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Author: Balfe, Abigail, Balfe, Abigail

Reading age: from c 8 years

Published on 22 July 2021 by Penguin Random House Children’s UK (Puffin) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 240 pages
152 x 227 x 17 | 438g

CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR, THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2022 – SHORTLISTEDBLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS BEST BOOK WITH FACTS 2022 – LONGLISTEDTHE OBSERVER CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH – JULY 2021Discover the beautiful true story of one girl’s journey growing up autistic and undiagnosed – and the challenges she faced in the ‘normal’ world.

‘This book is what I needed as a kid! Empathetic, joyful and beautifully authentic. I loved it!’ – Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of SparkI’m not like the other children in my class . . . and that’s an actual scientific FACT.

Hi! My name is Abigail, and I’m autistic. But I didn’t know I was autistic until I was an adult-sort-of-person*.

This is my true story of growing up in the confusing ‘normal’ world, all the while missing some Very Important Information about myself.

There’ll be scary moments involving toilets and crowded trains, heart-warming tales of cats and pianos, and funny memories including my dad and a mysterious tub of ice cream. Along the way you’ll also find some Very Crucial and Myth-busting Information about autism.

If you’ve ever felt different, out of place, like you don’t fit in . . . this book is for you.

*I’ve never really felt like an actual-adult-person, as you’ll soon discover in this book…

Told through the author’s remarkable words, and just as remarkable illustrations, this is the book for those who’ve never felt quite right in the ‘normal’ world.

Discover why readers love A Different sort of Normal:’Funny, fascinating . . . a rewarding and highly entertaining read’ – Guardian’I REALLY love it. Buy it for your kids, your parents, your grandparents. Mostly buy it for yourself’ – Holly Smale, author of the Geek Girl seriesA hugely engaging, funny and informative account of being neurodivergent – ObserverInsightful, accessible and easy to navigate, this is an essential book for autistic and allistic (non-autistic) readers of all ages – Booktrust