Honestly Elliott

Content warning: This section of the guide discusses ableism toward people with ADHD.

In Honestly Elliot, Elliott has been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a developmental disability. While people with ADHD can either present as inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive or a combination of these, and experiences vary, signs and symptoms (which usually begin in childhood) include daydreaming, forgetting things, fidgeting, and making mistakes (“Symptoms of ADHD.” CDC). Elliot is depicted as having a wandering mind, difficulty focusing, and the need to frequently move, particularly when he is experiencing stressful emotions.

While it is estimated that 15-20% of the population is neurodiverse (DCEG Staff. “Neurodiversity.” National Cancer Institute, 25 April 2022), as of 2019 only 3.4% of children’s books featured protagonists with a disability, meaning that the percentage of protagonists with a developmental disability is even lower (“The Numbers are In: 2019 CCBC Diversity Statistics.” Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 16 June 2020). However, research shows that books with neurodivergent characters help neurodivergent people to understand themselves better, have positive emotional experiences, and “see the positive aspects of their diagnosis” (Webber, Charlotte et al. “Representation in fiction books: Neurodivergent young people’s perceptions of the benefits and potential harms.” Neurodiversity, 2024). Although he sometimes struggles with external judgement about his ADHD, Elliott does also benefit from his unique neurology, and he narrates that he would not change his ADHD brain if he could, because it makes him who he is. By portraying this perspective, Gillian McDunn adds to a small but growing body of children’s literature with a neurodivergent protagonist, aiming to facilitate positive experiences for readers with ADHD.

Several people in Elliott’s life do not understand his neurodivergence. His lunch friends ostracize him for his differences, and his father Mark struggles to relate to him, straining their relationship. Studies have also shown that, while explaining their diagnoses to neurotypical peers can be difficult for neurodiverse people, reading books can be “a medium for facilitating understanding,” and this in turn can reduce stigma (Webber et al., 2024). Honestly Elliot therefore falls within the category of books about people with ADHD that can be used to facilitate understanding.