For young children, reading can not only be a hobby, but also a chance to better understand themselves and the world around them. For me, when I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 6, I had been given a copy of a picture book called ‘Epilepsy: A Detective’s Story’ to help me understand my disability, and be less intimidated by it all. It gave me the confidence to share and educate my friends on my condition, and most importantly, it gave me confidence that I was not alone in this world.
While I was not diagnosed with ADHD until much later in my life, the same sentiment rings true for children with ADHD. Regardless of what disability a child may have, it is vitally important that they see themselves represented in the books they read. However, this hasn’t always been easy. According to a 2019 study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 3.4% of children’s books contain main characters with any disabilities at all.
However, in recent years, there have been great strides bringing more diversity into the children’s publishing industry, with organisations such as BookTrust and BooksforTopics creating booklists focusing specifically on books with ADHD characters.
Here are some of my recommendations for books with ADHD protagonists, all organised by reading age. Books with audiobook formats available have also been stickered if your child is interested in immersive reading.
