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The paradox of autism – which hits home the second a diagnosis lands in your family – is that there is SO MUCH information to get lost in AND SO LITTLE of it seems to be concrete, reliable, and realistic. This is why you need an autism reading list.
Why you need an Autism Reading List
While the internet is full of great tips and tricks, it can be helpful to ground yourself in something more substantial. Here are fifteen non-fiction titles that should be at the top of your autism reading list. The first person accounts, in particular, make great gifts, especially for parents of non-verbal children. Each one is like a small window into a world that is right under your nose, yet often impenetrable.
The Basics:
The first five titles on your autism reading list are the basics, designed to help get your feet on the ground, and your mind out of the internet rabbit-hole.
Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Every Parent Needs to Know
by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Alan I. Rosenblatt, MD, FAAP, & Paul S. Carbone, MD, FAAP
A great starting point, accessibly written by two knowledgeable medical professionals. A raft to hold onto when the storm first comes in, this is a great foundational book for parents and caregivers.
Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, 3rd Edition: Revised and Updated
by Ellen Notbohm, edited by Veronica Zysk
Simple and straightforward, this is just the type of book you need when you are topsy-turvy with the news of a new diagnosis. Written in an accessible format, from a child’s perspective, this book is grounding, when it seems everything else is moving.
Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism: Everything You Need to Know from Autistics, Parents, and Professionals
edited by Jennifer Byde Myers, Liz Ditz, Emily Willingham
A compilation of thoughts and ideas from a variety of contributors, including many autism moms. Join the community at http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/.
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk
Hands-on, specific practical tips for managing autism in your home. You will particularly find this book helpful if your child is more verbal. With everyone home so much in these crazy times, the more ideas the better!
The Autism Mom’s Survival Guide (for Dads, too!): Creating a Balanced and Happy Life While Raising a Child with Autism
by Susan Senator
The basics from Susan Senator who uses her experience raising her own now-adult child with autism to voice helpful, practical tips for all kinds of autism families. An excellent, well-appreciated gift for new autism moms.
Next Steps, from Autism Parents:
These books on your autism reading list are from fellow autism parents – your fellow travelers in this journey for which none of us made reservations.
Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism
by Ron Suskind
Ron Suskind is an excellent writer, across topics. His voice is no less clear and articulate when brought to the subject of his own son, an individual profoundly affected by autism. Through amazing creativity and dedication, Ron and his family use the magic of Disney movies – and their dialogues – to connect with their son. An amazing story of bringing words and meaning into their lives.
To Siri with Love: A Mother, Her Autistic Son, and the Kindness of Machines
by Judith Newman
After the diagnosis sinks in, you eventually arrive at a point where you can’t take yourself- or anything else- too seriously. Judith Newman weaves autism insights with often hilarious personal stories in this ode to autistic individuals – and the machines that grace all of our lives.
Making Peace with Autism: One Family’s Story of Struggle, Discovery, and Unexpected Gifts
by Susan Senator
The second book by the author of the Autism Mom’s Survival Guide, Susan Senator and her family grow into the diagnosis. The perspective is essential in one of the quintessential “marathons” of the healthcare world. You can’t out-run autism; it’s time to embrace it, and all of it’s awkward, slippery, amazingness.
Autism Adulthood: Insights and Creative Strategies for a Fulfilling Life—Second Edition
by Susan Senator
The third book by Susan Senator addresses topics that may initially feel “down the road” such as housing and employment, but rapidly sneak up on autism families of all shapes and sizes. For those who receive diagnoses as older children or teens, then all the more reason to think about adulthood sooner, rather than later.
The Piece of Mind Retreat: Autism Resources to Move Beyond the Diagnosis
by Lara Sandora
After nearly a decade of managing autism in my own family, plus years of experience supporting high school students and autism parents, I wanted to share what I could about how to to get your head above water, and maybe even enjoy yourself a little bit.
First Person Narratives, from Autistic Individuals:
First-person accounts are irreplaceable on your autism reading list. Especially if you are parenting a non-verbal child, it can be incredibly enlightening to read first-person accounts of growing up autistic. A few of these are by individuals who remained non-verbal into adulthood – their stories hold invaluable insight and incomparable hope.
Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism
by Temple Grandin, foreword by Oliver W. Sacks
This seminal piece by Temple Grandin provides insight into her life, her work, and the “country of autism.” Straightforward and direct, just like Ms. Grandin herself, the book provides a window into a world that is complex and multi-dimensional. She is an excellent tour guide.
Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism
by Arthur Fleischmann and Carly Fleischmann
A story that highlights a profound transformation in Carly’s life. She is truly locked in her own world, one that is riddled with sleepless nights, extreme behaviors and little traditional communication. With the help of her family and her team, she perseveres and emerges as a woman who is able to speak up, in her own way, to control her destiny.
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
by Naoki Higashida, translated by KA Yoshida and David Mitchell
Transport yourself into the world of non-verbal autistic 13-year-old boy. The micro-chapters include fascinating insights into the sensory and other aspects of autism. A pivotal book for us in further increasing our empathy for our non-verbal son.
Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8: A Young Man’s Voice from the Silence of Autism
by Naoki Higashida, translated by KA Yoshida and David Mitchell
Naoki is in his mid-twenties when he returns to share his perspective as a young, autistic man. His short, revelational chapters provide powerful insight into what may seem mundane to others, but are pivotal to his autistic brain. He also aims to share his perspective to help others view the autistic community more positively.
Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic: A Comedian’s Guide to Life on the Spectrum
by Michael McCreary
A breath of fresh air, this book helps remind us all how important it is to keep things in perspective and to laugh a little – or a lot. Written by an autistic comedian, it is both relatable and hilarious.
Bonus: An Overview
In a Different Key: The Story of Autism
by John Donvan, Caren Zucker
Best read after you have had time to digest these other resources, this is a comprehensive, thoughtful overview that includes the history, politics, celebrity and challenges of the world of autism.
Related Posts:
12 Must-Read Books for Parents and Educators
Autism Mom Gift Guide: 4 Ways to Give Your Best
