My Body, My Brain

Nicki Esler Gill has written a companion book to My Body My Rules. My Body, My Brain introduces neurodiversity in an accessible way for children aged three and up, using relatable day-to-day experiences to illustrate how individuals experience the world in different ways. Whether children need safe familiar places or find quietness tricky, whether they struggle with ‘stormy’ feelings or need to connect to the natural environment, they are likely to recognise themselves and others within these pages. Nicki uses lots of different analogies to illustrate diversity such as cake ingredients and different animals. Younger children may cope better with one analogy at a time that can be explored in more depth.  

The rhythm and rhyme is satisfying and the book reads aloud well. It is complemented by Inge Daniels’ bright illustrations that alternate between full spreads and vignette-style images. Groups of children with a range of ethnicities, skin, hair, and body types are featured.

This book is a timely celebration of neurodiversity, acceptance and inclusivity.