The Bottom Line
Pros
- Beautifully produced picture book
- Lovely illustrations
- Evocative concept for kids
- Positive portrayal of autism
Cons
- No explanation of what "autism" or "autistic" mean
- Creates stereotyped image of an autistic child
- Suggests that autism simply means "imaginative"
Description
- Picture book by Jennifer Elder
- Illustrations by Jennifer Elder and Marc Thomas
- Evokes a perfect world for an autistic child
- Presume prior knowledge of autism
Guide Review - Book Review: Autistic Planet by Jennifer Elder
It's always nice to see a beautifully produced picture book about autism, and Jessica Kingsley Publishers has done a terrific job with Autistic Planet. The full-color illustrations by Marc Thomas and Jennifer Elder really are wonderful.The book is based on the story of a little girl with autism who is describing her perfect world to a friend. On the "autistic planet," everyone plays chess, everything runs on time, and everyone echoes one another. And at the end of every day, "we flap our wings and fly away."
Parents (and presumably classmates) will see a little bit of the autistic child in their lives in one or more of Elder's descriptions. But the reality is that the "autistic planet" described in the book is not a useful description of autism. It's a flight of fancy.
Who might need or use a simple picture book about autism that doesn't really describe or discuss the disorder?
Having spent a bit of time developing teaching materials, I was stumped. It certainly wouldn't be useful in helping to accommodate a real child with autism in an inclusive classroom. It might be helpful in a sibling group as a jumping off point for conversation. It could be a useful tool in a group of very high-functioning children with Asperger syndrome.
In short, this is a lovely book -- but unless you are a therapist working with children on the autism spectrum, it's unclear why you would choose to add it to your library.
