Fiction suggestions for kids’ books about experience of/with autism?
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Anonymous
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My 9-year-old DD just read and loved “Al Capone Does My Shirts.” That’s got me wondering how realistic it is as a portrait of life with an autístic family member. Anyone know this book and have thoughts about it? Any other recommendations for fiction that would help my DD (and me, tbh) understand autism better? We know a few families with autistic kids but dont know them well.
Sorry if this is offensive, and thanks for any recommendations. |
Anonymous
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These are not kids' books but for fiction I liked The Speed of Dark, The Rosie Project, and 600 Hours of Edward best. There are lots more.
On the nonfiction side you should definitely read either Neurotribes or In A Different Key, to understand the history and science of what we now call "autism" a little better. (I liked Neurotribes better but maybe just because I read it first). John Elder Robison's autobiographical books are very good. And since you have a girl you might want to read some of what Cynthia Kim or Liane Holliday Wiley (both adult women on the spectrum) have written. Cynthia's blog Musings of an Aspie is good too. |
Anonymous
| Rules by Cynthia Lord |
Anonymous
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To Siri, With Love by Judith Newman
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Anonymous
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The main thing is understanding that what a kid with autism is like could mean a million different things. I think you get this because you're asking for more books, but avoid using one fictional character to explain the personality or behaviors of other (real) kids.
That being said, A Mighty Girl usually gives great books recs... try "A Different Way of Thinking: 20 Books About Autistic Mighty Girls" https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14948 |
Anonymous
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Two age-appropriate books:
Rain Reign (autistic protagnist, aimed at ages 9-12) https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Reign-Ann-M-Martin/dp/1250073979/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526487454&sr=1-2&keywords=fiction+books+autism What about Me? (non-fiction, aimed at NT siblings of spectrum children, aimed at ages 4-8, but still a good review if trying to understand those with autism) https://www.amazon.com/What-About-Me-Autism-Sibling/dp/0692872728/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526487454&sr=1-3&keywords=fiction+books+autism |
Anonymous
I hated this book's representation of autism. It was portrayed as disruptive, annoying, and something to be cured or eradicated. Both characters with disabilities were only there to make the main character look good. For a more positive representation, where the character with autism gets her own agency and personality, I liked Rain, Reign. |
Anonymous
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https://www.amazon.com/Mockingbird-Kathryn-Erskine/dp/0142417750
Mockingbird. A young adult novel. Get your tissues ready, though. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks for the replies so far. She has read and reread “Rain, Reign” and really loves it, so that’s spot on! |
Anonymous
My son read Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine. It was a lovely book- sad, but really great. |
Anonymous
| The kids read Marcelo in the Real World at school, so I picked it up and enjoyed it, too. |
Anonymous
| Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime |
Anonymous
| Counting By Sevens, (Holly Goldberg Sloan), is good for middle grades. For something a little more intense and mature, I might recommend Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig, though many readers (including me) had difficulty with the way the special ed. and social services are portrayed. The depiction of Ginny is pretty accurate on many counts. |
Anonymous
Was your difficulty because it was a negative portrayal or another reason? |
Anonymous
| No—just didn’t feel it was quite realistic... |