Quote from Penny McCarthy on February 12, 2025, 9:25 am

Covering ADHD, autism, DCD, dyslexia, epilepsy and Tourette syndrome, the six part picture book series, The Neurons, looks at six common neurodiverse conditions, what causes them and how they affect people with the condition. Each Neuron book looks at one condition in detail using playful characterisations of neurons, the human brain and central nervous system as well as six children with the conditions. Each featured child character has a unique personality with their own likes, dislikes and is crucial for making the books relatable to children.

Fun, educational and accessible

A fun, educational and accessible selection of titles, these six books offer a simple route for young children to understand what is happening to them and why. Along with all the details already discussed, each book will also contain crucial condition specific information, for example the epilepsy book covers seizures and the Tourette syndrome book covers tics. They also offer a positive reflection of each condition by including several examples of how the conditions have a positive impact on the children’s lives as well as how they can make them more challenging.

Author Marielle Bayliss has epilepsy and illustrator Kellyanne Thorne has a son with DCD and autism meaning these books offer a first-hand look at these conditions, as well as meaning these stories contain all the essential information that might be useful for both a parent of a child with the conditions or someone who themselves have the condition.

Marielle Bayliss says, ‘I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 15 and given a very dry pamphlet. That was it. Some 30 years later, I decided to write about neurodiversity to break down the stigma and myths in a fun and informative way.’

Support People who are Neurodivergent

Kellyanne Thorne says, ‘My eldest son was diagnosed with autism and DCD several years ago. I believe that although being neurodivergent can bring with it challenges it can also be a superpower! It is essential to have resources that can not only support people who are neurodivergent but also to provide information to those who are neurotypical. This series of books does this with a fun, colourful and supportive approach with an aim to give its readers understanding.’

These titles will also be essential for parents to use with family and friends of those with the condition and will be great tools for anyone working within Special Educational Needs teaching. The books also touch upon the central nervous system and the role of neurons in the body making them useful in Key Stage 1 STEM lessons as well as primary classes of all ages discussing neurodiversity.

The books have been created with the help of several relevant specialists and organisations including Epilepsy Action, The Meath Epilepsy Charity, Dr Clare Galtrey Consultant Neurologist and Tourettes Action.