20+ Essential Autism Books and Resources for Parents
As a parent of a child with autism, it can be helpful to dig into resources and be armed with information that can help you on your journey. But sometimes knowing which books to read can be a challenge - there are so many options out there! We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorites to get you started, ranging from strategies for picky eaters to cookbooks to supplements. Read on to discover which autism books and resources we recommend.
Books on Raising a Child on the Autism Spectrum
These books cover a wide range of topics and include many personal experiences that can help you gain insight and add tools to your toolkit to support your child as they grow.
Autism Out Loud: Life with a Child on the Spectrum, from Diagnosis to Young Adulthood by Carrie Cariello, Kate Swenson, and Adrian Wood
Forever Boy by Kate Swenson
What Color is Monday? by Carrie Cariello
Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry Prizant
The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds Succeed by Temple Grandin
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
An Early Start for Your Child with Autism: Using Everyday Activities to Help Kids Connect, Communicate, and Learn by Sally J. Rogers
Autism Books: Cookbooks
Food is such a powerful tool in helping children with autism thrive. Here are some of our favorite kid-friendly cookbooks that have recipes that are gluten-free and dairy-free, and are packed with nutrients.
The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet by Dana Laake
Eating for Autism: The 10-Step Nutrition Plan to Help Treat Your Child’s Autism, Asperger’s, or ADHD by Elizabeth Strickland
Danielle Walker's Eat What You Love: Everyday Comfort Food You Crave; Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Paleo Recipes by Danielle Walker
Cooking with Leo: An Allergen-Free Autism Family Cookbook by Erica Daniels
The Allergy-Free Family Cookbook by Fiona Heggie
Books with Picky Eating Tips
Selective eating is such a huge struggle for many children with autism. While there isn’t one approach that works for everyone when it comes to tackling extreme picky eating, these resources will give you some great ideas to try.
The Nourishing Autism Collective by Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD. Note that this is an online membership (not book) for parents who have children on the autism spectrum to increase their diet and improve their nutrition.
Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating by Katja Rowell
Food Chaining: The Proven 6-Step Plan to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems, and Expand Your Child s Diet by Cheri Fraker, Dr. Mark Fishbein, Sibyl Cox, and Laura Walbert
Stories of Extreme Picky Eating: Children with Severe Food Aversions and the Solutions That Helped Them by Jennifer Friedman
Just Take a Bite: Easy, Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges by Lori Ernsperger and Tania Stegen-Hanson
Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables―with 100 Easy Activities and Recipes by Melanie Potock
Books with Nutrition and Supplement Recommendations for Autism
It can be hard to sort through all the nutrition and supplement info out there, so these books are a roundup of the top resources that are well researched and most helpful for families of children with autism.
The Nourishing Autism Collective by Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD. Note that this is an online membership (not book) for parents who have children on the autism spectrum to increase their diet and improve their nutrition.
Finally Focused: The Breakthrough Natural Treatment Plan for ADHD That Restores Attention, Minimizes Hyperactivity, and Helps Eliminate Drug Side Effects by James Greenblatt, MD
Nourishing Hope for Autism: Nutrition and Diet Guide for Healing Our Children by Julie Matthews
The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook: The Cutting-Edge Biomedical Approach to Treating the Underlying Deficiencies and Symptoms of ADHD and Autism by Dana Laake and Dr. Pamela Compart
Special-Needs Kids Eat Right: Strategies to Help Kids on the Autism Spectrum Focus, Learn, and Thrive by Judy Converse
Hopefully, this list will be a good starting point to find the resources that would be most helpful to you in learning more about autism and nutrition. Don’t feel like you need to read everything out there, sometimes that can be really overwhelming! Start wherever you are at, picking the resources that can help with your biggest challenges at the moment, and go from there.
👋 Parents - Need help with your child’s nutrition and Selective eating?
Join the Nourishing Autism Collective for expert guidance, a supportive community, and sensory-friendly strategies that actually work.
👩⚕️ Practitioners - Need Guidance to Support your Clients?
Hi, I’m Brittyn, the Autism Dietitian™!
I support parents in expanding their child’s limited diet and improving their nutrition in a sensory-friendly way. You can find me on Instagram, YouTube, or any social media platform at @AutismDietitian.
I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for over a decade and an autism sibling since I was 4. I look forward to supporting your journey to help your kiddo feel their best & thrive.
To get support, you can read my blog, listen to my podcast, and join my membership, the Nourishing Autism Collective.
Updated August 7, 2025
