Books to help build self esteem for an autistic 7 year old

[IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece]

Wonderful, brilliant, smart 7yo is in need of some self esteem help and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any books for her that might help

(Background because this may change recommendations, She's autistic, off the back of an autistic burnout, currently can't handle school and we strongly believe has OCD)

She's wickedly smart, an excellent reader (and adores it), is in mainstream school but her self talk is awful, she doesn't believe she's capable of anything, that she isn't worth anything and isn't likeable (which couldn't be further from the truth, she's utterly wonderful). Although she reads a year or two above her age, she would also enjoy books for a younger age group (she'll read anything tbh!)

Thank you

Hopeful bump

Can you teach her something new this weekend? For example can she make lunch or learn a new skill like plaiting her doll’s hair or whatever floats her boat?

That's actually a great idea, we tried this a few months ago and it went very badly but we will definitely try again this week.. Thanks!

We have started a monthly subscription to GirlBe - have a look; I wasn’t convinced but my DD is loving it and I can see her confidence growing

Oh thank you! have never heard of that so will take a look

A kind of spark by elle Mcnicoll!

To continue the magazine recommendations, Aquila is very good.

My DD is autistic and she found these activity books really helpful for her when she was feeling low, worried or anxious.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1783708999?ref=emc_b_5_mob_i

Beautiful Oops, by Barney Saltzberg
The Dot, by Peter Reynolds

These books aren’t specifically about self-esteem. They are more about perfectionism, that mistakes and imperfections are OK, that they are creative. Especially if you go on to actually do what is in the books. Do in your own interpretation, not simply recreate the books.

The smart girl guides by American girl are amazing

My daughter loves this book by Jodie Ounsley (Fury from Gladiators!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Smashing-Confident-Ounsley-Gladiators/dp/1035064049

Jodie is deaf and has had much to struggle with. my daughter says ‘Jodie actually understands the way i feel’

A couple more thoughts on self esteem help

• explain that being ‘brave’ means feeling fear/worry, then trying your best in spite of it. Sometimes kids are given the mistaken impression that bravery is about NOT feeling fear/worry. So they stress that they are doing it ‘wrong’ - everyone else looks like they are finding life easy. But without the fear/worry, we can’t be brave! Fear/worry is NORMAL, it can even be helpful. Everyone gets worried, she is not alone :)
• Try to find things she can start off bad at, then incrementally get better at by practice. A musical instrument? Sewing or knitting or other crafts? Pony riding? After each practice, keep reflecting her progress back to her, and regularly ask her to explain what she’s doing differently now to when she first started. So she keeps noticing that with effort and practice, we learn and improve - this applies to EVERYTHING we do… school work, friendships, sport, play. All life is ‘practice’!

xx