books celebrating NEV1.0t>IVEI.SITY

byHannahStewartfromTheWanderingJellyfishBookshop

We at The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop (TWJ) emphasize diversity, of all typesbeyond the classic examples of sex/gender and race/ethnicity, we want our little space to be a sanctuary for those with different philosophies, abilities, and more. As we make our way through both Celebrate Diversity and Autism Acceptance Month, we've been thinking a lot, specifically, about neurodiversity.

Everyone learns differently-even if you fall within the confines of "normalcy" (whatever that means) maybe you're a tactile learner or a visual learner. Maybe graphic novels help you grasp the nuances of a story but your friend vaIues flowery prose. Reading is such a powerful tool to shape our worldview, not only does it entertain us, but it teaches us, it reinforces certain understandings while opening up our hearts and minds to new possibiIities.

For this issue of Boulder County Kids Magazine, we wanted to celebrate neurodiverse characters in literature, from the picture book level up through middlegrade graphic novels. Let's dive in!

organized way; he gets discouraged. But when a visiting author shows him that everyone--even the superheroes he lovesmakes mistakes, Abdul is inspired to keep trying and lets his story be heard.

A TWJ favorite is Abdul's Story by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. Not only is it beautifully illustrated, but it beautifully (and somewhat subtly, without judgment) captures the confusion that some students experience when it comes to living with dyslexia. Abdul has all these wonderfully creative ideas, but he just can't seem to get it down in an

Middle grade readers are, perhaps, the most frequent visitors in our little Niwot shop, so we've got two picks for this crowd. The first is a bit of a throwback: Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Riordan has been very open about his own experiences with his son being tested for ADHD and dyslexia. He explained that while going through the process, his son was getting frustrated and often felt badly that he was having difficulties focusing and learning to read. After conducting a ton of research (and drawing on his own experiences as an educator) he discovered a desire to empower children like his son.

In an interview. he said. "Dyslexic/ADHD kids are creative, 'outside-the-box' thinkers. They have to be, because they don't see or solve problems the way other kids do Making Percy ADHD/dyslexic was my way of honoring the potential of all the kids I've known who have those conditions. It's not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it's the mark of being very, very talented. That's what Percy discovers about himself in The Lightning Thief."

For chapter books, Elana K. Arnold's A Boy Called Bat is actually a perfect selection. Bixby Alexander Tam (aka Bat) experiences a major life change when his mother brings home a baby skunk who needs help before he can be released from her care. The two develop a lovely friendship, which is especially vital for Bat because he faces challenges at school, in part because of his being on the autism spectrum. If you're looking for a beautiful story of friendship in the face of other social difficulties, this is the book for you and your kiddo.

I Our last pick to celebrate neurodiversity this month is Just Roll With It by Lee DurfeyLavoie. This graphic novel follows Maggie as she enters middle school, which is already tough, but because of her anxiety and OCD, sometimes daily life can be particularly stressful for Maggie. At its core, Just Roll With It is a compassionate story about learning to trust yourself and finding healthy ways to help you through challenging moments.

It's heartwarming and encouraging to see more and more subtle and overt books about neurodiverse characters and by neurodiverse authors. Kids, and adults for that matter, learn about and shape our world by way of the media we consume. So, to have a more inclusive literature landscape is vital to personal and community growth. We hope this list has sparked some interest in books by and and about individuals coming from different backgrounds, and always feel free to ask your local bookshop for more recommendations. We love finding and sharing stories, especially ones that help people feel seen!

Hannah Stewart - Born and raised in Colorado, I spent much of my childhood reading, crafting stories, and consuming a ton of media-books, film, radio, you name it. At Niwot High School, a stint as an extemporaneous speaker (we had to write seven minute speeches without the internet) sparked an interest in journalism. I followed this spark at CU, where I majored in communication and minored in both journalism and Spanish.

Now, I'm a writer at CU's College of Media, Communication and Information and focus on undergraduate student news. also work part time at Niwot's own Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop, manage a book blog, and write for the Left Hand Valley Courier. When I'm not reading or writing, I'm probably doing yoga or playing with my German Shepherd Lily!

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