Brainbow

by Maya Henderson

A sixth grader discovers she has synesthesia in this middle grade graphic novel about rumors, friendship, and the power of new (and colorful!) perspectives. Perfect for fans of Allergic.

Most kids have five senses. Rosie has six.

Eleven-year-old Rosie can sense colors—and she thought everyone else could, too. After the first meeting of her middle school’s math league ends in confusion, Rosie wonders why nobody seems to know that every letter, number, and song has a special hue of their own. While her best friend Harper is too busy impressing the cool kids to care, Rosie befriends Yara, a lonely classmate who informs her that this condition has a name—synesthesia! But when Rosie’s secret gets out, rumors start to spread. The math league's first tournament is only a few weeks away, and no one trusts the girl with “brain colors” anymore.

With difficult friendships and a competitive academic club to navigate, can Rosie find the courage to embrace her unique gift after all? 

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

Maya Henderson is an author–illustrator from rural New York who loves creating stories that are funny, heartfelt, and relatable. She received her BFA in illustration with a sequential arts minor from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Her work has previously been featured online in the New Yorker and she is excited to bring her unique sense of humor into children’s publishing. While she primarily works digitally, Maya also enjoys using analog media such as pens, pencils, and highlighters to draw diary comics based on funny, everyday experiences. When she isn’t creating, Maya spends her free time hanging out with her two naughty cats– Doobie and Dori, cooking Pinterest recipes, and overanalyzing her favorite graphic novels.