A Is for Autism, F Is for Friend

This book is a nice tool for educators and/or parents to use when helping typical classmates understand what it means to be autistic. Unfortunately, the character telling the story doesn't seem to sound particularly childlike or autistic, which makes the presentation a bit confusing.

A Is for Autism, F Is for Friend was written by Joanna L. Keating-Velasco, an instructional aide who has worked with teens and adults on the autism spectrum. Its purpose is summed up in its subtitle: "A Kid's Book on Making Friends with a Child Who Has Autism."

Keating-Velasco has done a nice job of presenting some of the key challenges of autism (sensory issues, language problems, social difficulties, etc.) in a tone and style that are (mostly) accessible for children ages 8-12. She has also created some engaging activity ideas for getting typical youngsters to "try out" being autistic and think creatively about how to approach a classmate on the autism spectrum.

To present her content, the author has created an 11-year-old girl with "severe" autism. The idea is interesting, but not particularly well-executed. The character just doesn't present herself as autistic; in fact, she doesn't always present herself as a child. It seems unlikely that a child with severe autism (or really any child at all) could or would make such statements as "Friendship consists of loyalty, honesty and forgiveness."

Another possible pitfall: the book suggests that children with autism are ready and waiting to become your friend. The truth is that many children with autism are not particularly eager to relate to their peers - and may even prefer solitude. This could be tough for a typical peer, who could easily be rejected for his kind attempts at friendship.

This book is a great starting place for a program on autism awareness. But it's only a start. To take awareness to the next step, teachers and parents will need to involve individual children with autism, present details about those children's specific challenges and abilities, and build opportunities for engagement into the daily life of the class.