Since We're Friends: An Autism Picture Book

by Celeste Shally, David Harrington (Illustrator), Alison Singer (Foreword by)

Overview

Ideal for fans of My Brother Charlie, All My Stripes, and I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism. A delightful autism storybook

Matt’s autism doesn’t keep him from having fun! Even when he struggles in social situations, his friend is there to help him out. The two boys love playing sports watching movies, reading books, and talking about animals. By working together, a best friend’s understanding and compassion change Matt’s frustration into excitement.

No matter where they go—from the basketball court to the playground swings to the neighborhood pool—the two friends enjoy spending time with each other.

David Harrington’s bright illustrations delightfully compliment Celeste Shally’s sweet and touching story of friendship. This book is the perfect guide for parents and children to better understand people with autism spectrum disorders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616086565
Publisher:	Sky Pony
Publication date:	04/10/2012
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	267,549
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

CELESTE SHALLY holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northern Illinois
University. Her oldest son was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at the age of three.
Shally lives with her husband and two sons in
Centerton, Arkansas.

DAVID HARRINGTON is an illustrator of numerous children’s books, including Maccabee!
The Story of Hanukkah. He owns a studio in
Orange County, where he has worked as a freelance illustrator since 1993. He lives in Laguna
Hills, California.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 2- An unnamed child tells about his friendship with Matt, a boy with autism. Matt's condition is addressed directly, but then glossed over, as if his behavior were not really a problem. For example, when talking about playing basketball, the narrator says, "Sometimes Matt has a hard time following directions at practice.... Since we're friends, I show Matt what to do." Children who are autistic don't simply have a hard time following directions; they have difficulty attending to what is going on around them. They often have trouble with any organized sports, and while it is thoughtful for a child to volunteer to show Matt what to do, it is unrealistic to expect that he will respond to this "extra" help so easily. Both boys are drawn as cartoon characters; one is white and one is black. They are generally smiling, although Matt's expressions change with his mood. The message in this book is not to be ignored; it is important for normally functioning children to befriend those with disabilities. But, it is unreasonable and a little disingenuous to suggest that a classmate can ensure that a child with autism will play well with others and be accepted by the group. Accomplishing this is beyond what most professionals could attain.-Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD

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