love.

Find this book in: Best Family Drama Books / Good Morning America Book Club List / Best Books for Book Clubs / Best Books of 2023 / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

Author: Talia Hibbert

Year: 2023

Genre: YA Rom-Com

More info: Best-selling author of Brown Sisters

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Bradley Graeme is a football player, top of his class, and managing his OCD. Celine is a content creator/ conspiracy theorist who has a ton of followers but isn’t cool enough to sit at the popular kids’ table. The two used to be best friends and haven’t spoken in years. When they find themselves forced to work as a team in a survival course in the woods, they might find a whole new type of relationship.

Trigger Warnings

OCD, Anxiety

Why Jackie loves it

The love and support between Bradley and Celine grows throughout the story. I love to see OCD in a character who is not just his neurodivergence. Rather, he is a full and complex character.

Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Best YA Romance Books /

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Author: Gail Honeyman

Year: 2017

Genre: Fiction

More info: June 2107 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this contemporary fiction book initially.  Initially, Eleanor’s behavior and responses to people and situations upset me. I had the outside perspective of a reader to understand how Eleanor is misinterpreting situations. She is not supposed to be likable initially which is why I persevered and ended up loving the book and Eleanor. 

Eleanor has difficulty with social skills and is used to being alone until one day, she saves an elderly man who has fallen with the help of Raymond from her work. The three develop a friendship that helps Eleanor heal.

Trigger Warnings

Loneliness

Why Jackie loves it

As we get to know Eleanor and understand her profound loneliness, it made me think about what initial judgments I make in other areas. Eleanor is able to find herself and understand herself in this wonderful, feel-good book.

Why Kirsten loves it

If you love a character-driven novel, this is the book for you. Eleanor changes so much from the beginning of the story to the end, I loved taking the journey with her.

Find this book in: Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine / Books Like A Man Called Ove/ Books About Scotland / British Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Best Books Like Lessons in Chemistry / Books Like Where the Crawdads Sing / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Books

Ginny Moon

Author: Ludwig Benjamin

Year: 2017

Genre: Fiction

More info: Editor’s Pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

I Loved this story of an autistic girl who struggled to find a place with her new adopted family. The story was told from the perspective of the girl (written by the parent of an autistic child) and it was fascinating. Ginny is struggling. Her adoptive parents and her friends all love her, but she is determined to go back to her birth mother to retrieve something she lost.

Why Kirsten loves it

This book really helped me understand the inner workings of autism. Even though tt made me very anxious because Ginny’s inner dialogue is very different than mine, I highly recommend this book.

Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters / The Best Books of 2017

Convenience Store Woman

Author: Sayaka Murata and Ginny Tapley Takemori (Translator)

Year: 2018

Genre: Fiction

More info: Shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award, Longlisted for the Believer Book Award, Longlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, A Los Angeles Times Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

Plot

The quirky character in this novel reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. I loved being inside Keiko’s unique mind.

Keiko has been working at the same convenience store for 18 years. Listening to her inner monologue as she tries to conform with society is at times humorous and at other times sad. I would gladly have spent another 100 pages with Keiko in this delightful contemporary fiction book.

Why Kirsten loves it

Keiko is a wonderful, unique character. I loved following her journey as she tried to navigate society.

Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Books Set in Japan to Inspire Wanderlust / Ultimate List of Contemporary Fiction Novels

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Author: Graeme Simsion

Year: 2013

Genre: Fiction

More info: International Sensation

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

You know how this book is going to end even before you start reading it.  However, that does not make the journey any less enjoyable.  I found it to be cute and endearing.

Don Tillman is the autistic narrator. We listen to every unfiltered thought in his quest to find a wife. His scientific approach to this endeavor was simultaneously endearing and unromantic, but right on par with the way Don thinks.

At the beginning of the book, I wasn’t sure if Don actually cared but soon discovered that he cared deeply, he just expresses that in a different way

Why Jackie loves it

This is one of the first books I read with an autistic character and I think it opened up the possibility of writing about neurodivergent people as main characters in the story as opposed to supporting characters.

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved watching Don as he continued along his journey to find love and find a wife.

Find this book in: Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Lessons in Chemistry

Author: Bonnie Garmus

Year: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: April 2022 GMA Book Club Pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

I don’t even know where to begin with this unique contemporary fiction story. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50s when women were expected to know their place in society- the kitchen and the home. I did not know what to expect when the book started and I never could have guessed where the story would take me.

Elizabeth struggles to be taken seriously in her field and as a single mother, in this amazing book. So when an offer to host a cooking show for women is put in her path, she reluctantly takes it.

She uses her no-nonsense attitude and chemistry principles to teach the women in America how to cook and follow their dreams outside of the home.

Zott is a quirky character like Eleanor Oliphant with a charming daughter and a dog whose inner monologue is as quirky as hers. This is also an absolutely wonderful book about motherhood!

Trigger Warnings

Sexism

Why Jackie loves it

Elizabeth Zott is never characterized as neurodivergent. However, the way that she relates to the other characters leads me to believe that she is. I love the character growth and I was cheering for her success throughout the entire book. Can I also tell you how much I LOVE Six-Thirty?

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved seeing a woman before her time being a powerful strong role-model. She thrived and set a great example for her daughter. That is not even to mention the narration of this book! She is so great and so is six-thirty.

Find this book in: Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Guide / 15 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry/ Books About Mothers and Motherhood / Books Like Eleanor Oliphant / Books About Women in the Workplace / Books About Food / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Milkman

Author: Anna Burns

Year: 2018

Genre: Historical Literary Fiction

More info: Man Booker Prize

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This is one of the most unique books I have ever read. No one has a name! Instead, they are referred to as Milkman, or Real Milkman otherwise known as the man who loves no-one, or third-brother-in-law, or maybe-boyfriend.

It’s an amazing storytelling device that literally explains the relationship to the main character (also of no name) while allowing the reader to project their own names, and ideas (or assumptions) onto the characters. Oddly enough, this was a DNF for Jackie which would make it a perfect book for bookclubs. Did you love it or hate it?

Why Kirsten loves it

I LOVED this one. I seriously geeked out over the audio version of this Man Booker Prize-winning novel.

Why Jackie does not like it

This was a DNF for me. I could not listen to the main character talk about “reading and walking and walking and reading”. It made me completely nuts.

Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

Year: 1937

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: Penguin Classic

Age Range: 12+

Plot

This is the story of George and Lennie, migrant workers during the Great Depression. Their only goal is to find a small piece of land that they can call their own. When they find a job in the Salinas Valley, it feels as though their goals are finally within reach.

This book is another one of my favorites and it also happens to be a short one.  George and Lennie have stuck with me for the last 20-plus years. This is a story about friendship that is also a tragedy.

Why Jackie loves it

There is something about Lennie’s innocence that is haunting.  There is a moment (if you have read it, you know what I am talking about) that makes this book unforgettable.

Find this book in: Best Classic Novels to Read / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Maid

Author: Nita Prose

Year: 2022

Genre: Mystery

More info: January 2022 Good Morning America Pick
#1 New York Times Bestseller, EDGAR AWARD Finalist, Anthony Award Winner

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Molly Gray works as a maid in a grand hotel and gets joy from leaving things orderly and pristine. Molly struggles with reading social cues and has had even more trouble since her gran can no longer help.

When Molly finds the body of Mr. Black in a room at the hotel, she becomes a prime suspect and will need all her friends to help her. She calls her friend Mr. Preston, the doorman at the hotel, for help. His daughter is a lawyer. Soon it becomes clear that Molly, in her naivete, is involved in a drug scandal as well.

Why Jackie loves it

I loved the description of this book and I hoped it would live up to my expectations. It did that and more. I adored every minute of this story and closed the last page smiling. Molly is such a wonderful character who has more depth than is apparent initially.

Find this book in: The Maid Book Club Questions / Books like Lessons in Chemistry / Best Mystery Books / Feel-Good Books / Books for Book Clubs / Best Cozy Mystery Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Year: 2005

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

More info: Millennium #1

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Lisbeth Salander is not technically a detective but she sure is a bada** investigator. She is able to use her unparalleled computer hacking skills to find information on anybody, anywhere.

Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist who has a libel conviction. He is hired to investigate a disappearance from 40 years ago and convinces Lisbeth to help him in his investigation. These two make the most unusual pairing in this list of detective books. If you have not read this book series, they are fantastic.

Why Jackie loves it

This is also one of the best movies based on books. It was done twice: an American version and the original version with subtitles. Both are fantastic. The premise is so unique, I loved it and had no idea what to expect from these unique characters.

Find this book in: The Ultimate List of Best Thriller Books / Detective Books / Best Mystery Books / Serial Killer Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Year: 1887-1927

Genre: Mystery

More info:

Age Range: 12+

Plot

Sherlock Holmes’ ability to solve each crime is fascinating. His observations are astute and I can never, ever guess who committed the crime.

If you are looking for the best mystery books of all time, Sherlock Holmes cannot be missed. This complete collection has all the short stories and the 4 Holmes novels.

Why Kirsten loves it

I am a HUGE detective story lover and no one does detective stories better than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These books have inspired countless adaptations and retellings since their initial publication.

Find this book in: Sherlock Holmes Books / Literary Classics / Best Mystery Books / British Mysteries / Short Stories

Act your Age Eve Brown

Author: Talia Hibbert

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: The Brown Sisters #3
Instant New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This is the third book in the Brown Sisters trilogy and I adored this forced proximity romance. Eve Brown is a mess. She switches jobs and careers on a whim and can’t seem to do anything right. When her parents cut her off and tell her to find a job, she finds herself at a bed and breakfast interviewing for a chef position.

After Eve accidentally hits the owner of the B&B with her car, she begins the job helping Jacob, the reluctant owner. This hilarious and steamy romance was a perfect one-sitting read. These two have a lot standing in their way before they can reach their happily ever after.

Why Jackie loves it

While this book is a romance at its finest, it is also so much more. As Eve comes to learn more about herself, the reader gets to take the emotional journey with her.

Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Romance / Books Like the Kiss Quotient / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Forced Proximity Romance Books / Complete List of Romance Tropes / Office Romances

The Charm Offensive

Author: Alison Cochrun

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: Charm Offensive #1

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Dev is a producer on the long-running television show Ever After where he crafts love stories to get people to fall in love. When the show casts Charlie as the Prince Charming, Dev will have to put in more work than he bargained for. 

Charlie is only on the show to restore his image so he can go back to work and he certainly does not believe in true love.  As Dev tries to coach Charlie in ways to connect with the contestants, Dev and Charlie realize they might have more chemistry than any of the contestants. 

Trigger Warnings

Mental Illness, Panic Attacks, Homophobia

Why Jackie loves it

I loved this celebrity romance book that seems loosely based on the TV series The Bachelor. If you are a fan of reality TV shows, you need to read this book!

Find this book in: Celebrity Romance Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Heart Principle

Author: Helen Hoang

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: The Kiss Quotient Series #3

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

I have read all three of the books in the kiss quotient series and loved them all but this book is special. This is my favorite of all of the Helen Hoang books thus far. Anna is a violinist whose career is stuck as she finds herself unable to play a single song to the end. When her boyfriend of 5 years announces that they are going to see other people before getting married, Anna decides to go on a dating app. Her plan: one-night stands.

Who does she find? Quan. This book is more than a romance. Hoang does an amazing job of bringing Anna and her struggles with her identity to life.

Why Jackie loves it

Hoang made me feel for Anna. Her pain was palpable and I found myself having trouble breathing I was so upset. There is so much to love about this book from the characters to the plot, and the romance.

Find this book in: Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Helen Hoang Books / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Books

The Very Nice Box

Author: Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance/ Thriller

Age Range: 14+

Plot

The quirky personality of Ava, the protagonist in The Very Nice Box, is reminiscent of Eleanor Oliphant. Being inside Ava’s unique brain was a real treat.

Ava works as an engineer at a furniture company similar to Ikea. She has the same routine every day and is rather isolated socially until Mat Putnam bursts into her life.

As her backstory unfolds, this book goes from romance to thriller in the most delightful way. One of the most original vacation books of 2021. It’s a must-read for laughs and suspense and is a perfect pick for books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Why Kirsten loves it

This is one of the most original vacation books of 2021. It’s a must-read for laughs and suspense and is a perfect pick for anyone who loves Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Find this book in: Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Author: Heather Fawcett

Year: 2023

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Emily Wilde #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 13+

Plot

Emily Wilde is an expert on the study of faeries who is writing the first encyclopedia on faerie lore. She has traveled to the village of Hrafnsvik to study the Hidden Ones. She is much better with her dog and faeries than she is with people so she is not happy when Wendell Bamblely shows up uninvited. He is her handsome and lazy rival who is not opposed to making things up as he goes along.

Why Jackie loves it

This is one of the best fantasy books of 2023! I knew I needed to read it as soon as I saw the name, but everything about it was wonderful. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The sequel, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Overlands is already of of my favorites of 2024.

Find this book in: Fae Books / Cozy Books / Best Books of 2023 / Adult Fantasy Romance Books /Adult Fantasy Novels / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Year: 2005

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Age:9-13

More info:
Percy Jackson and The Olympian Book #1
Currently a Series on Disney Plus

Plot

This first Percy Jackson book is about our beloved Percy, who discovers he is a demi-god and must recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. He travels into the underworld to locate the lightning bolt and, at the same time, try to save his mother.

His amazing adventures with Annabeth and Grover along the way create the foundation for all the books that follow in this amazing and epic series.

Why Jackie loves it

I don’t think anyone has read this middle grade fantasy series and not loved it. It’s a contemporary Greek mythology retelling for the ages. It is fun and exciting!

Adaptation Information

While the original films based on the books are generally considered to be flops, the show adapted on Disney+ is fantastic! Season 2 is currently being filmed and will follow the second book in the series.

Find this book in: Percy Jackson Books in Order / Rick Riordan Books / Best Books for 10-year-olds / Books like Keeper of the Lost Cities / Tween & Teen Fantasy Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Cassandra in Reverse

Author: Holly Smale

Year: 2023

Genre: Fiction

More info: June 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Cassandra Penelope Dankworth has just had the worst day of her life! She has been dumped, fired, and told to move out of her apartment. This is all very unfortunate for someone who likes things to be predictable.

After the worst day of her life (she was fired, dumped, and kicked out of her apartment) Cassie realizes that she can go back and change the past. She is determined to go back until she can fix everything that went wrong. But in doing so, something remarkable happens. Cassie begins to get a new perspective on people and situations. What if the past she thought she wanted wasn’t actually what she wanted?

Why Jackie likes it

This is such a fun and unique time loop book. It is a fast-paced book that is emotional, funny, and made me think. I did not love the ending and for me, that can make or break a book. It went from a five-star to a three-star read. However, I know that there are so many people who completely disagree. I would love to know your thoughts

Find this book in: Best Time Loop Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Goldfish Boy

Author: Lisa Thompson

Year: 2017

Genre: Middle-Grade Mystery

Age Range: 12+

Plot

This middle-grade story is about a boy named Matthew who has severe OCD and has trouble leaving his house due to his anxiety. He has not gone to school and his hands bleed from washing them repeatedly. He spends his time at the window observing the neighborhood.

Matthew is the last person to have seen the toddler next door before the four-year-old disappeared. Now Matthew is thrust into the middle of the investigation to find the little boy before its too late. Can he leave his comfort zone to help?

Trigger Warnings

Severe anxiety

Why Jackie loves it

I love the fact that this book looks at the world from Matthew’s point of view.  It is a very readable, eye-opening middle-grade mystery book for 13-year-olds

Find this book in: Best Books for a 13-Year-Old / The Best Mystery Books for Tweens / The Best Books of 2017 / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

Turtles on the Way Down

Author: John Green

Year: 2017

Genre: YA Fiction

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Aza is a 16-year-old who, along with her best friend, is searching for a lost billionaire to get the reward money. Along the way, she finds Davis, the billionaire’s son, and her childhood friend. While trying to be the best she can be, she ignores the rising level of panic and anxiety that is tightening it’s grip on her.

Trigger Warnings

Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self-harm

Why Jackie loves it

Love, loss, and resilience are all themes in this book that captured my heart and kept me reading until the last page.

Find this book in: Thought-Provoking Books / Coming-of-age Books for Teens / Books about Mental Illness / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Author: Trenton Lee Stewart

Year: 2007

Genre: Middle Grade Mystery

Age: 9 – 12

More info: Mysterious Benedict Society #1

Plot

This delightful story is about a group of extremely gifted children who are sent to spy on an evil organization. Together, these genius kids use logic and quick thinking to accomplish their secret mission without being caught! The children in the Mysterious Benedict Society must infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to uncover a plot to control the minds of citizens around the world.

Why Kirsten loves it

I read this story to my boys at bedtime and it was the perfect read-aloud. We all enjoyed the complexity of the story and the silly scenarios. Years later, we watched the Disney TV adaptation as well!

Why Jackie loves it

This is the first middle-grade book in a series that is geared toward older kids. It was funny and interesting and extremely clever.

Find this book in: Middle Grade Mystery Books / Books About Puzzles / Books like KOTLC / Secret Society Books / Best Gifts for 10-year-olds / Best Books for a 10-year-old / Books With Neurodivergent Characters