Customer Reviews
Essential first read for parents of a child with ASD - By: Mrs B., 19 Aug 2008 
A very easy & somewhat comforting read for parents stillin the early stages of finding out they have a child with autism. Very positive & full of helpful insights & tips. A little sentimental at times but doesn't distract from author's overall message of how best to help your child reach their full potential. Vital reading! I will be passing on to family members & close friends.
Absolutely Brilliant! - By: N. E. Maybury, 25 Feb 2008 I bought this book to learn more about Autism as my son was recently diagnosed as being on the spectrum. This is a fantastic book & clearly explains how & why the child reactsin certain ways & situations. I'd recommend it to anyone dealing with a child with Autism; parents, carers, teaching assistants etc to give a brilliant insight into the child's mind. It's been such an insightful book that I've now bought 2 extra copies to loan to people who are working with my son. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Ten Reasons to Buy This Book - By: BeatleBangs1964, 11 Feb 2008 This stellar book provides a logical list of ten basic precepts that every person, child or adult with autism would like for the neurotypical (NT) world to know.
People, childrenin particular are people first, not "autistic child, autistic person." Autism is a shorthand label for specific behaviors that are rootedin neurobiology. In short, autism is a sensori-neurobiological condition.
The main theme & the common thread that links the ten items on this "wish list" of sorts is extending basic human courtesy to people with autism. Readers will be provided waysin order to help honor the rights, dignity & best interests of people with autism. Parents & educatorsin particular will take this book to heart.
This author translates seemingly bizarre behavior to the neurotypical world. All behavior has a sensory base. Many people with autism have hyperacute hearing. Show me someone with autism who doesn't hate loud noises & I'll show you a singing Boston bulldog who can tap dance as well. All sensory modes are heightenedin people who have autism. Smells are stronger; certain materials are unbearable to the touch &in some cases painful; tastes are very strong; the sight of certain things can elicit strong reactions that are either very positive or very negative. I knew people with autism who hated blinking lights & retreat or cover their eyes whenin the presence of a light that blinked on & off.
Beatle fans with autism are a very interesting group indeed. The mere sight of a Beatle picture brings strong positive reactions; the Beatles' music triggers a series of highly positive responses as well.
This brilliant book demystifies meltdowns & identifies triggers. In cowboy parlance, this book will help you head them off at the pass. If you can't, you learn when to get out of Dodge fast. As difficult as the process is, it is always worth it & for childrenin particular, meltdowns are the result of being pushed past a certain point. It's like the 1968 George Harrison classic, "It's All Too Much." That song describes the Overload Experience quite well. "It's all too much for me to see..it's all too much for me to take..."
Some excellent prompts, cues & guides are provided to help children navigate throughout their day. Show me a person with autism who DOESN'T hate surprises/having things sprung on them & I'll show you that same singing Boston bulldog. Echoes of Carol Gray can be heard here; she is famous for her social stories & having children draw social comics to help script & anticipate certain social interactions. This gifted author helps people to see autismin a more accepting light by explaining the behaviors; providing tools of empowerment & keeping the tone of acceptance throughout the book.
This wonderful book makes me think of the 1978 Billy Joel song, "Just the Way You Are." I like the way she says that is an important message to convey to children on the spectrum - we like & love them just the way they are & the goal is to help them have happy, full productive lives & good social interactions & develop confidence.
This book is a giant step towards accomplishing all that & then some.
Fantastic ASD - By: R. Mcdougall, 10 Dec 2007 
i have to comment on this very informative book. i myself have asperger syndrome & my brother has autism. this book is very good if you want to gain knowledge of the condition. it is good for parents & offers strategies to help. very enjoyable to read & it has opened my eyes.
A fantastic read!! - By: A. D. Bell, 09 Nov 2007 I was optimistic about reading this book. Things seem to be a whole lot worse after you have read about your childs problems, but not with this book, it's really, really good. Informative, truthful, easy to read & understand. This book has helped me understand my little girls world a bit better & to me that is an achievement for her & for me!! This gave me a much clearer picture of how she interprets things & how bad things can get for her(smells, sounds, lighting etc).If you need to know more about AS then, please read this book.
