Bessie’s Bees by George Kirk
We always love sharing recommendations from authors about books they feel are important for our young readers! Author George Kirk shares books that represent neurodiversity for children.
Neurodiverse Picture Books- Right Under Our Noses
By George Kirk
When I wrote my first draft of Bessie’s Bees, I didn’t know I was writing a neurodiverse picture book. I suspected, but I wasn’t sure. By the time my agent sent it out I was because by then I received my diagnosis of both autism and ADHD (AUDHD).
Having a head full of bees had for years been the way I had tried to explain how the ADHD aspect of myself felt and became the inspiration for Bessie. Bessie is a little girl who like me has a head full of bees, only hers are ones you can actually see!
Writing Bessie made me wonder how neurodiversity was being represented in the picture book market? Picture books have become increasingly more diverse and have always been at the fore front of breaking cultural, gender and disability. But while neurodiversity was beginning to be represented in the MG market with brilliant books such as Elle McNicoll’s ‘A Kind of Spark’, it had not yet found it’s place on the picture-book shelves.
That wasn’t a surprise. As someone with over 20 years primary teaching experience I knew the evidence needed to provide a neurodivergent diagnosis relates to how a child develops. Often a child is not referred until they have been in school sometime. Does that mean we don’t have neurodiverse pre-schoolers? Of course not, and they still need to see themselves represented. For authors it means we need to explore this area by focusing on individual experience rather than diagnosis.
That thought led me to another discovery. Though I had never been aware of overt neurodiverse picture books, when I looked more closely there had always been authors who had been representing the neurodiverse experience, they just didn’t know it yet!
So, I’d like to take this opportunity to share my top three pre-neuro picture books. Books that represent neurodiversity for young children, without possibly realising it.
1. Eat Your Peas by Kes Gray and illustrated by Nick Sharatt 2000
A hilarious story about the lengths Mum will go to get Daisy to eat her peas. A great opener to discuss issues around food avoidance and the cognitive rigidity often associated with ASD.
2. Dandylion by Lizzie Finaly 2009
Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming, a story in which a messy weed joins a class of tidy flowers and finds it hard to fit in. A brilliant story to highlight behaviours and experiences linked with ADHD.
3. Oh no George! By Chris Haughton 2012
George wants to do the right thing and be a good boy, but sometimes he just can’t quite help himself and ends up feeling bad. A great way to discuss how the lack of impulse control that people with ADHD experience can affect them.
But the great news is that overt neurodiverse picture books are beginning to find their voice. So here are a couple that have really impressed me recently.
1. Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green Illustrated by Frances Martin. 2024
A story set in school and centred around a child with a clear ASD diagnosis whose needs are being met. It both represents are celebrates her different approach to the world. Gina is the no-nonsense Neurodiverse hero our autistic children deserve.
2. Cloud Boy by Greg Stobbs 2024
Bobby is a boy with not just his head in the clouds but the whole of him! A book that uses a familiar metaphor to explore the ADHD experience but takes it well beyond a cliché and examines just how much it effects every aspect of Bobby’s life.
I have LOADS more neuro-pics old and new, so if you’re looking for some ideas visit my recommendation on instagram @GeorgeKirkTales
