As an elder sibling to a non-verbal child with Autism, I frequently encounter situations where tiny tots approach my sister and drill her with questions. “Why do you never talk?”, “Why are you so cranky/happy/mean?”, and “Why do you not listen very well?” are among the most popular inquires. When I attempt to explain the common disability and how it affects McKenzie, I am often met with blank stares. Youngsters will turn to their parents, but they appear to be as confused as their three-year-old child. Thus, I strive to find a simplified explanation of Autism, something I have worked at for a decade.
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Last spring, I was introduced to a solution to my predicament: Since We’re Friends: An Autism Picture Book written by Celeste Shally and illustrated by David Harrington. The story is told through the eyes of an unnamed grade-school boy, who is thrilled that summer vacation has finally arrived. He is especially excited to spend time with his neighbor and good friend, Matt. The narrator reveals that Matt is Autistic and explains how the disability causes his friend’s brain to function differently than other children’s. Regardless, the narrator stresses that he and Matt enjoy each other’s company.
Throughout the summer, the narrator and Matt go to the playground and ride the swings, read stories about animals, walk around their neighborhood, swim at the local pool, and play multiple sports—particularly basketball on the Cougars team. Each day is an exciting adventure for the both of them. On occasion, Matt encounters obstacles that temporarily ruin his day, such as not comprehending directions, experiencing changes to his routine, or being excluded by his peers. The narrator never fails to correct or improve upon the situations, however. For example: one summer night, all of the children in their neighborhood gather in the street to play freeze tag. Due to Matt’s differences, most of the children do not want to play with him and exclude him from the game. “I don’t want him to feel left out,” the narrator states, “so I ask Matt if he wants to play tag with me and my friends.” Since they are friends, the narrator is able to embrace Matt’s disability and love him whole-heartedly.
Not only does Since We’re Friends: An Autism Picture Book simplify characteristics of children with Autism, it promotes the positive message that all children deserve to have a friend. It is child-friendly, yet thought-provoking for young and mature minds alike. Each April (Autism Awareness Month), I plan to read the story and others like it to my future students and educate them on the disability. If the school I work for will allow it, I would like to invite the students’ parents to join my class for this lesson. My students and their parents will then partake in an activity that promotes the story’s valuable moral. I must complete several more years of school, before I can have a classroom of my own and make my dream a reality…unfortunately. For the time being, I will pull ideas from the story to answer the never-ending, complicated questions about my sister. I hope I can create a greater awareness of Autism in my community, in turn.
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