How to Talk to an Autistic Kid

Gr 4—8—Stefanski, 14, a high-functioning "autistic kid," shares his insights and experiences. His voice is straightforward and he has a clear message to convey: "We're all human." The author describes characteristics that make autistic kids different, giving neurotypical children a way to understand and appreciate these differences. He also instructs readers about what they can do and say to normalize interactions. While the book is short and written in language that is easy to understand, it does an impressive job of speaking directly and succinctly about the issues and offering solutions. Simple line drawings depict teens, although there are more boys than girls; this is not unrealistic, given that boys are diagnosed on the autism spectrum four times more often than girls. While the wide variety of people represented on the spectrum is not addressed, this book could be used as a read-aloud, with a teacher or therapist working either with a mixed group of children or those on the spectrum, giving them words to use in social and school settings.—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD