This Is Asperger Syndrome :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Helps People to "Get it"

2007-01-10
This is the first book on my "So You'd Like to..." list, which is book suggestions for parents seeking to introduce their child to his or her own Autism/Asperger Syndrome. Although the publisher says ages 9-12, I'd recommend this book for younger children, 6-8, possibly even including kids younger than that. That said, I did however buy this for my own mother back when my son was originally diagnosed at age 5, and she, in turn, bought several copies for the more-resistant relatives who needed a bit of education (the "He's just being BAD on purpose to get attention"-types).

Easy-to-read, almost like a colouring book, and covers many aspects of the Autistic Spectrum in simple language and pictures. Some people feel it covers too much of the negative aspects, but I feel these are the things that people need to understand and accept the most.

At the time of my son's initial diagnosis, I also bought several copies for the preschool, which the staff found useful for themselves and for teaching moments with other kids.

Great book for discussion purposes

2006-07-06
My 8 year old daughter was just recently diagnosed with AS and so I began a search for a variety of books to read myself and read along with my daughter. I chose this one, hoping it would give her something she could relate to. Reading along with her, it served to be a great tool for discussion. In addition, I plan on bringing it with me to the school as well.

Good starting point

2006-03-18
This book is a good place to start. It has very remedial information on how Asperger's Syndrome (AS) appears to others. In this way it can be informative to those who don't have AS (why is he doing that?) as well as to those who have AS (how am I different?). The book is very short and only seeks to explain the perceptions and actions of a person with AS. It does a very good job of not condemning the behavior, merely pointing out that it is sometimes outside of the norm.

Excellent Resource

2006-03-03
This book is an excellent resource for teachers who have students with different learning capabilities in their classrooms. It helps explain to other children that people are different, and see the world through different lenses. "This is Asperger's Syndrome" tells a child's life situation, from his eyes. I have used it in my classroom to help my students understand what it is like to be different.

This book is a GREAT way to explain Asperger Syndrome

2005-08-23
This book explains Asperger Syndrome is a very simple way for adults and children. I have a 5 year old son with Asperger and I showed this book to his grandparents, my friends and his after-school care takers. After they read it, they finaly understood all the information that I had tried to explain to them before. Plus there were some things in there that I didn't realise were related to Asperger so it was a learning experience for me as well. Not all of the symptoms will fit to your child and you'll find yourself saying, "Does that" & "Nope, doesn't do that", etc. This really is a great way to explain Asperger to others and it's a very fast read.

True to life

2004-05-29
I am the mother of three children with Asperger's Syndrome. I'm offended by the review that suggests we should just "celebrate" the special gifts of people with Asperger's and that this is a negative book. My entire life is consumed with Asperger's and I manage to maintain my sense of humor most of the time. But I'm sick of constantly being expected to put on a happy face and pretend that all is rosy for me or my children. The reality of AS is not always pretty! If I had a nickel for every public place my kids have meltdowns I'd be rich. We try to avoid having public meltdowns and I am compassionate toward them because they usually just can't help it (sensory overload), but it isn't necessarily a bad thing for people to see. People need to know that disabilities are hard to live with, they need to learn to be compassionate too. People need to understand that things they find easy are very very hard for children like mine. I applaud these authors for not putting a sunny fake mask on Aspeger's Syndrome!

Kristi Sakai, author of
Finding Our Way: Practical Solutions for Creating a Supportive Home and Community for the Asperger Syndrome Family

A Good Explanation

2003-06-06
This is a book I wish had existed a generation ago. It is written in a clear and direct fashion. For many people with Asperger's, having instructions and/or information broken down into manageable portions is a very effective approach.

I like the way this book explains behaviors that are common among many people with Asperger's. Since this is a neurological spectrum condition that is on the autism spectrum, many of the challenges people with Asperger's face are sensory ones. People with Asperger's often have heightened sensory modes and have extreme reactions to stimuli, e.g. strong adverse responses to loud noises. Meltdowns are gently explained; sometimes they are the result of sensory overload. Sensory overload makes me think of the 1967 George Harrison classic "It's All Too Much" which explains sensory overload so well, "it's all too much for me to see...it's all too much for me to take." I also like the way coping mechanisms are described in this book.

Another challenge many people on the spectrum face is difficulty in the subtle nuances of communciation, e.g. facial expressions and use of certain idiomatic expressions. Many people on the spectrum see issues as "black or white" with no gradations in between. Sadly, comments perceived as "blunt, rude or hostile" by others are often faux pas on the part of the person with Asperger's and if the objection to the comments in question are explained, persons on the spectrum become cognitively aware of what constitutes social savvy. The 1966 George Harrison classic "I Want to Tell You" is a good description of the communication challenges many people on the spectrum face: "but if I seem to act unkind, it's only me, it's not my mind. That is confusing things." So often misinterpretations are the result of verbal meanings being misconstrued.

Since Asperger's IS a spectrum condition, it varies from individual to individual. It can range from severe and closer to the Autism end of the spectrum to mild and barely discernible to most people.

Must have book for families, teachers, and friends. 2002-01-06
My 7 year old son is in class with a child with Asperger's Syndrome. I needed something to explain what Asperger's is and how it impacts the actions and responses of this child. THIS WAS THE PERFECT BOOK. It is short, easy to read (my son could actually read it himself) and it explains several of the difficulties that many Asperger's children experience. Best of all, it is from the perspective of the child that has Asperger's. Not only did my son (and I) learn a great deal about Asperger's, we also learned how about how a child with Asperger's might feel about being different from other children. This really helped my son to understand and react appropriately to the child in his class. I am donating the book to his classroom in hopes that others can also use this great resource.

The unique persepctive of a boy with Aspergers Syndrome 2001-07-07
I liked this book.

Each page contains a picture accompanied by a vignette describing a particular problem or perception experienced by the protagonist. The examples are clear and concrete. The drawings are clear, but perhaps a little too cartoonish. This story could help students in a classroom understand the behavior of a classmate with these characteristics. Instead of labeling behaviors as "obnixious" the other students might be stimulated to see the world from the perspective of the child with Aspergers.

This book is not meant to be a comprehensive text, but it describes the reactions and feelings of a particular individual. Because people with Aspergers are each so unique, it might not fit the exact behaviors of each person. Still, it is a good book because it gets you thinking from a another perspective--and that is what Aspergers is about.

A Negative Look at AS 2001-02-20
I am thankful NOT to own this book. I found it during a library search and find it's message extremely negative. The book systematically points out some of the most difficult problems of AS - disorientation, obsession, miscommunication - as if all person with AS experience all these problems. Most AS individuals are uniquely challenged, having shades of these, as well as other issues. The most disappointing aspect to this book is that it doesn't celebrate the gifts AS children may have - expanded vocabularies, intelligence, honesty, a fascination for stories and books, advanced computer skills, and often, artistry. The book, "Asperger's, Huh?", is a much better choice.