Book Suggestions

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I am an aide for a 7th grade aspie girl. Does anyone have any suggestions on books that she would like to read, maybe that have characters she can relate to, or even non-fiction books that might help her outlook as a young teenage aspie.

Thanks!

Feed by M. T. Anderson is a really good book. It's teen science fiction, but I'd think it's ok for as young as 12.
I really identified with a secondary female character that you get to know from the main character's point of view. Everyone has a feed chip implanted in their brain, but she didn't get one until she was older and it's malfunctioning. She thinks differently from everyone, because she was left to the quiet of her own thoughts for a big part of her life. It's a pretty standard idea, but it's executed really well. It has a lot to it, but is still easy to read.

I really enjoyed "Aspergirls." It's written for adult females with asperger's, but I don't recall anything in there that would be inappropriate for a 13-year-old to read. Some of it talks about how hard it is to have asperger's and some of it talks about how great aspergirls are. The overall view of the book is to empower aspergirls. I found it a very easy read.

A more technical non-fiction book (but still readable for a smart 7th grader) is the anthology "Asperger's and Girls." If she wants to learn more about what it means to have asperger's and how to get the most out of life that she can, this would be a good book for her to read. If she's not as interested in knowing more about her diagnosis, she probably won't want to bother with this book. It's a bit harder to read than "Aspergirls" (includes bigger vocabulary words like 'qualitative' or 'cognitive') and appears to be written more toward the parent of a girl than the girl herself (though I got a lot of of reading it for myself, not for a child) but covers a lot of very valuable ground such as bullying, puberty, friendship, "launching" to college or work after high school, dating, relationships, marriage, maternal instincts, and a final chapter by Temple Grandin about how finding a good career helped give her life meaning.

For fiction, it's an older novel, but "Harriet the Spy" was a book I enjoyed. Harriet is a bright girl who loves to write. She decides to be a "spy" and starts writing down everything she sees people doing. Someone finds her notebook and she gets bullied over it. It's a good story about someone who gets bullied and has to try to win people back to her side.

Another good bullying book, this one non-fiction, is "Please stop laughing at me." It's written by a woman who is successful now but was bullied as a girl. She talks about how she dealt with the bullying and was able to move on with her life. It's written at an easy level to understand and the author's story really pulled me in.

And Madeleine L'Engle's young adult books have wonderful female characters who are smart and strong and struggling to find their place in the world. Of course there is the "Wrinkle in Time" trilogy with Meg Murray (although her brother Charles is arguably the aspie in that family!), but I would also HIGHLY suggest the Austin Family Chronicles: "Meet the Austins", "The Moon by Night," "The Young Unicorns," "A Ring of Endless Light," and "Troubling a Star." The main character in these books is Vicky Austin who ages through the books (12 to about 16) and is a very introspective and philosophical girl who likes to write. I recently re-read "A Ring of Endless Light" and it was still beautiful and captivating to me, even though I am grown now. In that book, Vicky learns that she has a strong rapport with dolphins, nearly strong enough to be called communication. In "Ring," Vicky has to face grief as her grandfather (who lives with the family) is dying and the dolphins help her coping and healing process.

While Vicky is (possibly) not asperger's, she is a wonderful character (in my opinion) for an asperger's girl to read. She is gentle, sensitive, reflective, and struggling with the Big Issues of life.

I hope my few humble suggestions are helpful to you.

Bolded items are names you can google/look for (generally giving series names, and not individual books) --- if you don't feel like reading the rest, just read the last bolded one (I know I'm wordy)!

When I was your age (and younger, but continued reading it until much older), I loved all of Tamora Pierce's books... they're fantasy novels with a strong heroine...

There is the lioness trilogy that sports Alana, a girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to become a knight, because women were forbidden... later on, she shows up again in the next trilogy, wild magic, as a grown up and now a role model herself...

wild magic trilogy is about this girl (daine? something like that, her name always annoyed me cause I couldn't pronounce it... it was like... NOT diana, but daine or something weird), and she has the ability to communicate with animals, and eventually learns to be able to help them... this one is a lot more magic oriented than one before, which was more social/fighting...

then there is the squire or something series, where this girl is accepted into knight academy (about 30 years or so after lioness trilogy) as a girl, and her struggles being the first/only female there (first known, only at the time)

then there are a few quartets (actually those above might be 4 books as well, dont remember), and this is about 4 youngsters, all orphaned, who gain different types of magic and work together etc...

I honestly loved them, they're pretty quick reads, but still very enjoyable...

I'd also recommend Ender's Game... its a sci-fi about a kid (like 6 to 10 years old or something), who plays "games" to learn how to become a military general... I won't say much more than that, but its pretty awesome. I've been recommended that for years, and finally read it this summer (I'm 22 now), last person who recommended was like "too bad you didnt read it as a kid, because you'd be able to relate more, but its still enjoyable" <--- and it is. Its just kind of hard for me to understand some parts... I mean I *KNOW* I was reading Tamora Pierces books at 10 and possibly younger, and know I've had some pretty complicated/advanced thoughts then... (knew I wanted a degree in science, and wanted to attend pennstate, and knew I was an athiest all in 5th grade), but I can't really remember any earlier than ~10, and don't know how... insightful/thoughtful/"smart" I was before then... so reading the novel now, ~15+ years older than the main character, I can't help but to feel that he's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more mature and "smarter"/"aware" than he should be (and yes, it is a given he's a "genius" and everything, but still, sorta incomprehindable to me)-- but since you are closer to that age, you should be able to relate to him a lot more, and accept it~

Regardless, Ender's Game is pretty awesome. Its written in a pretty neat fashion as well... not too many descriptions, but a lot of dialogue... entire book is almost explained through dialogue, which is interesting to say the least (and makes it an easy read)

When I was 12 moved on to the normal sci-fi/fantasy section... so well, I'll just continue to recommend other books I like(d) then and now because I basically started reading the "hardest" books at 12, and have just continued reading same stuff since...

The Dresden Files -- by Jim Butcher <--- Favorite book series ever. Its an actiony series that takes place in Chicago in our time, and he's a wizard detective for hire. He's in the yellow pages as a "wizard" but no one really believes him, because there are "no wizards in this world," however the police department calls him in for consulting on occasion for strange unexplained cases they get. The author writes in a very sarcastic/sardonic/hilarious manner... everything is like "poor dresden..." he just gets all the worst possible luck thrown at him at once....

So You Want To Be A Wizard -- is a book (series) in the teen section that I loved... another magic one... basically they find a book in a library that teaches them magic, and they have to pass a test, and later, help fix a lot of things... takes place in our world, and uses some pretty unique magic stuff

Wheel of Time... Robert Jordan ---is the book I picked up from the "grown up" section at 12... (I mean, its not "adult" in that its got sex and stuff, just the day I migrated out of the childrens/teens section, and grabbed something else)... its HUGE and definitely a "NOVEL"... honestly I wouldn't recommend it to anyone anymore... very very long, and way too descriptive etc... but I loved it when I read it, and proceeded to read the next 9, some of them multiple times... so enjoyed it from about 12 -> 17... *shrug* very well liked series, so you may enjoy it as well... its a "high fantasy" meaning its has created its own entire fantasy world, with its own rules, and magic, and politics, and countries, languages, etc... its a big book... no joke

Sword of Truth -- Terry Goodkind --- is similarish to wheel of time, but MUCH better Imo, about 10 books, pretty lengthy, but enjoyed every single minute of it. The first book can get a little violent/graphic, so not sure how well you can deal with that kind of stuff, just a forewarning (I don't like sex scenes, so most of my books are rather limited in that... this series has an occasional one, but usually pretty short and not too graphic...)

Terry Pratchett -- any of his books... they're pretty short, and goofy. When I first started reading one of his, it was like "...this is too ridiculous for me to handle, wtf..." too silly to stand, but I kept reading it, and while it was amusing and silly, it was just like... mindbogglingly goofy, like there was no value besides the random goofiness... but further I got in the book, I realized there was actually seriousness hidden beneath the banter, that it was goofy and an amusing book on top, but still had a good set of morals and goals, and meanings and stuff.... I have since read quite a few... honestly good luck finding the first one, just pick up any old one, he writes them in random order (like he'll write one now, that'll take place BEFORE the last one, but not neccesarily before all of them...) "Thud!" was the first I read-- takes place in its own universe, and has magic and stuff, but not overkill, the ones I like focus on the police captain, so most of it is crime fighting, and dealing with the crazy city inhabitants, theres twinges of magical happenings, but not 100% magic related.

WWW:Wake -- Robert J. Sawyer -- a book (theres a 2nd, 3rd not out yet) I recently read, a sci fi. Its about this girl, ~15 or so, who has been blind since birth, but she manages to get her vision back using new technology... but a side effect occurs and she is able to see the world wide web... to make this one even cooler (for you maybe), she's a very mathy person, her father is autistic (later comes out that they believe he has Asperger's, don't go into too too much detail, but shows his lack of affection and lack of looking at people and stuff), and that she seems to have some Asperger's traits herself. And its about the internet!! !! !! ! I love the internet, so its pretty sweet... I won't spoil anymore..., but definitely recommend this one~

I have maaaaaaaaaaaaaany more I can recommend, but think thats good for now... of course there is always lord of the rings and harry potter, which are great series' as well (I avoided because of the popularity, but finally gave in, and enjoyed it quite a bit), and I agree about the wrinkle in time books (madeline e'ngle or something), although I liked some of her others more...

Edit: Ok, I sort of misread it and thought she was posting this herself, haha... anyways, I guess I'd recommend the last one the most (has sci-fi, internet, cool visualization, Asperger's father, hinted at having AS herself, shows character struggling to learn to read after being blind all her life, etc... a lot of things she'd be able to relate with and enjoy)-- the others she'd probably like too... if she likes Fantasyish stuff, I'm not completely sure though But I'd recommend Tamora Pierce's (good teen girl rolemodel books), and WWW:Wake (and Dresden Files, just because its amazing, but not so sure about being able to "relate" in that one).

My child psychologist always had me read personified-animal books. My favorite by far (and still one of my favorite books ever) is called Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies. No language, violence isn't even remotely bad enough to cause bad dreams or anything. I highly recommend it, and other books like it.

I read a lot of fiction. I rarely relate to anybody in the books. It is more advisable to find books related to her topic of interest. If she is logical she might like to read biographies of eccentric scientists, or read Sherlock Holmes if she likes to solve things with also a logical component. Fantasy if she is imaginative... jesus, I don't know, aspie isn't a good enough description of how somebody is. They could be hiding in a corner or non-stop talking about batteries for all I know.

I had trouble picking out my own books in school. I had a teacher pick me out books. This leads to branching out... for instance, when I liked an author I could read all the books by that author without assistance and if I liked a subject I could look up books of it on the computer...

So in a way it is good that you are asking this, but it just can't be answered without more detail. Some of the books people are listing I don't even like, but that is because I'm a different person than they are just like the girl is different from me.

I can't really give you much useful information since I've never met this person, but...

Best Aspie book for any teenager: Geeks, Freaks, and Asperger's Syndrome

I'm sorry that I can't think of books with characters who I can relate to, but I often found myself relating to the Vulcans in Star Trek for their seemingly cold demeanors that offend those around them, and also Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager who also had social issues because she was Borg but her inherent humanity eventually helped her overcome it. It might not develop her critical reading skills, but Star Trek is a show that explores ideas surrounding people who I would say are very similar to aspies and I definitely relate to characters like that.

Anything Star Wars. The books are a lot of times better than the movies.

If that fails, find something on her special interest(s). That should keep her attention pretty good.

I absolutely adore "The Wild Girls" by Pat Murphy.

When thirteen-year-old Joan moves to California in 1972, she becomes friends with Sarah, who is timid at school but an imaginative leader when they play in the woods. They win a fiction writing contest. At the ceremony, where they are due to read their story, they impetuously paint their faces like the wild girls of their story, a first moment of rebellion (face painting as a symbol of independence is something that crops up more than once in this short novel). As a result of their prize, and even more as a result of their performance at the ceremony, the two are invited to attend a summer school for young writers based at Berkeley. Here they find a community among the other children on the course, all of whom feel isolated from their fellows. But more importantly as they learn how to be writers -- the observation, the honesty, the way to see things from someone else's point of view -- they are able to apply the lessons to their own lives, coming to understand and hence cope with the strains within their own families. And the writing is their way through it all.

This book mentions divorce, which might be a mature topic for a twelve year old; but other than that it is almost completely clean, there definitely aren't more than 5 instances when someone curses during it.

"A Begonia for Miss Applebaum" by Paul Zindel is another one of my favorites, but it's extremely sad.

Henry and Zelda are stunned to discover that their favorite teacher, Miss Applebaum, won't be back at school teaching science. In fact, Miss Applebaum hasn't very long to live. When Henry and Zelda become the Saturday companions of their, beloved teacher, her exuberance for learning, having fun, and helping the homeless is contagious. Their visits to Central Park, museums, and other places around New York City open an exciting new world to Zelda and Henry. But Miss Applebaum can't escape the inevitable. Will Henry and Zelda be able to carry out her last wish?

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

I woul also recommend "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Nortonton Juster for it's incredibly fun wordplay, fun fanciful characters, vivid descriptions and most importantly for the enthusium it generates about learning, especially in regard to Math and Reading/English.

Jared Diamond's "Guns Germs and Steel", followed by collapse.

Logicking an illogical acting world yay!

I read it in grade 6 you should be fine.

Jared Diamond's "Guns Germs and Steel", followed by collapse.

Logicking an illogical acting world yay!

I read it in grade 6 you should be fine.

Lord of the Rings.

Any/all Tamora Pierce, Orson Scott Card, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K. Dick, Barry Lyga, Philip Pullman....

I don't know what to expect for reading level since I was reading a good deal at a young age.

That's only true for the Thrawn and Darth Bane books. Most of them are crap. I tend to skip the crap ones and just read summaries for them so that I can plug holes in my mental map of the timeline.

Regarding Aspie books, I'd read "Look Me in The Eyes" and the Curious Case of The Dog in The Nighttime." Maybe some Fantasy books like Temeraire, Dragonriders of Pern, Dungeons and Dragons books, Lord of The Rings(including The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and The Children of Hurin), or Age of Fire. Or Sci-fi books like Rendevous With Rama, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Cthulhu Mythos, Contact by Carl Sagan, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov.