Authors
Authors
Website
Children's Books
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn
Ada and Zaz
The Someday Birds
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
Stanley Will Probably be Fine
Invisible Isabel
No World Too Big
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"I know what it feels like to be a little bit different, a little off, unsure, and unusual, in a world that can be very straight and narrow-thinking about what it calls ‘normal.’ And I know what it’s like to feel scared of pretty much everything. And to choose not to speak.
I didn’t know it when I was a kid, but as a grown-up, I learned there was a reason for my struggles: autism! For me, it means I have a harder time dealing with sensory stuff – the too-muchness of the world. But I’ve learned a lot of skills along the way, and I manage quite well now" (Taken from Sally J. Pla's About page)
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
Invisible Isabel
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Jen Malia
Website
Children's Books
Too Sticky!
The Infinity Rainbow Club Series
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"An autistic mom of three autistic kids, Jen Malia is the author of the children’s chapter book series The Infinity Rainbow Club and the picture book Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism. She is Professor of English and Creative Writing Coordinator at Norfolk State University. She has written for or appeared on the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, NPR, Parents, Glamour, Woman’s Day, and others. She has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Southern California. She is pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from Pittsburgh, she currently lives with her husband and three kids in Virginia Beach" (Taken from Jen Malia's About Jen page).
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Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Website
Children's Books
Ways to Play
Moonwalking
She Persisted: Temple Grandin
Genre
Children's fiction, children's non-fiction
About the Author
"You may have noticed that I write a lot about living and working with autism. As an adult, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (now part of the autism spectrum), and it answered a lot of questions about why I had so much trouble fitting in when I was younger, and even now. My novel Rogue portrays a young teenager growing up on the autism spectrum, not knowing why she’s different from the others. Both of my historical novels, Moonwalking and Torch, feature protagonists who would be on the autism spectrum if the diagnosis existed in that place and time. While I want publishers to bring out more books about autistic protagonists by autistic writers, I also do sensitivity reads for writers who are not autistic, to help them understand what it’s like to be on the spectrum, from the inside" (Taken from Lyn Miller-Lachmann's About page).
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AJ Sass
Website
Children's Books
Shabbat Is...
Camp QUILTBAG
Ellen Outside the Lines
Just Shy of Ordinary
Ana on the Edge
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"AJ Sass (he/they) is an author whose narrative interests lie at the intersection of identity, neurodiversity, and allyship. He is an award winning and critically acclaimed author of books for young readers, including Just Shy of Ordinary (2025 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor), Camp QUILTBAG, co-written with Nicole Melleby (2024 ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Title; Golden Poppy Award finalist), Ellen Outside the Lines (2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor; 2023 ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Title; multiple state awards list nominations), and Ana on the Edge (2021 ALA Rainbow Book list Top 10 Title; Bank Street College of Education selection; multiple state awards list nominations). Many of Andrew’s books have also been Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections" (Taken from AJ Sass's Biography page).
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Elana K Arnold
Website
Children's Books
All by Himself?
The Fish of Small Wishes
Pip and Zip
An Ordinary Day
What Riley Wore
Starla Jean
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"Elana K. Arnold is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning young adult novels and children’s books, including the Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, and Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. Several of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have appeared on many best book lists, including the Amelia Bloomer Project, a catalog of feminist titles for young readers. Elana teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program and lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets" (Taken from Elana K. Arnold's About Elana page).
In 2022, she decided to get evaluated for autism and heard back from the clinician that she was diagnosed with autism. She goes on to discuss why she shared with people now:
"I guess the answer is: because inauthenticity makes my skin itch on the inside; and because I'm hoping that sharing it will help break this particular wave of fear. And also because I am proud of my beautiful, perfect, strange, complicated, imperfect, creative, terrified, loving, capable, forgetful, expansive, autistic, mortal brain" (Taken from My Beautiful Brain blog by Elana K. Arnold).
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David Petrovic
Website
Children's Books
See Me: The Invisible Autistic Boy
Genre
Children's non-fiction
About the Author
"David Petrovic, BA, MAT graduated cum laude in 2015 from Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Education with concentrations in social studies and language arts. In 2020, David completed a Master of Arts in Theology with a Pastoral Theology specialization from St. Joseph’s College of Maine. He taught junior high for five years at a Catholic elementary school and is now beginning his dream journey as a high school theology teacher. David is further considering a vocation within the Catholic diaconate. He has become a national speaker (including a TEDx presentation) and is a proud member of the elite Catholic Speakers Organization."
His mother and his mission is: "To enlighten the world about the realities and potentials of those with differences in order to foster understanding and embracement" (Taken from David Petrovic's About page).
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Benjamin Giroux
Website
Children's Books
I am Odd, I am New
Genre
Poetry
About the Author
"Benjamin Giroux is the author of the poem “I Am Odd, I Am New.” The poem, now also a picture book ( I Am Odd, I Am New), has received a Kirkus Reviews starred review and was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Benjamin is also an award-winning songwriter, was named poet laureate of Plattsburgh, New York, and has been the face of the National Autism Association’s antibullying campaign. He has been featured in the Huffington Post and on the Today Show and Good Morning America. His poem has been translated into several languages and made into a critically acclaimed music video, releasing in April 2022. Benjamin lives in upstate New York with his parents and pet snake, Monty" (Taken from Amazon Books About the Author: Benjamin Giroux page).
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Kati Hirschy
Website
Children's Books
My Autistic Mama
Genre
Children's picture book
About the Author
"Kati Hirschy is an autistic adult, wife, mother, autism advocate, and author. Kati was diagnosed with autism when she was 10 years old and spent much of her life internalizing ableist rhetoric that was thrown at her. As an adult, she has unlearned these harmful ideas and is actively trying her best to create a world where autistic children can grow up seeing their neurotype as something to take pride in" (Taken from Amazon Books About the Author: Kati Hirschy page).
Tiffany Hammond
Website
Children's Books
A Day with No Words
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"I'm an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses my personal experiences with Autism and parenting two teenage boys with the same diagnosis to help guide others on their journey. My activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality, and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse" (Taken from Tiffany Hammond's Meet Tiffany page).
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Armond Isaac
Website
Children's Books
Armond Goes to a Party: A Book About Asperger's and Friendship
Genre
Children's fiction
About the Author
"Having Asperger’s Syndrome often made Armond Isaak feel lonely and isolated, so he teamed up with author and illustrator Nancy Carlson and wrote a book to help other kids with Asperger’s as well as their friends and family members. Armond was diagnosed with Asperger’s when he was in third grade. Asperger’s is a developmental disorder often involving delays in socialization and communications skills. When Armond was diagnosed in 2008, their family couldn’t find any books written with kids in mind that he could connect to. So Heidi asked Armond if he wanted to write a book. “He immediately said yes because he didn’t want any other kids to feel as lonely as he felt,” Heidi says" (Taken from Armond Isaak's About page).
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