The most informative books about neurodiversity, education, parenting, disability, advocacy, and more
Neurodiversity MB’s Book & Podcast Recommendations
Please note that I have provided links primarily to the paperback copies of these books. However, many are also available in eBook or audiobook for a quicker download and are usually a less expensive option.
Table of Contents
I have organized my recommendations into the following categories:
Emotional Regulation and Behaviour
Giftedness and Twice Exceptionality
Trauma, Disability, and Advocacy (new section)
Books & Videos for Children and Youth
Books about ADHD
ADHD
What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew , Dr. Saline: A compassionately written book filled with practical advice that is easy to read for busy parents.
Brain-Body Parenting, by Dr. Mona Delahooke: I pre-ordered this book at the first opportunity. Having read Dr. Delahooke’s articles, as well as her previous book, Beyond Behaviours, I knew this one would be excellent. While Dr. Delahooke’s previous works have more often been written for fellow professionals and teachers, this one is written for parents. It is evidence-based, well-researched, compassionate, and written in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to anyone. I highly recommend this book for parents, teachers, and anyone who cares for children.
Unconditional Parenting, Alfie Kohn: This book takes a highly compassionate, supportive, and loving approach to parenting and to ensuring our children feel loved no matter what. When some factions of society (including a lot of educators and administrators) are telling us that children need “ consequences” (i.e. adult-imposed punishment) for making mistakes, Alfie Kohn allows us to appreciate and remember that we all make mistakes and that this an integral part of learning. If we are afraid to err, then we are afraid to try.
Taking Charge of ADHD, Dr. Russel Barkley : This is a fantastic book for parents and caregivers, I highly recommend it. You can learn more about Dr. Barkley at www.russellbarkley.org.
Getting Ahead of ADHD, Dr. Joel Nigg: This book discusses and differentiates between unsupported, even dangerous, approaches to “treating” ADHD versus the benefits of healthy nutrition, exercise, and sleep. ADHD cannot be cured and there is no magic bullet, but there are very safe and effective medications, in addition to lifestyle changes, that can help one manage the symptoms and take advantage of the positives of being neurodivergent. Dr. Joel Nigg also has a blog .
A New Understanding of ADHD, Thomas Brown: This book has gone up in price and is quite expensive for a small book. That said, it is FULL of incredibly helpful, useful, and evidence-based information. I highly recommend it if it is in your budget.
I Can Learn When I’m Moving, by Nicole Biscotti : This book is written by Nicole Biscotti, who is both a teacher and the parent of a 2e child (gifted with ADHD). It is a fantastic read for teachers who want to better support their classroom of both neurotypical and neurodiverse learners, as well as for parents who are trying to work with their child’s school to better support their neurodiverse child.
12 Principles for Raising a Child with ADHD, Dr. Russell Barkley : Dr. Barkley presents 12 key parenting principles that address the most common problems that ADHD poses, such as family conflicts, difficult behaviour, school problems, out-of-control emotions, and parental stress.
ADHD and the Nature of Self-Control, Dr. Barkley : currently unavailable online, this book is less cumbersome than the textbook above, but also a fairly heavy read.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (Fourth Edition, Dr. Barkley) : This is an expensive textbook and a very heavy read. I highly recommend reading Taking Charge of ADHD first and then deciding if you wish to deepen your knowledge on an academic level.
This collection of resources is becoming too large, so I am creating separate articles for each subject with further book recommendations.
My full ADHD reading list can be found here:
Books About ADHD
My reading recommendations for learning about ADHDmedium.com
Books About Emotion Regulation and Behaviour
Emotional Regulation & Behaviour
Living with Intensity, Daniels & Piechowski : This book is geared towards parents and loved ones of gifted individuals (those whose IQ is in the 98th or 99th+ percentile). If you have a gifted or 2e child (or anyone in your life), this book is fantastic, it discusses a modern take on Dabrowski’s overexcitabilities. You can also click here learn more about the upsides to overexcitability.
Beyond Behaviours, by Mona Delahooke, PhD : Another amazing book for looking beyond the surface behaviours in children and understanding the developmental physiology and biology that drives behaviour.
This book inspired a number of my articles, and is cited in a number of my writings, including one entitled O.D.D. Does Not Exist.
Self-Reg by Dr. Stuart Shanker : A great book about first learning to regulate your own emotions in order to role model and teach your children to regulate their own.
The Polyvagal Theory, by Stephen Porges, PhD : The neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. Yes, it is as dense as it sounds. Full of incredible information, it is a fascinating and complex read. Dr. Porges explains the physiological processes behind our psychological states, demystifying emotional responses, and helping us to better understand why we behave the way we do.
Declarative Language Handbook, by Linda K. Murphy: Using a thoughtful language style to help kids with social learning challenges feel competent, connected, and understood. This book belongs under all of the categories: it would be beneficial for parents, educators, and anyone who supports or works with children. Actually, declarative language can be adapted to work with people of any age. It helps to reduce conflict and promotes social and interpersonal skills.
Co-Regulation Handbook, by Linda K. Murphy: This book was written for parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals— to guide you on how to move away from prompting and prodding kids toward authentic connections and competent roles.
**Both of Linda Murphy’s books are currently *FREE* as eBooks with a Kindle Unlimited membership (I have no affiliation).
Books About Education and School
Education & School
Connections over Compliance, by Lori L Desautels : This book is aimed at school administrators and school staff, but is also an important read for parents, especially parents whose children have challenges in the school environment. This book can provide parents tools for advocating for their differently wired children in the school system, and has invaluable advice for any adult working with children. A key take-away is that focusing on relationship-building first and foremost is a necessity when helping children and teens work through big feelings and difficult situations.
Managing ADHD in School, Dr. Russel Barkley : This book is also primarily geared towards teachers, but is also very helpful for parents to read so they can work collaboratively with their child’s school.
Lost and Found, by Dr. Ross Greene: This is an updated and revised edition of “Lost At School”. This book explains Dr. Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) approach, which focuses on the problems that are causing concerning behaviours, and helps school staff partner with students to solve those problems rather than simply modifying the behaviour.
Lost at School, Dr. Ross Greene: A compassionate, child-centred approach to supporting children who are struggling at school. This book focuses on children who exhibit challenging behaviours in the school environment, it is aimed at teachers, but is also very helpful for parents to read so they can work collaboratively with their school from a perspective of “ children do well when they can”. Please visit www.livesinthebalance.org to learn more about Dr. Ross Greene and his collaborative, proactive approach and philosophy.
Nowhere to Hide, Jerome Schultz : Although the title is a bit dramatic, this book is incredibly compassionate and also evidence-based. It explained, from a scientific and also empathic viewpoint, why children with ADHD and learning disabilities may be so resistant and stressed (or, as some like to call it, “ defiant”) at school.
Relationship-Based Education, Dr. Josette Luvmour : This book outlines key components of Relationship-based Education that are essential for every teacher and parent to engage when teaching children. Take home message: children and students can’t learn until they feel safe and have a relationship with their educator (and an educator can be a teacher, parent, coach, etc.). This book is currently *FREE* as an eBook with a Kindle Unlimited membership (I have no affiliation).
Wounded by School, Kirsten Olson : This book may be difficult to read because we may see ourselves and our children in so many of the stories shared. Wounded by School talks about how our traditional school system can be harmful for those children who do not fit within their box of what an ideal student should be. Thankfully this book also talks about ways in which we can heal from school trauma and ways we can use our past difficulties to motivate us to push for change.
Declarative Language Handbook, by Linda K. Murphy: Using a thoughtful language style to help kids with social learning challenges feel competent, connected, and understood. This book would be beneficial for parents, educators, and anyone who supports or works with children. Actually, declarative language can be adapted to work with people of any age. It helps to reduce conflict and promotes social and interpersonal skills. This book is currently *FREE* as an eBook with a Kindle Unlimited membership (I have no affiliation).
Kids These Days, by Jody Carrington: This book combines many of my favourite writers, researchers, psychologists, and philosophers in one easy-to-read and easy-to-understand book. If you enjoyed (or have been wanting to read) Self Reg, Raising a Secure Child, Lost and Found, or Relationship-based Educaiton, this book has elements of all of these. Kids These Days is written for educators, but is a book that anyone who cares about children should read.
Books About Parenting
These books may just change the way you parent
Brain-Body Parenting, by Dr. Mona Delahooke: I pre-ordered this book at the first opportunity. Having read Dr. Delahooke’s articles, as well as her previous book, Beyond Behaviours, I knew this one would be excellent. While Dr. Delahooke’s previous works have more often been written for fellow professionals and teachers, this one is written for parents. It is evidence-based, well-researched, compassionate, and written in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to anyone. I highly recommend this book for parents, teachers, and anyone who cares for children.
The Explosive Child, Dr. Ross Greene: The Explosive Child is a highly practical, step-by-step guide for using Dr. Green’s Collaborative and Proactive Solutions model to manage difficult behaviours at home and support parents and children to solve problems together rather than feeling like they are working against each other. I highly recommend this as one of the first parenting books anyone with an easily frustrated child should read.
The Gentle Parent, by L.R. Knost: This book is a lovely, easy-to-read conversation between the author and fellow parents. It is compassionate and contains practical, realistic advice for supporting our children through challenging behaviours and big emotions.
The Myth of the Spoiled Child, by Alfie Kohn: This is my favourite of Alfie Kohn’s books. It is scientific and objective, with just the right amount of smart-ass comments that make it enjoyable and easy to read. It’s based on a solid foundation of evidence, but written in an accessible way for parents, educators, and anyone who cares about kids to understand.
Unconditional Parenting, Alfie Kohn: This book takes a highly compassionate, supportive, and loving approach to parenting and to ensuring our children feel loved no matter what. When some factions of society (including a lot of educators and administrators) are telling us that children need “ consequences” (i.e. adult-imposed punishment) for making mistakes, Alfie Kohn allows us to appreciate and remember that we all make mistakes and that this an integral part of learning. If we are afraid to err, then we are afraid to try.
Alfie Kohn teaches us that discipline is part of the problem, not the solution . If we are afraid to make mistakes for fear of punishment, then we will be less likely to reach our full potential. to learn more about Alfie Kohn’s theories . If you only have room on your bookshelf (or in your brain) for two books, I would recommend Dr. Ross Greene and Alfie Kohn. Alfie Kohn also has a blog that is well worth following.
Punished by Rewards, also by Alfie Kohn: Alfie Kohn explains how both rewards and punishments are ways of manipulating behaviour that destroy the potential for real learning. Kohn advocates providing a caring atmosphere “ so kids can act on their natural desire to find out.” His website also has a on this topic based on an interview with Ron Brandt.
Parenting Without Power Struggles, Susan Stiffelman: Yes, this! Susan Stiffelman’s book focuses on seeing our children’s resistance, not as defiance, but as behaviour that is communicating something important. Stiffelman encourages adults not to take behaviour personally, but to understand why the behaviour makes sense, and what purpose it serves. When we seek to understand what the child is trying to achieve through their behaviour, rather than punishing their surface actions or engaging in power struggles, we become a team working together rather than working against each other trying to “ win” a battle. Visit Susan Stiffelman’s website to learn more.
This book also inspired an article I wrote, entitled Power Trips Lead to Power Struggles.
What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew , Dr. Saline: Another compassionately written book filled with practical advice that is easy to read for busy parents.
The Whole-Brain Child, Siegel & Bryson: This book is similar to the “Beyond Behaviours” book by Mona Delahooke. I recommend purchasing one or the other to begin with and then deciding if you wish to purchase the other. They are science-based and slightly heavier reads, but incredibly informative and important for understanding the underlying physiology and psychology of behaviour.
Raising Human Beings, Dr. Ross Greene: If you haven’t read any of Ross Greene’s books yet, I highly recommend beginning with The Explosive Child first. Many of his books follow a very similar approach and then each help adults apply his collaborative and proactive solutions model in different environments. Raising Human Beings is a more general parenting book, where as The Explosive Child is a highly practical, step-by-step guide for managing difficult behaviours at home.
Mindful Parenting for ADHD, Dr. Bertin: Written by a pediatrician and based on mindfulness concepts and techniques, this book aims to help parents and their children with ADHD to keep calm, flexible, and in control.
Your Defiant Child, Barkley & Benton: I recommend reading this book after reading Dr. Greene’s CPS model. Dr. Barkley is a leading and world-renowned expert on ADHD, however his approach is somewhat in conflict with Dr. Greene’s model and I recommend adapting a CPS model first and then using Barkley’s evidence-based information to help inform your parenting.
I purchased “Your Defiant Child” in paperback format, but at time of writing it is only available in hardcover, audiobook, or eBook formats. I don’t recommend spending $50, but well worth the read or listen at around $15-$25. While I do not agree with the use of the word “ defiant” because of its negative connotations (I actually wrote two different articles about it), Dr. Barkley’s work is always worth reading.
Raising a Secure Child by Hoffman, Cooper and Powell : This book is based on the Circle of Security philosophy, which is based on John Bowlby’s theory of attachment. Click here to read more about attachment theories. This book is primarily geared to parents of younger children, but attachment theory is relevant to people of all ages. After reading it, I actually wished they had “marketed” it to kids of all ages. I truly found it relevant to babies, toddlers, and elementary school aged children, all the way from newborn to 12 years.
The Power of Showing Up by Daniel Siegel and Tina Bryson : Shortly after I wished the book above (Raising a Secure Child) had been geared toward a wider age range, I picked up The Power of Showing Up by Siegel & Bryson, and my wish was granted! The Power of Showing Up does briefly mention the Circle of Security, but builds far beyond that and is applicable to all relationships in life, but particularly to the parent-child relationship and is geared toward parents and people of all ages. It would also be incredibly helpful for teachers and anyone who cares for children, to help understand why they may respond to their and others’ emotions the way they do.
A trigger warning: much of the early parts of the book (particularly the second chapter) encourage parents and readers to take a deep-dive into their own attachment history in order to better understand their own response to children’s needs. This can be a difficult journey for anyone who had a traumatic or difficult childhood, so one may wish to seek support prior to, or while going through, this process.
Parenting with Presence, Susan Stiffelman : The author of Parenting Without Power Struggles also wrote a book called Parenting With Presence. Susan also has a blog.
Grow Together, Dr. Josette Luvmour: This book focuses on the parent-child bond and meeting your child where they are. Dr. Luvmour reviews child development theories and encourages parents to set realistic expectations and boundaries for their children, with strengthening their relationship as the primary focus.
Effective Boundaries with Children, Dr. Josette Luvmour: A fantastic book that provides strategies for setting boundaries in a loving way based on children’s developmental stages. At the time of writing, it’s available as a FREE eBook with a Kindle Unlimited account through Amazon Canada.It’s a fantastic book that provides strategies for setting boundaries in a loving way based on children’s developmental stages. At the time of writing, it’s available as a FREE eBook with a Kindle Unlimited account through Amazon Canada.
The Self-Directed Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control, by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson — In a modern society where parents seem to micro-manage almost every aspect of their children’s lives, this book is a much-needed call for us to back off. The book provides compassionate and science-based arguments for teaching our children decision-making and self-management skills that will serve them now and in the future. A main theme is that children are stressed out by the lack of control they have over their own lives. Gradually giving children and youth more control, as well as the support and tools to manage that control, will provide them with important life skills as well as reduce their stress.
Declarative Language Handbook, by Linda K. Murphy: Using a thoughtful language style to help kids with social learning challenges feel competent, connected, and understood. This book would be beneficial for parents, educators, and anyone who supports or works with children. Actually, declarative language can be adapted to work with people of any age. It helps to reduce conflict and promotes social and interpersonal skills. This book is currently *FREE* as an eBook with a Kindle Unlimited membership (I have no affiliation).
The Little Book of Attachment, by Daniel Hughes and Ben Gurney-Smith. This book is geared toward therapists, but has a wealth of important information for parents and anyone who cares for children. The book covers topics such as emotional regulation, repairing relationships, and the importance of nonverbal and verbal conversations in facilitating secure attachment.
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, by Dr. Laura Markham. This book was written 10 years ago, but about 90% of it has remained true, relevant, and applicable to modern parenting lives. This book is written for parents and is accessible, relatable, and easy to read.
Books about Giftedness and Twice Exceptionality
Gifted and 2e
Different Minds, Deirdre Lovecky : This is an incredible resource for parents of 2e (twice exceptional) children. It is another more science-heavy, in-depth read, but in my opinion well worth the expense and effort.
If This is a Gift, Can I Send it Back? by Jen Merrill : This book is a must-read for parents of twice-exceptional children. It is an honest and hilarious account of a family’s journey from diagnosis to public school to homeschool and so much more. It is informative and entertaining, but more importantly, it’s an act of solidarity for all the other 2e parents out there. The writing is real and open, which allows 2e parents to breathe a sight of relief as we feel truly seen and understood in a society that rarely understands.
Jen Merrill also has a blog called “Laughing at Chaos” and she writes for the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum (GFF), a supportive community for gifted learners and their families.
Twice Exceptional, Barry Kaufman : This book is aimed at educators of 2e students, but again it’s never a bad idea for parents to read these as well. Being informed parents makes us better advocates for ourselves and our children.
Smart but Scattered, Dawson & Guare: This book is aimed at parents of school-aged children who are quite bright, but are not doing well at school due to executive functioning difficulties. In the school environment this commonly presents as forgetting to bring work home, forgetting to had in assignments, disorganized desk, backpack, locker, or binders. Executive functioning is not only about organization and memory, it also includes emotional regulation and regulating one’s attention.
The Gifted Kids Workbook , Heather Boorman : Some people may think that having a gifted child is… well, a gift. It is, yes, but it is not all success and overachieving. In fact, many gifted children underachieve, struggle with social skills and emotional regulation (BIG feelings), and self-esteem due to being so different from their peers. If you’ve read autobiographies by profoundly gifted people, many of them had a great deal of turmoil and struggle in their lives, and gifted kids are no different. The Gifted Kids Workbook is a Mindfulness book that seeks to help gifted children recognize their strengths and the positive aspects of their uniqueness, rather than focusing on the ways in which they don’t “ fit in”.
Boost: Perspectives in Giftedness, Kelly Hirt: This book is aimed at teachers and homeschooling parents of twice exceptional students, but as always, it is beneficial for all parents to be well-informed advocates and support people for their children. Kelly Hirt encourages educators to create a safe and supportive environment where twice exceptional learners are “ boosted” (or lifted up) in a system that so often seems to to push them down. Kelly also has a blog called “My Twice Baked Potato” in which she describes her life with her own 2e son.
Differently Wired, Deborah Reber: Differently Wired is a memoir of Deborah Reber’s experience with her own twice exceptional son. She unabashedly and bravely describes in great detail all the challenges and successes they have experienced in their lives thus far in the hopes to help other parents going through similar experiences. Debroah’s philosophy is to let our children guide their learning and their lives, to honour and celebrate their individuality rather than trying to force them to conform to the mainstream system. If you enter your name and email address on the Tilt Parenting website, you can receive a copy of the first chapter by email.
The Self-Driven Child, by William Stixrud, PhD and Ned Johnson: Stixrud and Johnson want us to empower our children to make their own decisions with our loving support. To learn more about the authors and their book, visit their website at theselfdrivenchild.com.
Books about Neurodivergence
Books about Autism, ADHD, and other types of neurodivergence
Brain-Body Parenting, by Dr. Mona Delahooke: I pre-ordered this book at the first opportunity. Having read Dr. Delahooke’s articles, as well as her previous book, Beyond Behaviours, I knew this one would be excellent. While Dr. Delahooke’s previous works have more often been written for fellow professionals and teachers, this one is written for parents. It is evidence-based, well-researched, compassionate, and written in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to anyone. I highly recommend this book for parents, teachers, and anyone who cares for children.
The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida: This book was written by a non-speaking autistic child when he was 12 years old. It was first written in Japanese, with the help of his parents, and has since been translated into more than thirty languages. The book is told from Naoki’s perspective, describing his own experiences.
Neuroqueer Heresies, by Dr. Nick Walker: Neuroqueer Heresies collects a decade’s worth of Dr. Walker’s incredible writings on neurodiversity, autism, and neuroqueering. Her new book expands on these ideas, offering new concepts and explanations of Neuroqueer Theory. This book will fundamentally alter how you view yourself and/or neurodivergent people in your life.
Neurodiversity Studies: A new critical paradigm — edited by Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, Nick Chown, and Anna Stenning. This is a very complex, intersectional, throught-provoking read. Building on work in feminist studies, queer studies and critical race theory, this volume challenges the universality of propositions about human nature, by questioning the boundaries between predominant neurotypes and ‘others’, including dyslexics, autistics and ADHDers.
Divergent Mind, by Jenara Nerenberg: This book focuses on the experiences of neurodivergent women — those with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorder — and explores why these traits are overlooked in women and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths to flourish. This book also inspired a blog post I wrote, entitled Loud Introverts Unite.
Beyond Behaviours, by Mona Delahooke, PhD : Another amazing book for looking underneath surface behaviours in children and understanding the developmental physiology and biology that drives behaviour. The last three chapters of the book focus specifically on behaviours in neurodiverse individuals, which is why I have included it in two different sections.
NeuroTribes, by Steve Silberman: This book is dense, rich with information, and very well-researched. It outlines the history of Autism, going all the way back to the first world war, and working its way up to the present day (published in 2015).
TW: It can be very difficult to read about how neurodiverse people and children with disabilities were treated — it’s hard to read about how people who are different are treated today sometimes too, but this is exceptionally disturbing.
This book also inspired an article I wrote, entitled The History of ADHD.
Neurodiversity: The Birth of an Idea, by Judy Singer. Judy Singer is generally credited with the coinage of the word that became the banner for the last great social movement to emerge from the 20th century. This book reproduces Singer’s original honours thesis, with the addition of a new introduction, which gives the background to the creation of the work and offers some thoughts on the current neurodiversity movement. *This is available as a FREE ebook with a Kindle Unlimited subscription (no affiliation).
Uniquely Human, by Dr. Barry Prizant. Dr. Prizant explains that the most successful approaches to autism don’t aim at fixing a person by eliminating symptoms, but rather seeking to understand the individual’s experience and what underlies the behaviour.
This collection of resources is becoming too large, so I am creating separate articles for each subject with further book recommendations.
My full reading recommendations for books about autism can be found here:
Books About Autism
My reading recommendations for learning about autismmedium.com
Books about Trauma, Disability, and Advocacy
Books for Adults
What Happened To You? by Dr. Bruce Perry (& Oprah Winfrey): Dr. Perry’s work on trauma and healing is transformative. He is worldly, compassionate, and humble. His work combines culture, compassion, and science in an understandable way. One small complaint is I really disliked the interview-style format of this book. While I understand why they did it this way, I found it detracted from Dr. Perry’s important message and the rich content of this book. I would highly recommend it.
The Body Keeps Score, by Bessel van der Kolk: This book is an incredible mix of hard science, neurobiology, and compassion. It is very difficult to read as it deals directly with trauma, but it does provide incredible evidence-based information for people struggling with PTSD, for their loved ones, and for clinicians supporting people with trauma histories.
Equity-Centred Trauma-Informed Education, by Alex Shevrin Venet: Alex Shevrin Venet teaches us that trauma-informed initiatives tend to ignore the reality that inequity itself causes trauma, and that schools often heighten inequities when implementing trauma-informed practices that are not based in educational equity.
The Deepest Well, by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris: In the Deepest Well, Dr. Burke Harris walks us through her experience treating children in underserved, marginalized communities. In her paediatrics practice Dr. Harris discovered the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on both physical and mental health, and made it her mission to educate other professionals and parents about the long-term risks of ACEs. This book outlines the importance of early identification of trauma and providing support through a multidisciplinary approach.
All Our Families, by Jennifer Natalya Fink: Disability studies scholar Jennifer Fink explains how when we cut a disabled member out of the family story, disability remains a trauma as opposed to a shared and ordinary experience. This makes disability and its diagnosis traumatic and exceptional, as opposed to a normal part of life and living.
Recommended Podcasts
Podcasts
One of my favourite Podcasts is Tilt Parenting, hosted by Debrorah Reber. Each episode she interviews an expert on a different topic related to parenting, neurodiversity, school, and childhood struggles. Something that I love about her Podcast website is that you can sort the episodes by topic, so you can easily search for the episodes relevant to you, your family, and/or your interests.
Dr. Ross Greene has a podcast as well. This is a call-in style podcast where parents call with challenges they are facing and Dr. Greene and his co-host help them work through it in a CPS style.
A podcast geared specifically towards neurodivergent and 2e (“twice exceptional”) folks is Mind Matters. Neurodivergence is any brain outside of the “norm” (typically developing), this can be giftedness, ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, any way in which our brains diverge from the mainstream.
Susan Stiffelman, author of Parenting Without Power Struggles, also has a podcast of the same name. Susan Stiffelman usually speaks with an expert guest on a variety of topics related to parenting, family life, and neurodiversity.
In It: Raising Kids Who Learn and Think Differently: From the creators of Understood.org, host Amanda Morin talks with families of kids who struggle with reading, math, focus, and they also speak with experts who offer support and practical advice.
Books & Videos for Children and Youth
Books for Kids
The Monster Diary Series: Includes books about emotional regulation, mindfulness, anxiety, ADHD, social skills, and screen time, in a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” style. They’re a short read, good for independent readers at about a grade 2 reading level, or for a parent to read to their child.
Survival Guide for Kids with ADHD : It says it’s appropriate for grade levels 3–7. Depending on the child’s reading abilities and maturity, it’s probably more suitable for grade levels 3–6. In kid-friendly language and a format that welcomes reluctant readers, this book helps kids know they’re not alone.
My Brain Needs Glasses : This book is written from the perspective of an 8 year old boy, so it is geared toward second and third-graders. Our son read it in first grade and still found it relatable, it is likely suitable for readers at 2nd-4th grade levels, or to be read with an adult for first-grade level readers.
Bryan Smith has a great series of kid’s books on various types of Executive Functioning challenges that are also geared toward grade 2–3 level readers, but would be suitable for grades 1–4 level readers, with some help for the first graders.
All Dogs Have ADHD: This is definitely a cute book geared toward younger readers, or those who prefer books with big (adorable) pictures and fewer words. Great for dog-loving children.
Have a book to recommend?
Let us know in the comments, or @ADHD2ePro!
Further Reading
For more informative articles on Neurodiversity, Parenting, Education, and Advocacy, follow Jillian Enright.
Table of Contents for Neurodiversity MB
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