*please note that while I am neurodivergent, I am not trans (and thus my thoughts should be deprioritised to people who are both autistic and trans)*

I am thrilled a book like this exists! More and more research is coming out about the overlap of being neurodivergent and not cisgender, so it is excellent to have that discussed all in one place. I started to write a detailed paragraph on all the things that make me terribly pleased with this book, but I decided perhaps a list would be more logical.

- Terms accessibly explained (easy to understand/pick apart without being demeaning)
- Inclusive illustrations (multiple skin tones + includes disabled people)
- Discusses the inclusive pride flag + highlights Marsha P Johnson
- Explains how Indigenous cultures can have their own unique gender identities (and how they are NOT for people outside that culture)
- The conversation guidelines (on how to explain being trans and/or autistic) are well done

Honestly I have no negative things to say about this book. It could have included a discussion on the overlap of autism/trans/disabled but I am not going to penalise for that since the diagrams are inclusive and the book states its priority is autistic trans teens.

Autistic people are particularly likely to be trans or gender-divergent, so this guide from two trans autistic writers is very welcome! Written in very clear, straightforward language, it deals with topics like exploring your gender identity, coming out, accessing support, and inspirational trans and/or neurodivergent role models. It is quite practical, including clear explanations of terminology, templates for conversations such as coming out, and tips on topics like finding a new name that suits you.
The publisher is Australian, but the book also includes resources and support organisations for the UK and US as well - it's great to see this effort being made to make the book relevant to other markets.

As a trans non-binary Autistic (though admittedly not a teen for some time!), this book spoke to me on several levels. To have this kind of resource available for my younger self would have been such a dream, and I hope it really helps many trans Autistic teens and young adults.

It was really important to me to be sure that this book was written by own-voices authors, and they are able to fully articulate the experiences so many of us share in enlightening and positive ways. The activities and tone of voice really helps to bring joy into the reading, where so many of us have previously felt invisible or non-existent.

The topics covered and the way in which the different aspects are explored will be helpful to anyone reading, regardless of age, gender or neurotype, and anyone outside of the direct target audience would still benefit from reading and learning from these authors and stories. Overall I hope this book goes on to create really positive changes for young trans Autistic people.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC - all opinions here are my own, honest, and freely given.

I found this so helpful! As a guide it was well presented and clear, but also funny and engaging, and I could barely stop reading!

This is an excellent and informative resource for anyone wanting to understand more about gender identity in the neuro divergent world. Written in an easy to understand way with practical advice. Highly recommend this title.

Thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy.

First the usual preface: I haven't been a teen in a good few years, however I am trans, and have some undiagnosed but pretty clear autistic traits. I know many folk who are both trans and autistic - and of course the discussion about whether this is correlation or causation or both continues apace. What's clear, it that many teenagers are both trans and autistic. But there is a severe lack of information and support available for these folk. This book exists to try and redress that balance.
It's a good book to read. Even being two decades out of my teens doesn't mean I can't learn both something new for me, and something new about the folk around me.
The authors do a really good job of bringing the issues and questions trans and autistic teens might have into the light, and looking at them properly. For all that it's a fairly short book, it covers a lot of territory.
That does mean it can't cover things deeply, but that's not a fault. It aims to be a jumping off point, and that's exactly what it provides.

The Awesome Autistic Guide for Trans Teens was released on 21st June 2022. You can pick it up at Amazon UK or US, or your favourite bookseller or library.

What I liked about this book:
• Upbeat tone
• Takes absolutely nothing for granted and anticipates questions
• Non-excessive redundancy so it's easier to pick up and use
• Offers practice scripts for some situations
• Embraces broad definitions of both autism and trans/nonbinary identity

What I didn't like about this book
• Mostly I just wanted more, more more—it's pretty brief and bare-bones

What I don't like about this world
• That we need books like this (but I'm glad they exist)
• That life is getting more hostile toward trans teens and supportive family members
• That we need a section on bullying
• That the available pronouns don't match our actual diversity
• That cis-hetero-patriarchal structures exist all over the place, sending out messages about who does and doesn't belong.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

I liked the intersectionality that is addressed in this book and the fact that it is written by authors who identify as autistic and trans. There were lots of good explanations, and it was very much written for younger readers which will benefit many patrons in our library. I think the book is a good source of information for all readers, whether they identify as Autistic or trans, and I look forward to adding it to our collection.

Look, it is pretty neat that a huge percentage of autistic people are also trans, or do gender in a Different way than expected, and I think this is very cool. And this book thinks that’s really cool too! I think this book is written in a really accessible way, a really good “also we have experienced the same things you might be thinking and this is what we did” book, and again, I am really glad that this book is written as “nothing about us without us” (vs. Own Voices). I also think that this book doesn’t sound too ‘fake’ or enthusiastic, it feels genuinely helpful. Five stars. A great addition to any young adult library.

As an autistic and gender divergent person, I was ecstatic to read this book. It did not disappoint! I think that this book is going to do a lot of great things for autistic and trans teens. I know that I would have loved to have seen this book on the shelves when I was younger because I never was able to see myself reflected in what I was reading. All of the "guides" being advertised to teens were things I couldn't relate to, and this would have made my life so much easier. I love how easy this book was to read (I read it in one sitting), as well as how accessible the information was. The use of real-life examples and also the presentation of solutions and resources for problems was great.

I only had two criticisms for this book, and in the long run they aren't that important. First, at some points when the authors were quoting celebrities they used the celebrities' first names, which authors aren't supposed to do unless they have a personal relationship with the person they are writing about. I also thought that the book could have spoken more about the autistic side of being trans and autistic, as well as more about the intersection between being trans and autistic. It talked more about being trans and didn't offer much in the way of support for being autistic besides a few sentences. It also didn't talk about ableism at all. However, I think this book will still be incredibly helpful to trans and autistic teens!

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for allowing me access to this wonderful ARC!

This book is definitely filling a gap in the market that really needed measured information to be provided. I think this book is fabulous because it does not sensationalise what Autism actually is, but explains it in an accessible and non-judgemental way. It also links Autism to Transgender and clearly gives the most common terminology being used today with easy to follow definitions. Each section comes with questions/tasks you can work through to see if the explanations apply to you.

Both authors have a lived experience of this, which is why I think the book is so powerful. As I raise my teenagers, I hear them use the terminology in this book a lot and it has helped me understand a little more about something which is only just beginning to be discussed.

Really useful book to have to hand for any child who is feeling unsure or questioning their gender, and bewildered parents trying to make sense of a new landscape.

I could see this being used as part of a comprehensive health program for autistic teens. On its own however, I'm not sure how useful it would actually be for most teens. The writing style and tone are very introductory level, but the content, terminology used, and context could have used a lot more exploration than they are given here. And, frankly, I'm not sure how useful this book will be for the majority of autistic queer youth who are non-white and living in unsafe environments.

I do really appreciate that this book exists and I think the information that is presented is very good. I appreciate NetGalley and the authors offering a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital advance copy.

This book was a delight, explaining in clear and understandable terms the intersections and relations between trans and autistic identities, struggles, and joys. A wonderful read.

Mx Purkis and Mx Rose’s book is friendly and not in any way condescending. It goes into discrimination, dysphoria, transness, gender divergence, neurodivergence, and so many other things.

Helpful information for those who don't know a lot about autism and/or gender identity! Helps connect youth with resources and lets them know they aren't alone.

This is such a great little book and perfect resource for young audiences. It feels comprehensive and accessible. 5 stars!

This is a really great starting point for people just learning about autism and gender diversity. It does a good job explaining complex terms in a simple and easy-t0-grasp way. Most people who have done even a little reading about gender diversity will know most of what is covered in this book, but as a starting point I think it works well for adults and teens.

However some of the terms are defined *too* simply or breezed past which can lead to confusion. I definitely wouldn't recommend this as the *only* source of information. As a starting point and supplement to the journey, it works well. I am even thinking of giving it to my mom as a way to help her understand me better (even though I am an adult instead of a teen).

I found the second half of the book less interesting and helpful for me mostly because I am not a teen. If I were a teen just beginning to explore my gender identity then the information about hormones and how to access therapy and how to come out would be very helpful. In fact, if I had had this as a teen it would have been amazing and saved me a lot of stress and confusion during high school and college.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for providing an e-arc for review.

This is such an important and needed book. It's going to have an impact and is very informative in a simple, easy-to-understand way without being condescending or repetitive.

I'm not a teenager, so I'm not the exact targeted audience of this book, and as such it did read as a little too simplistic for me but that's partially because I already knew most of the things talked about and am older than the target audience but I can still see how great of a resource this book is. It covers a lot of different topics in a forthright way that is easy to read and comprehend.

This is a great book and I'm so glad it exists. It's much needed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

Just like Sam and Yenn said, there weren't books like this available when I was growing up, so it's nice to see something being put out for kids to be able to read and understand as they grow up. The way they explained that there's not just the Western idea of gender and a variety of pronouns beside she/they/he was great, as well as providing a list of well known people who are trans and or autistic.

There was a weird disconnect between the way things were explained and the age range the book seemed to want to reach. It's a lot of text, but the way the book "talked" felt more like it was aimed for "tweens" or parents of autistic or trans kids than teenagers.

I wish this guide had been around for many people I knew growing up. Considering there's a higher percentage of trans folks in the autistic community than in the neruo-typical community, this is a necessary and fun book!

The Awesome Autistic Guide for Trans Teens is an informative and enjoyable read that I think would be very useful for young people and would make a good addition to the school library and books available from the wellbeing office. I particularly liked that the authors have included practical advice for what to say or do in situations that gender diverse young people may find themselves in and the language is inclusive and affirming. At the end of each section, there are workbook style questions for readers to complete which some readers may need help with. I would recommend this for students/schools and parents/carers.