I’m five years old, exuberantly sharing an impromptu story with one of my classmates—and admittedly unaware of my volume—when my kindergarten teacher scolds me in front of the entire class and removes a “good behavior stick” from my spot on the board. I never end a week of kindergarten with all my sticks.

I’m 14 and riding the bus with one of my oldest friends. She’s laughing and drawing pictures with another friend when I chime in. Both girls stare at me in silence for what feels like an eternity before turning back to their conversation, creating an impenetrable bubble with their bodies.

I’m 23 and navigating crowded New York streets after lunch with friends. Suddenly everything is too loud, too close, too much—I can’t breathe. I gasp out that I need to go and rush to the subway, waiting until a less-packed train arrives so I can return to the safety of my apartment.

Now I’m 36, and I know these seemingly unrelated, somewhat painful memories are evidence of my neurodivergence.

Navigating a new neurodiversity diagnosis—especially later in life—can be simultaneously freeing and terrifying. All the things I thought made me “weird” or “unacceptable” suddenly make sense? Check. Now it’s time to unpack some hefty emotional baggage, learn about my diagnosis, seek support, and ask for accommodations? Also check.

Whether you’re seeking information and tools for a diagnosis or that of a loved one, the Libby app from your library has a plethora of books to assist you on your journey!

Late Bloomer: How an Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life by Clem Bastow

Australian screenwriter Clem Bastow shares heartbreaking and hilarious reflections on growing up Autistic but undiagnosed until age 36. Interspersed throughout Bastow’s personal anecdotes are their deconstructions of many common misconceptions and stereotypes of Autism. While pulling together title recommendations for this list, I quickly read the author’s note and introduction—and now this title is at the top of my TBR.

How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis
🎧 Audiobook

After having her second child at the start of COVID lockdown, therapist KC Davis quickly discovered how impossible care tasks (cooking, cleaning, etc.) could be. In How to Keep House While Drowning, she presents the approach to cleaning and organizing that revolutionized her own life—and has since been popularized through her TikTok account, @domesticblisters.

Note: Davis offers a quick-read option for those who don’t have the time—or spoons—to tackle the entire book.

We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia
🎧 Audiobook

Dissatisfied with the media’s coverage of Autism, Journalist Eric Garcia tackles common myths and misconceptions from the lens of his own experiences as a Latine Autistic man. In We’re Not Broken, Garcia explores the ways in which Autistic people are forced to navigate—and often fight through—systems that were not built for them. Garcia’s first book has received multiple rave reviews, praising both his storytelling and reporting skills, and is sure to spark intense discussions among readers.

Self-Care for People with ADHD: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Prioritize You! by Sasha Hamdani, MD
🎧 Audiobook

Learn to engage in neurodiverse self-care with guidance from psychiatrist Sasha Hamdani, who herself was diagnosed with ADHD in the fourth grade but struggled with a lack of support as she entered med school. It was during her residency that she began to build the self-care practices she still relies on—and that she shares here as a guide to help readers learn to capitalize on their strengths while managing their weaknesses.

How to ADHD: An Insider’s Guide to Working with Your Brain (Not Against It) by Jessica McCabe
🎧 Audiobook

Actress and YouTuber Jessica McCabe brings years of personal knowledge—she was diagnosed with ADHD at age 12—as well as a plethora of research to her first book, named for the YouTube channel she launched in 2015. Meant as a reference for people who struggle to learn and retain information, How to ADHD contains what McCabe considers the most important information she’s shared via her YouTube channel over the years. McCabe’s knowledge clearly shows: Paragraphs are short and concise; pages feature plenty of white space; and main takeaways are highlighted via pull quotes, bullet points, and bold subheadings. This book definitely feels like a manual, though, so be forewarned that it’s a hefty tome.

Dirty Laundry: Why Adults with ADHD Are So Ashamed and What We Can Do to Help by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery
🎧 Audiobook

Content creator Richard Pink and singer-songwriter Roxanne Emery are a staple of my TikTok feed with their account @adhd_love, so of course when I found out they’d written a book together, I immediately downloaded it on Libby. Whether you have ADHD or love someone who does, Dirty Laundry will help you avoid the shame trap as you navigate rough patches like forgetfulness and struggling with finances. Rich and Rox are funny, insightful, and down-to-earth. I promise, if you haven’t encountered their content before, you’re going to love them.

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price, PhD
🎧 Audiobook

As most Autistic people—or their loved ones—know well, masking is a common coping mechanism used to hide (“mask”) Autistic traits to better blend in neurotypical society. I mask in almost every social situation, in big and small ways, because it feels safer than being myself. But masking is exhausting, and as someone who also has a chronic illness, I often wish I could just drop the act. So, I was especially excited when I found Dr. Devon Price’s book. Blending history, research, and personal anecdotes, this book celebrates Autistic traits that can often feel deeply alienating and offers exercises to encourage self-expression.

Bonus: Price just released a second book on this topic, Unmasking for Life, which you can also find on Libby!

Our Autistic Lives: Personal Accounts from Autistic Adults Around the World Aged 20 to 70+ edited by Alex Ratcliffe

Told through a series of personal essays written by more than 50 contributors, Our Autistic Lives shares the experiences of Autistic adults spanning decades, continents, genders, sexualities, and ethnicities. The book is broken down into chapters by age, ranging from 20s-70s+, and artfully portrays the ways our understanding of Autism has changed as well as the ways in which the Autistic experience differs from person to person.

For more recommendations, check out the list below or visit your local library:

• Sincerely, Your Autistic Child: What People on the Autism Spectrum Wish Their Parents Knew About Growing Up, Acceptance, and Identity edited by Emily Paige Ballou, Sharon daVanport, and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu
• Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
• Someone Like Me: An Anthology of Non-Fiction by Autistic Writers edited by Clem Bastow and Jo Case
• ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Penn and Kim Holderness
• Stim: An Autistic Anthology by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
• If I Can Just Get Through This: A Therapist’s Journey and Guidance through Autistic Shutdown and its Triggers by Jessica C. Kitchens
• The ADHD Focus Friend: A Planning + Productivity Workbook by Grace Koelma
• Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic by Michael McCreary
• ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain by Tracy Otsuka
• Your Brain’s Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD by Tamara Rosier, PhD
• A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers by Sari Solden and Michelle Frank
• Notes for Neuro Navigators: The Allies’ Quick-Start Guide to Championing Neurodivergent Brains by Jolene Stockman
• Why Am I Like This?: My Brain Isn’t Broken (and Neither Is Yours) by Gemma Styles
• Your Head is a Houseboat: A Chaotic Guide to Mental Clarity by Campbell Walker

*Title availability may vary.

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