Autism book list: Fiction divided by age

Books out from the library

The growing roster of fiction on my list of books for people on the autism spectrum could easily stand as an independent list of autism “read-alikes” — except that entries vary as to age of target readership as reflected in the age of the main character. So this morning, I subdivided the fiction into juvenile, young adult and adult categories.

(For readers unfamiliar with the library term “read-alike,” it refers to books that share similar characteristics and thus might appeal to the the same reader. These commonalities might include tone, setting, characterization or plot.)

When dividing up the fiction titles on my list of recommended books, I considered the age of the protagonist and the sophistication of themes. Essentially, I asked, which age-level of reader would relate to this character and what he or she experiences? I welcome input by library professionals who are more seasoned in readers’ advisory.