Looking for middle grade books with neurodiverse characters? I have a series perfect for kids looking for fun, authentic portrayals of neurodiverse characters.

I cannot say enough good things about Jen Malia‘s Infinity Rainbow Club series. Illustrated by Peter Francis, the series plans to follow five neurodiverse kids in their school’s “Infinity Rainbow Club.” Each book takes turns focusing on one character. The first two books in the series follow Nick and Violet. Nick is autistic while Violet has OCD. The most recent release, Connor and the Taekwondo Tournament, follows Nick’s best friend Connor, who has ADHD.

What instantly caught my eye was that the books are classified as “Juvenile Fiction/Neurodiversity,” something I’ve personally never seen. I loved seeing it as a category so that anyone can find books with similar topics in the future. I hope it’s the start of a bigger trend in publishing.

Reading the books, there are solid lessons and realistic experiences in every book. Malia takes inspiration from her own experiences as well as her children’s experiences. The authenticity shines through, which is always a win in depicting characters with neurodiverse backgrounds. It also depicts them with everyday kid problems and how they navigate it with their respective condition. It is always growth-oriented and gives insight into their thinking process, helpful for kids and adults to see how many of our students think and see the world. The stories can easily be translated to social stories to help kids who struggle with various social interactions and show them that like the characters in the book, they can problem solve, too.

The School Library Journal had this to say about the series:

“A relatable school story that can serve as both a “window” and “mirror” about neurodiversity; recommended for upper elementary collections.

I recently read Nick and the Brick Builder Challenge aloud to a student of mine who is also on the spectrum in the upper elementary level. It was easy to connect and relate to their experiences and design activities that paired with the book, even on the fly. Quick responses to each chapter, predictions about what may happen, relatable “How would you feel if…” prompts all were easy to adapt after each chapter. So if you’re looking for books for kids with autism or books that have autistic characters for kids, Nick’s story is right for you.

While the last two titles have not been announced yet, I look forward to seeing them and sharing them with my students.

You can buy all three titles directly from the publisher Beaming Books.