A real-life completely true story about being unique

A Different Sort of Normal

CHILDREN'S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR, THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS - SHORTLISTED 
BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS BEST BOOK WITH FACTS - LONGLISTED 
OBSERVER CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE MONTH 
 
Discover the award-winning true story of one girl's journey growing up autistic and undiagnosed – a must-read book about autism, neurodiversity and embracing who you are - for kids and adults alike. If you've ever felt different, out of place, like you don't fit in - this book is for you. 
 
'This book is what I needed as a kid! Empathetic, joyful and beautifully authentic.' - Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark 
 
'I REALLY love it. It's the book I wish I'd had when I was a kid. Buy it for your kids, your parents, your grandparents. Mostly buy it for yourself' - Holly Smale, author of the Geek Girl Series 
 
‘Honest, real and downright brilliant’ - Louise Gooding, author of Wonderfully Wired Brains 
 
 
Hi! My name is Abigail and I’m autistic. 
 
But when I was a child I didn’t know I was autistic. In fact - it wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I discovered my neurodivergence and my life finally started to make sense. 
 
This book follows my journey of self discovery from childhood through adulthood, as I attempt to navigate the confusing world around me - a world predominantly built for neurotypical brains. 
 
In this book you’ll find: 
 
VERY IMPORTANT FACTS about neurodiversity, neurodivergence, autistic traits, autism and gender, sensory sensitivities, social communication, emotions, friendships, bullying, sensory overload, meltdowns, family, school, special interests, masking, puberty AND MORE 
 
VERY PERSONAL STORIES involving toilets, cats, poo, swimming pools, my ridiculous family, my slightly unusual way of trying to make friends, falling up the French stairs wearing a skirt, getting locked in a cinema overnight and MORE embarrassing (and often hilarious) moments like these… 
 
PLUS TIPS for supporting the neurodivergent people in your life, advocating for your own needs as a neurodivergent person, and learning to embrace what makes you different. 
 
It’s for children. It’s for adults. It’s for neurodivergent people. It’s for neurotypical people. It’s for parents, carers, siblings, teachers, librarians, psychiatrists, doctors, nurses - and everyone else too. 
 
Basically - it’s for you. 
 
EXTRA IMPORTANT AND LITTLE KNOWN FACT: A Different Sort of Normal is also indirectly a story about growing up as an auDHD person - because nearly a year after this book was published I received my ADHD diagnosis! 
 
 
Discover why readers love A Different sort of Normal: 
 
‘Funny, poignant and wise, with a rich seam of understanding and empathy . . . one of the best children's non-fiction books I've read in a long time’ The Bookseller 
 
‘Probably the most accessible & engaging book I have ever read’ Dyslexic Reviews 
 
‘Insightful, accessible and easy to navigate, this is an essential book for autistic and allistic (non-autistic) readers of all ages’ BookTrust 
 
'Funny, fascinating . . . a rewarding and highly entertaining read' Guardian 
 
‘A hugely engaging, funny and informative account of being neurodivergent’ Observer 
 
‘Empathic, informative, hilarious, endearing gem of a book’ - ****** Reader Review 
 
‘My 9yr old has read this cover to cover so many times but I’d recommend it for a huge age range including adults too…This book was our favourite and most useful purchase post diagnosis. It is written with such care, kindness and good humour about many of the insights into autistic life that would never feature in the DSM.’ - ****** Reader Review 
 
‘I’m so happy this book exists. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, warm and wise. Abigail Balfe is like the fun but ultimately responsible and trustworthy big sister all autistic kids need in their lives.’ ***** Reader Review 
 
‘This helped me feel seen and heard as a late dx'd adult. My local autism services now recommend this book to newly diagnosed people as it is easy to digest with lots of personal anecdotes as well as facts about autism written in an easy to understand way.’ ****** Reader Review 
 
‘Although I don’t have Autism, I do have ADHD. If you are familiar with ADHD, you may or may not know that a lot of ADHD symptoms overlap with autism. I instantly felt a connection with Abigail, her brain ticks like mine, and it’s fantastic! … I wish little me who struggled growing up, had this book to read. I instantly felt like someone else understands me without having to say anything’ ****** Reader Review

A funny, fascinating illustrated memoir that conveys - via joyous tangential leaps, vivid doodles and informative notes - how it felt to grow up autistic and undiagnosed . . . a rewarding and highly entertaining read

I REALLY love it. It's the book I wish I'd had when I was a kid (I'd have known I was autistic immediately, right down to the cats). Buy it for your kids, your parents, your grandparents. Mostly buy it for yourself

A hugely engaging, funny and informative account of being neurodivergent

This book is what I needed as a kid! Empathetic, joyful and beautifully authentic. I loved it!

Funny, poignant and wise, with a rich seam of understanding and empathy . . . one of the best children's non-fiction books I've read in a long time

Insightful, accessible and easy to navigate, this is an essential book for autistic and allistic (non-autistic) readers of all ages

An amazing, life-changing hug of a book I wish I had when I was growing up. It's funny, eye-opening and supremely reassuring and an important, myth-busting look into autism and how that experience can vary so much. For anyone and EVERYONE who has ever felt different. Time to reclaim it and celebrate it

This book is a great explainer, full of empathy for different situations, which explodes many misconceptions about autistic people along the way! I wish I had had this available many years ago when teaching an autistic child on a one-to-one basis

What a difference Abigail Balfe's new book is going to make for so many people! A Different Sort of Normal is a wonderful blend of humour, information &amp; reassuring comfort

Highly illustrated, beautiful and an essential book for young autistic people

It is an outrageously beautiful, interesting, quirky, personal, funny introduction to autism. It has super gorgeous illustrations and details on every page, and covers SO MANY important topics.

NeuroWild (Em Hammond) an autistic and ADHD speech pathologist, illustrator and advocate

Your book means so much to me and others - it was like reading about my own life, even down to the special interests, as we are a similar age! Such an important, accessible and wonderful book.

Emma Reynolds, author, illustrator and founder of #kidlit4climate campaign

I wish I could go back in time and hand deliver A Different Sort of Normal by Abigail Balfe to my younger self. But even thought I can't, the Lucy of now very much appreciates feeling seen and understood and is having to stop herself from tearing up.

Lucy Powrie, author of The Paper & Hearts Society series

It is honest, real and downright brilliant. Abigail writes in such a brilliant creative way that really will draw in readers of all ages. Seriously, ever since I discovered this book I knew it was going to be special, that it would go places. It&rsquo;s award winner worthy, and I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ve ever said this about any book.

Louise Gooding, author of Wonderfully Wired Brains

How dyslexic-friendly is it? This is probably the most accessible &amp; engaging book I have ever read. The authors' creativity and skill for illustrations (she did them all herself!) and explaining things makes it fun, pleasing to the eye and enjoyable.

I'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 when I was a child I didn’t know I was autistic. In fact - it wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I discovered my neurodivergence and my life finally started to make sense. 
 
This book follows my journey of self discovery from childhood through adulthood, as I attempt to navigate the confusing world around me - a world predominantly built for neurotypical brains. 
 
In this book you’ll find: 
 
VERY IMPORTANT FACTS about neurodiversity, neurodivergence, autistic traits, autism and gender, sensory sensitivities, social communication, emotions, friendships, bullying, sensory overload, meltdowns, family, school, special interests, masking, puberty AND MORE 
 
VERY PERSONAL STORIES involving toilets, cats, poo, swimming pools, my ridiculous family, my slightly unusual way of trying to make friends, falling up the French stairs wearing a skirt, getting locked in a cinema overnight and MORE embarrassing (and often hilarious) moments like these… 
 
PLUS TIPS for supporting the neurodivergent people in your life, advocating for your own needs as a neurodivergent person, and learning to embrace what makes you different. 
 
It’s for children. It’s for adults. It’s for neurodivergent people. It’s for neurotypical people. It’s for parents, carers, siblings, teachers, librarians, psychiatrists, doctors, nurses - and everyone else too. 
 
Basically - it’s for you. 
 
EXTRA IMPORTANT AND LITTLE KNOWN FACT: A Different Sort of Normal is also indirectly a story about growing up as an auDHD person - because nearly a year after this book was published I received my ADHD diagnosis

I Don't Like Parties

Cat DOES NOT LIKE PARTIES. Not even a little bit. 
 
They're noisy, and smelly, and way too bright - they're just no fun at all. 
 
But Cat does like their friends. And their friends seem to LOVE parties. So they sit through the loud music and whirling disco lights, even if it makes their eyes sting and their ears hurt. 
 
That is, until one particularly chaotic and unruly party makes Cat question if anyone really does like them after all... 
 
This debut picture book from brilliantly talented author/illustrator Abigail Balfe celebrates difference, friendship, and compassion in a way that is full of clever, playful humour and a whole lot of heart. 
 
For older readers: 
A Different Sort of Normal

Abigail Balfe

IZZY DOBSON HAS A FEW PROBLEMS:1) School is the WORST.2) Making friends is HARD.3) Her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone MISSING!Cue Izzy’s Very Important Investigation, recorded in this Very Normal Notebook (definitely NOT another diary!). Can Izzy retrace her steps before the diary falls into the wrong hands? Or has its fate already been sealed by a SINISTER DIARY THIEF?Expect cat doodles, brilliant (ish) brainwaves, and Izzy’s hilarious commentary on life as you join her chaotic search – not just for the missing diary, but for her place in this Very Confusing World.A laugh-out-loud, big-hearted new fiction series by acclaimed author-illustrator Abigail Balfe.

Abigail Balfe

Books by Abigail Balfe

Series by Abigail Balfe

Izzy Dobson

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