Tag: neurodivergent

Bitsy Bat Snow Star cover shows a pink bat wearing a scarf and hat and lying in the snow
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Bitsy Bat, Snow Star

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Bitsy Bat, Snow Star (Beach Lane Books, 2026) written and illustrated by Kaz Windness is a fun winter story that shows how different people feel about the weather. The book comes out October 27th just in time for snow in some regions.*

Join Bitsy Bat on her first time in the snow. This neurodivergent bat doesn’t enjoy getting wet as a snow angel, or the dangers of sledding, and can’t make a snowman with her wings. What will her friends think? Will they not want to be her friend anymore?

Many children will relate to the issue of disliking what others think is fun. And isn’t the art adorable?

This is the third story in the series. Read more here.

See all of the author/illustrator’s books here and read about Kaz here.

*I received access to a digital arc from the publisher.

cover of Not Lucile
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Not Lucille

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

It took me a bit to get into Not Lucille (Creative James Media, 2025) by Mike Steele, but I was glad I persisted with this historical novel from the 1930s. Lucy is such a sympathetic character.

Ten-year-old Lucy Contento’s fifth grade year is not going well. She talks too much. She doesn’t pay attention. And she can’t write with her left hand. Plus, her teacher hates her. But her new friend Florence, who’s deaf, is the best–even if she does encourage Lucy to write right handed. Just if Lucy didn’t have to be disobeying her parents by trespassing and lying to spend time with Florence.

I love how Lucy is learning sign language so she and Florence can talk easier. What she wants most is an American Sign Language dictionary, but with Dad out of work, money’s another problem.

The inside look into history before people understood how different brains work and that left-handedness was wrong is such a good topic.

I also really enjoyed the back matter. I had no clue how long it was before an ASL dictionary was created. (Life for Florence reminded me of the experiences of the son in the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus.)

Read about the author here.

cover of Tornado Brain
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Tornado Brain

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Tornado Brain (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020) by Cat Patrick was an insightful story of neurodivergency with themes of friendship, hurt, and forgiveness. It’s a really good read full of voice.

Frankie is 13 and fascinated by tornadoes, tornado facts, and tornado shows. In fact that’s how she met her best friend Colette back in kindergarten–during an actual tornado. Colette, Frankie’s former friend, is now missing.

Because Frankie has several neurological conditions (attention deficit disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and sensory processing disorder–labels the psychologist gave her), she doesn’t react the “right way” or say the “right things” about Colette’s disappearance. Yet, she believes she has the clues to figure out where Colette is. With the help of her older twin sister, Frankie uses her mixed up tornado brain to solve the mystery.

Each chapter has a tornado myth or fact at the beginning. Also, her family has an unusual living situation, which is fine with Frankie as long as you don’t change her routine. I especially recommend this story to anyone trying to understand someone on the “spectrum.”

The book was a 2022-2023 Truman Readers Book Award Nominee, 2021 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, 2021 Texas Lone Star Reading List Pick, 2021 Washington State Book Award for Young Readers Finalist, and a Junior Library Guild Pick.

Paper Heart is a companion book with Frankie’s twin, Tess, as the main character. Chronologically it follows Tornado Brain. See all of the author’s middle grade books here.

You can check out Cat’s young adult books here and learn more about her here.