Although kids with Dyslexia often feel alone, different, or somehow broken the reality is that as many as 1 out of every 10 people has dyslexia. Dyslexia is by far the most common learning disorders. In a classroom of 20 there are usually a couple of kids who learn to read, write, and process their world different than their peers. These children are by no means less intelligent than the other kids happily singing their abcs and rhyming words, their brains are simply different.
For people, like me, who learned to read rather easily it can be mystifying to understand Dyslexia. Reading doesn’t seem all that complicated to us. This lack of understanding can make it hard to be sympathetic to someone else who struggles.
With the extraordinary prevalence of Dyslexia and the enormous impact it has on social and emotional development, creating better support and understanding feels crucial. One place to start is a book and a conversation. For a kid with Dyslexia, these books will help them feel seen and less alone. For peers of children with Dyslexia, these books might help them better understand the kid sitting next to them.
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Children’s Books for Kids with Dyslexia
(with Characters who have Dyslexia)
Aaron Slater, Illustrator
by Andrea Beaty
illustrated by David Roberts
AARON SLATER, ILLUSTRATOR is the latest in the series of heartwarming books by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. I love this whole series, but this is my favorite. I closed the book with tears in my eyes because it captures the beautiful mind and frustrating challenges of a child with dyslexia so well. A book everyone should read but for the child with dyslexia who is always doing their best, trying to fit in, traying but failing to communicate what is in their brains – this book is a gift. Find Online
A Walk in the Words
by Hudson Talbott
This book is so powerful. It captures what it feels like to be lost in a world of words. A WALK IN THE WORDS was by someone with dyslexia who excelled at drawing, but was often overwhelmed by words. It is honest about the challenges of dyslexia while approaching it with loads of imagination and encouragement that will relate to children with similar struggles.
Brilliantly Dyslexic
by Liz Trudeau
BRILLIANTLY DYSLEXIC is a must read for every kid with dyslexia. It is a collection of interesting, well written short stories about a huge variety of people who have dyslexia and have accomplished remarkable things. I think it is equally inspiring for children with dyslexia to read about other people having struggled through the same things in their early years – the difficulties in school, the slow pace of their reading, the emotions that often go hand in hand – as it is to hear about their astonishing triumphs. I want my daughter with dyslexia, like all children, to know that she has remarkable strengths and is capable of achieving her dreams. This book is both reassuring and inspiring in this regard.
Your Turn, Adrian
by Helena Oberg and illustrated by Kristin Lidstrom
A gentle graphic novel, newly translated, about a little boy who gets nervous at school and feels different and alone. This is for every child who struggles to meet expectations at schools. It is a beautiful book about friendship, reading when it doesn’t come easy and so much more. The text is brief which works well for kids who will identify with Adrian’s frustrations and early readers. The illustrations are engaging and textured like the main character. An vulnerable work of art.
Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet
by Megan Frazer Blakemore
illustrated by Nadja Sarell
This is not specifically about dyslexia, but the main character does struggle with reading and writing. The main character, Frankie Sparks is a wonderful, well rounded character. I love that she has all the big emotions that kids this age experience. It makes her feel real and relatable. I love that along with her big, imperfect emotions, Frankie struggles with reading and writing. That element of her character is dealt with subtly and thoughtfully. For every child out there that struggles with anything at school, but especially those two subjects, they will see themselves in this character. They will see that she struggles but also that she is capable of so much, just like they are. Where Frankie excels is with science and problem solving and creativity. This is celebrated through the STEM focus of the books which are full of great examples of learning and inventing. A well written, well paced, well crafted story that early elementary school readers will love.
