A dear friend recommended The Book Thief to me and I am so grateful for that suggestion. From the very first pages, Markus Zusak’s writing struck me as alive in a way that is both intimate and expansive. The voice of Death, unusual and observant, carries the story with quiet reflection, subtle humour, and a sense of inevitability that is deeply affecting. Every sentence feels deliberate, every word carries weight, and the way time stretches and folds in the narrative makes th

This book brings together stories, poems, reflections, and artwork exploring trans and disabled experience. The collection feels deeply personal and grounded in everyday life, with contributors writing about identity, relationships, community, access, belonging, and the different ways people move through the world. The range of voices throughout the book gives it a strong sense of honesty and care. What I appreciated most was the space the book made for complexity without try

Out of the Forest is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it. Gregory P. Smith writes honestly about a childhood shaped by violence, neglect and systems that failed to protect him. He doesn’t soften it for the reader, and he doesn’t sensationalise it either. He simply tells the truth, and that alone makes this book powerful. As his life unfolds, we see how trauma, homelessness and isolation pushed him further to the margins. His decision to live in the

Healing the Oppressed Body by Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik offers a timely contribution to trauma and somatic practice by positioning oppression as both socially and physiologically embodied. It integrates nervous system work, parts-based approaches, and attachment frameworks to explore how marginalisation is held in the body. Rather than locating distress solely within individuals, it expands the frame to include broader systems shaping safety, threat, and identity. A strength of t

I have just finished Your Brain’s Not Broken and it feels like a book that truly understands ADHDers. Tamara Rosier writes with clarity and empathy, making the experience of living with a differently wired brain feel validated rather than judged. The book reads like a conversation, blending science, personal stories, and practical strategies in a way that is accessible, engaging, and easy to follow from start to finish. One of the strongest aspects of the book is how it refra

The Queer Art of Failure is a bold and playful challenge to conventional ideas of success, productivity, and social norms. Halberstam reframes failure as a creative and radical act, showing how refusing dominant expectations can open space for alternative ways of living, relating, and being. Drawing on film, literature, performance, and popular culture, the book illustrates how failing can be both joyful and empowering, offering readers a way to question what society values.

I really valued how this book explores burnout as a whole rather than presenting it as something only neurodivergent teenagers experience. It shows that anyone pushed too far can reach the point of exhaustion. The authors explain how burnout builds slowly and normalise it as a human response rather than a personal failure. The discussion about school stood out as especially important. The authors highlight how testing, social pressure, and constant expectations can make schoo

Robert Jason Grant’s The AutPlay® Therapy Handbook is a thoughtful guide for working with neurodivergent children through play. The approach is integrative and flexible, offering techniques alongside a framework for understanding each child’s unique way of engaging with the world. It is an accessible read for practitioners and most useful for those who want to integrate play-based approaches into their work. The book blends evidence-based practice with a strong relational and

For National Close the Gap Day I want to share a powerful anthology that broadens how we think about wellbeing, culture and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Colouring the Rainbow: Blak Queer and Trans Perspectives brings together voices often missing from mainstream conversations. Through essays and reflections, Blak queer and trans writers share experiences of identity, belonging and survival with honesty, care and cultural depth. What stands ou

The Anger Management Sourcebook offers a wide range of practical tools for understanding anger, including identifying triggers, building coping strategies, and improving communication. The exercises are generally accessible and may be helpful for readers who are new to anger management or seeking structured self help material. As a skills focused resource, the book functions best as an introductory text rather than a comprehensive or context sensitive guide. A key limitation

They, He, She: Words for You and Me is a bright and playful board book that introduces young children to pronouns in a simple and approachable way. The text is clear and friendly, encouraging children to explore how words can describe themselves and others. It presents pronouns as natural and flexible, giving little readers space to notice what feels right without pressure or expectation. The illustrations are bold, colorful, and joyful, showing diverse characters in fun and

This book is a gentle and affirming picture book for children aged 3 and up. It explores how children experience and interact with the world, celebrating that every child is unique. Some children are talkative, some prefer quiet. Some enjoy movement, others enjoy stillness. All of these ways of being are valid and valuable, and differences are important and meaningful. The illustrations by Inge Daniels bring the story to life. Children are shown engaging in a variety of activ

Nonviolent Communication is often presented as a communication framework, but at its heart it is a practice of relating with greater honesty, responsibility, and compassion. Rosenberg invites readers to slow down and notice how everyday language can move quickly into judgement or blame, even when our intentions are caring. The focus is less on saying the right thing and more on creating conditions for genuine understanding and connection. The core structure of observation, fe

This book offers a clear and compassionate introduction to PDA for parents, caregivers and professionals supporting PDAers across home, school and therapeutic settings. I appreciated the way it explains PDA as a nervous-system-led experience, helping adults move beyond behaviour toward understanding stress, anxiety and the need for autonomy. The language is respectful and grounding, supporting readers to reframe interpretations without blame or judgement, creating space for c

Between Two Worlds is a book that feels like opening thirty windows at once. Each piece offers a view that is distinct, powerful, and deeply human. The anthology gathers stories of migration, belonging, and in-betweenness, but it resists neat categories. Instead it shows us what it means to live across languages, cultures, and histories, and how that shapes both loss and possibility. What struck me most was the range of voices, sharp, tender, questioning, and generous. Some s

This book is often described as essential reading for anyone interested in trauma and healing, and I can see why. Van der Kolk brings decades of clinical experience and research together in a way that feels both accessible and deeply human. The stories and examples throughout the book give a real sense of how complex trauma can be and how it shapes people’s lives in lasting ways. It also offers valuable insight into how trauma affects memory, relationships, and the nervous sy

Lynda Barry’s Syllabus is an unconventional teaching guide presented in the form of a hand-drawn composition notebook. It gathers together classroom notes, doodles, exercises, and reflections, creating a book that feels alive in both form and content. The visual style is playful, messy, and layered, drawing readers into the atmosphere of her studio and classroom. At its heart, the book argues that creativity is not a rare gift but a natural part of being human. Barry’s prompt

I’ve been waiting for the next Georgie book, and The Plot Solidifies jumps straight into the story without missing a beat. It’s great to have the gang back together, though not everyone is where they used to be. Hayler and Cute Guy seem to have moved on, while Troylene are stronger and more inseparable than ever. Georgie herself appears to have love interests, maybe even a chance at something real this time, but as always, nothing is ever simple in her world. The pacing feels

I thought this book was going to be more focused on neuronormative standards but was surprised to learn about the broader impacts of the laziness lie. The book shows how the belief that our value comes from constant productivity runs deep in our culture and how it harms people across many different contexts. What often gets called laziness is more accurately the result of exhaustion, unmet needs, or barriers outside of our control, and this argument is made with clarity and c

This book offers a warm and thoughtful introduction to PDA for children, families and schools. I appreciated the way it reframed PDA traits in terms of being perceptive, determined and autonomous. This strengths-based language supports children to understand themselves without shame and encourages adults to shift from reacting to behaviour toward understanding underlying needs. The tone remains gentle and respectful, which helps younger readers feel recognised and supported.