by Gail Donovan, illustrated by Elysia Case; Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025; Sparrow helps train a neighbor’s pup as he works to become a guide dog. Along the way, she grows in self-control and helps a new friend feel seen. Best of all, she comes to appreciate that although she is different, she is valued and accepted, and that growing doesn’t have to mean changing who you are.
by Mylisa Larsen; Clarion 2024; Quagmire Tiarello bluffs his way through peer relationships, hiding behind a detached facade while struggling to maintain his home life as his mom’s mental health spins out of control.
by Leslie Connor; Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, 2022.
Eleven year-old Aurora is as boisterous, impulsive, and plucky as her best friend Frenchie is silent, measured, and introspective. Through the heartwarming and at times humorous portrayal of this unlikely friendship, readers gain insight into the broad spectrum of neurodiversity and the meaning of true friendship.
by James Preller; Feiwel and Friends, 2021.
Upstander by James Preller is a moving story that authentically captures the nuances of contemporary family relationships and how they can be both tested and strengthened by individual members’ actions and thoughts, as well as their wills, weaknesses, and wishes. The story of how Mary struggles, copes, and ultimately grows from her experiences facing her brother Jonny’s substance use and her own school-related conflicts is at once heart wrenching and heartening.