Every April, autistic people and members of the autism community campaign to raise awareness, improve understanding and cultivate acceptance of autistic people in society. The initiative is known as Autism Acceptance Month and was founded by autistic disability rights activist Paula C Durbin-Westby in 2011. In honour of Autism Acceptance Month, here is a selection of ten engaging, insightful, and neuro-affirmative books about autism for young readers. Affirmative portrayals of autism in literature are essential for enhancing our collective understanding of the autistic experience. This belief is what inspired me to write my own novel, Freya Harte is Not a Puzzle (for age 13+), which was published by the O’Brien Press last month. Written from my own autistic perspective, it tells the story of a teenage girl learning to embrace her autistic self. Like the other books listed here, I hope it is an enjoyable and insightful read. Happy Autism Acceptance Month!
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