Media and Book Guide for Neurodivergent Kids and Teens

A curated list of informative portals, children books, TV series, and youth booklets specifically designed for kids and teens with ADHD, Autism, and PDA.

Online Information Portals and TV Series

For neurodivergent children, learning about their own identity (ADHD, Autism, PDA) in a supportive and neuro-affirming way is essential for building self-esteem and self-advocacy skills. Rather than reading medicalized clinical reports designed for adults, children and teens can benefit from these modern, interactive digital and media resources:

1. Autism Understood (UK)

**Content:** A colorful, accessible, and user-friendly web portal designed specifically for autistic children and teenagers.

**Why It Matters:** Instead of framing autism as a "deficit" or "disease," the site explains it as a different brain operating system. It translates complex topics like sensory processing, interest tunnels (monotropism), communication differences, and masking into child-friendly analogies, helping kids accept their diagnosis with confidence.

2. Ich bin alles (Germany)

**Content:** An evidence-based German portal focusing on the mental health of children and adolescents, developed in collaboration with the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

**Why It Matters:** It explains depression, anxiety, and neurodivergent experiences using highly interactive, gamified content. It helps children identify and label their emotions, ensuring they feel understood and less isolated.

3. "Gong! Mein spektakuläres Leben" (KiKa - Germany)

**Content:** A German children's TV series by the public broadcaster KiKa, following the daily school life and adventures of Gong, a 10-year-old autistic girl.

**Why It Matters:** It shatters the classic "genius boy" autism trope in media. Through Gong, the series highlights school masking in girls, sensory overload (meltdown/shutdown), classroom peer dynamics, and the beauty of special interests. It serves as a fantastic resource for peer education in classrooms.

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Neuro-Affirming Books and Youth Booklets

In addition to digital media, children's literature is increasingly incorporating characters that embrace and normalize neurodiversity:

1. Brimborium Verlag Books (Momo and Linus Series)

Brimborium Verlag is a pioneering German publishing house focused on neuro-affirming children's literature.

**Momo ist das alles viel zu viel (It's All Too Much for Momo):** Follows Momo, an autistic character, explaining sensory sensitivities, how noise and crowds trigger sensory overload (meltdowns), and how children can regulate themselves.

**Linus liebt Licht (Linus Loves Light):** A visually stunning book that explores Linus's visual world, celebrating different ways of perceiving sensory inputs.

2. Florentine Blix Series (Alice Pantermüller)

**Content:** A children's book series about Florentine Blix, an adventurous, highly sensitive girl with ADHD who solves detective mysteries.

**Why It Matters:** Rather than framing ADHD as a super power or a clinical disorder, it portrays the ADHD brain's fast thinking, chaos, and creativity alongside daily struggles as a natural and relatable way of being.

3. Guides and Booklets for Teens

Resources for teenagers (especially those diagnosed later in life) focusing on peer support and autonomy:

**Hirnsalat (Brain Salad):** A popular German youth book that explains executive functions, brain styles, and learning strategies for neurodivergent teenagers in an engaging, friendly, and non-judgmental tone.

**PDA Society Youth Booklets:** Specifically designed for teens with a PDA profile. These guides explain why demands trigger anxiety and provide practical self-advocacy tips on how to negotiate flexible arrangements with teachers and parents.