Books about Autistic Women and Girls

Highlights: Books by two autistic woman authors from B.C.

I’m happy to highlight two memoirs by young women on the spectrum: Take it from the expert: sixteen years of experience living on the autism spectrum by Kaitlin Smith and I only see in black & white by Keara Farnan. These books provide insight into the authors’ struggles and triumphs and offer practical advice for both autistic and neurotypical readers.

Take it from the expert: sixteen years of experience living on the autism spectrum

Kaitlin Smith wrote Take it from the expert when she was 16 years old. She and her two siblings are all on the autism spectrum. Kaitlin’s goal in writing this book was to “help people gain a better understanding of what someone might be thinking based on (her) personal experience.” She feels that autism has had both positive and negative impacts on her life.

The topics Kaitlin discusses include making friends and forming social groups, dating, managing emotions and stress, and dealing with sensory challenges. She also offers her perspective on the value of special interests and how they can promote learning, independence, and happiness. Her own passion is Pokémon, and she shares how her interest in the franchise inspired her to develop her writing and drawing skills and to explore herself and the world through the themes in the stories and the personality traits of the characters.

Take it from the expert is a thoughtful memoir that would be of interest to anyone looking for first-person perspectives on autism. The tone of the book is optimistic and Kaitlin is respectful of diverse perspectives. The main target audience is parents and others who support people on the spectrum. I would also recommend this book to young autistic adults, especially teen girls who are struggling to find social acceptance.

Visit Kaitlin’s Facebook page for Take it from the expert here.

I only see in black & white

Keara Farnan is a writer from Vancouver BC. She was diagnosed with autism when she was 7 and wrote I only see in black & white when she was 23. Her passions include writing, fitness and cooking. In this book, Keara shares her perspectives and advice on topics including friendship, relationships, mental health, and the communication barriers that exist between neurotypical and autistic people.

A major theme in I only see in black & white is Keara’s struggle with depression, anxiety, and negative body image. She explores how the social challenges experienced by autistic people can contribute to low self-esteem and mental illness. She candidly discusses her experiences with bulimia and the ways in which her eating disorder is related to autism. Reflecting on her personal relationship with food, she explores how sensory issues, food sensitivities and allergies can affect nutrition and contribute to disordered eating in people on the spectrum. Keara’s lucid introspection on these topics is a valuable contribution to the literature on autism and mental health.

Throughout this book, Keara highlights the ways in which neurotypical people often fail to understand or accept autistic people. She demonstrates how many of her own positive qualities, such as loyalty and honesty, actually cause problems in her relationships with neurotypical people. In her chapters on friendship, she shares how she has been hurt by potential friends who were flaky, phony, or not genuinely interested in developing or maintaining a friendship. Her observations serve as an important reminder that communication is a two-way street. If we want to build a society that is truly inclusive of autistic people, neurotypical people have a responsibility to learn about autism and to treat autistic people with genuine respect.

I only see in black & white is an intimate look at the inner life and social experiences of a young autistic woman. I would recommend this book to teens and young adults on the spectrum, as well as parents, high school teachers, therapists, or anyone who works with young autistic adults.

I only see in black & white was released last summer. In addition to the AutismBC store, it is also available for purchase on Amazon, Chapters Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and various other bookstores. 

Visit Keara’s website here.

More Memoirs: 

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation

by Hannah Gadsby

I Overcame My Autism and All I Got was this Lousy Anxiety Disorder: A Memoir

by Sarah Kurchak

How to be Autistic

by Charlotte Amelia Poe

Late bloomer [electronic resource] : How an autism diagnosis changed my life.

by Clem Bastow

Pretending to be normal: living with Asperger’s Syndrome

by Liane Holliday Willey 

Odd girl out: my extraordinary autistic life

by Laura James 

Personal and Professional Perspectives on Issues Affecting Autistic Women: 

What Every Autistic Girl Wishes Her Parents Knew

Edited by Emily Paige Ballou, Kristina Thomas, and Sharon daVanport

Sincerely, your autistic child: what people on the autism spectrum wish their parents knew about growing up, acceptance, and identity

Edited by Emily Paige Ballou, Sharon daVanport, and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu.

The Autism-Friendly Guide to Periods

by Robyn Steward

Spectrum women: walking to the beat of autism

Edited by Bark Cook and Dr Michelle Garnett 

Women and girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders: understanding life experiences from early childhood to old age 

by Sarah Hendrickx 

Life on the autism spectrum: a guide for girls and women

by Karen McKibbon 

Girls under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorders: practical solutions for addressing everyday life challenges

by Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D., and Danielle Wendel 

The Autistic Brain

by Temple Grandin

Mental Health and Self-Help:

Sisterhood of the spectrum: an Asperger chick’s guide to life

by Jennifer Cook O’Toole 

A guide to mental health issues in girls and young women on the autism spectrum: diagnosis, intervention and family support

by Dr. Judy Eaton 

The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Toolkit: The Workbook for Autistic Girls

by Siena Castellon, forwarded by Dr Temple Gradin

Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum

by Jennifer Cook O’Toole

Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You

by Jenara Nerenberg

Camouflage: The Hidden Lives of Autistic Women

by Dr Sarah Bargiela

22 Things a Woman with Asperger’s Syndrome Wants Her Partner to Know

by Rudy Simone

Interested in the books listed above? Check out AIDE Canada’s library catalogue and see if you can borrow a copy!