My Brother Charlie

by Holly Robinson Peete, Ryan Elizabeth Peete, Shane W. Evans (Illustrator)

Overview

From bestselling author and actress Holly Robinson Peete--a heartwarming story about a boy who happens to be autistic, based on Holly's son, who has autism.

"Charlie has autism. His brain works in a special way. It's harder for him to make friends. Or show his true feelings. Or stay safe." But as his big sister tells us, for everything that Charlie can't do well, there are plenty more things that he's good at. He knows the names of all the American presidents. He knows stuff about airplanes. And he can even play the piano better than anyone he knows.Actress and national autism spokesperson Holly Robinson Peete collaborates with her daughter on this book based on Holly's 10-year-old son, who has autism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545356664
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/26/2016
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,066,398
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

RJ Peete wrote this book with his mother, Holly Robinson Peete, to help share awareness about autism with other children who have been touched by it in some way. RJ and his twin sister, Ryan, travel with their mom, speaking to children, families, and educators about their experiences growing up together. The Peetes live in Beverly Hills, California.

Shane W. Evans is the illustrator of many terrific picture books, including Nobody's Gonna Turn Me Round by Doreen Rappaport, Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe New Talent Award winner The Way a Door Closes by Hope Anita Smith, Take it to the Hoop Magic Johnson by Quincy Troupe, The Shark series by Jean Marzollo, and When Gorilla Goes Walking by Nikki Grimes. His accolades range from being honored by First Lady Laura Bush at the 2002 National Book Festival, to The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction for Children.

A multi-talented artist and designer, Shane W. Evans has also worked as an illustrator, graphic designer and web designer for a diverse group of clients, including Nike, the FDA, the Kansas City Jazz Museum, and the Kansas City International Jazz Festival.

Evans studied at Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts. He graduated in 1993 and began traveling the world. His work is influenced by his travels to Africa, South America, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States.

Firmly believing in education and creative development for all people, Evans has produced a unique presentation designed to share his gift with all ages, cultures, ethnic groups, and backgrounds. His presentations and workshops are specifically tailored to each audience and combine storytelling, art projects, and slide presentations from his own work and world travel.

Shane W. Evans lives in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, please visit shaneevans.com.

Ryan Elizabeth Peete and Rodney Peete, teenage twins, wrote this book with their mother Holly Robinson Peete to help share awareness about autism with other children who have been touched by it in some way. Ryan and Rodney travel with their mom speaking to teens about their experiences growing up together. The Peetes live in Beverly Hills, California.

Read an Excerpt

We’ve always been together—even in mommy’s tummy, my twin brother, Charlie and I.We still share lots of things:Curly hair and brown eyes.How much we love hot chocolate with marshmallows.Rolling in the grass.

Interviews

We offer this book as a gift to families struggling with autism, and to those who have no autism in their immediate families, but who have friends facing autism. My Brother Charlie is a book about how special all children are, and how every one of us can find value in the uniqueness of people. Mainly, this is a book about hope and love.
--Holly Robinson Peete

My goal with this book is to let kids and their parents in on a little secret: kids with autism are valuable human beings with real feelings, even though they can’t always express them. I feel it is up to those of us who don’t have autism to change ourselves so that we can better understand people with autism.
--Ryan Peete

Editorial Reviews

This mother-daughter author team base their thoughtful and moving story on their experiences living with Ryan’s autistic brother, RJ. Callie, a candid narrator whose twin brother is autistic, explains that “Charlie’s brain works in a special way.” She mentions the boy’s strong will (“When Charlie wants something, nothing stops him. Even when it’s dangerous”) and tendency to withdraw into his own world, acknowledging that “there are days when it’s hard to be Charlie’s sister.” Yet she also documents Charlie’s talents and the good times they share. Her often-silent brother has taught Callie important lessons, among them “love doesn’t always come from what you say. It can also come from what you do.” Throughout, Callie demonstrates maturity and loyalty: “We love Charlie strong. We watch over him with the might of angels. We have to.” Equally expressive, Evans’s (When Gorilla Goes Walking) mixed-media art features closeup images of the siblings and their parents and conveys the wide range of emotions all experience. The authors’ postscripts offer background and advice for families dealing with someone with autism. Ages 6–10. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Mother and daughter co-authors write about the experience of having an autistic child in the family. Callie, Charlie's twin sister, talks directly to readers, telling them how she and her brother are alike and about the fundamental differences that led her mother to seek medical advice for Charlie. Callie very plainly talks about the joys and frustrations of having Charlie for a brother and emotionally reveals the many ways Charlie has of showing his family the "I love yous" that his autism tries to lock inside. Most evident is the pride Callie has in Charlie. She clearly sees him as a person, with personality and interests, who is smart and caring. "If you ever get to meet my brother, you'll feel lucky to be his friend." Endnotes from the authors tell more of the Peete family story. Evans's mixed-media artwork employs a lot of texture, adding patterning and interest to the simple, uncluttered design. Full-bleed illustrations and up-close views of the characters make this a great choice for group sharing. A seldom-seen perspective on autism delivered concisely and with empathy. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews