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The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.
-Abraham Lincoln
You cannot open a book without learning something.
-Confucius
Thanks to increased awareness and technology, there's no shortage of autism books.
What we (parents, professionals, friends) are short on is Time! Who has the time to weed through the long list of autism spectrum books to find great reads to help us with our most pressing challenges?
I put this autism spectrum books list together to save you time and effort.
This particular list pertains to Love and Marriage: And Kids.
Top Autism Spectrum Books: Love, Serious Relationships, and Marriage
Aspergers and Marriage: The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband
David Finch, after five years of marriage, discovered that he had Aspergers syndrome. To his credit, he decided to work on his part in the marriage. His book describes his quest to come to grips with apparent inflexibility, quirks, compulsions, meltdowns, and difficulties in social situations.
David writes a humorous account of his personal growth journey. This journey includes excessive note-taking, performance reviews, and the Journal of Best Practices: a collection of hundreds of 'reminders to self' that come out of his self-reflection.
They include "Don't change the radio station when she's singing along," "Apologies do not count when you shout them," and "Be her friend, first and always."
Alone Together: Making an Asperger Marriage Work
Karin Bentley is an NT (neurotypical) who's been married to a husband with Aspergers for 18 years.
There may be thousands of Aspies and NT's alike who do not know that one of the partners has Aspergers.
Karin outlines answers to questions such as:
- What behaviors indicate that my spouse has Aspergers syndrome?
- It is worth it to get a diagnosis?
- Is there hope for improvement?
When Karin and her husband learned about his diagnosis, they were able to make their marriage better.
They learned to accept each other's different approaches to life and found ways to overcome problems and misunderstanding.
According to one review,
"Alone Together" shares the struggle of one couple to rescue their marriage. It is uplifting and humorous, and includes plenty of tips to making an Asperger marriage succeed. This book offers couples hope, encouragement and strategies for their own marriages.
The Other Half of Asperger Syndrome: A guide to an Intimate Relationship with a Partner who has Asperger Syndrome
Maxine Ashton, the author, compiled this book based on her counseling experience as well as her own personal relationships.
She addresses the practical, every day topics such as living and coping with Aspergers Syndrome; anger and Aspergers Sydnrome, getting the message across (communication), sex and Aspergers Syndrome, parenting, staying together, and Aspergers Syndrome cannot be blamed for everything.
Top Autism Spectrum Books: Children on the Autism Spectrum
When My Worries Get Too Big! A Relaxation Book for Children Who Live with Anxiety
Children with Aspergers often live with ongoing stress and anxiety. Their sensory challenges; problems understanding the social world; and adherence to routines in a world that often does not respect those routines can all contribute to high stress levels.
This book outlines lots of opportunities for children to learn to develop their own self-calming strategies.
Here's a description of the author:
Kari Dunn Buron is an autism educational specialist who has worked with children and young adults on the autism spectrum for more than 25 years. Kari was one of the founding members of the Minnesota Autism Project and developed the ASD certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kari currently teaches in the Hamline program and coordinates a summer camp for teens with Asperger Syndrome.
You are a Social Detective: Explaining Social Thinking to KidsYou are a Social Detective: Explaining Social Thinking to Kids
Michelle Garcia Winner, pioneer of social thinking, is one of my favorite authors in the field of helping strategies for individuals on the autism spectrum.She studied cognitive rehabilitation theory while in grad school as a speech pathologist. She's worked for years with kids, teens, and adults who struggle with social understanding.
In this comic book for children, she helps K-5 students illustrates engaging ways to introduce the concept of social thinking.
Here's a snippet from one review
"Every one of us is a Social Detective. We are good Social Detectives when we use our eyes, ears, and brains to figure out what others are planning to do next or are presently doing and what they mean by their words and deeds.
This entertaining comic book offers different ways that can be reviewed repeatedly with students to teach them how to develop their own social detective skills.
Enjoy watching your students and kids blossom day-by-day into successful Social Detectives!"
Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School
The author, Martin L. Kutscher, M.D., is board certified in Pediatrics and in Neurology, with Special Competency in Child Neurology. Kutscher is a graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is an expert on Attention Deficit Disorders.
His co-author, Marcella Moran, is an organization coach expert.
Together, they explain how different kids organize (yes, there are different styles!); step-by-step instructions for parents to help their children; and more!
Here are some of the topics covered:Refining morning and nighttime routines
- Getting the correct work home
- Planning the work, and getting it back to where it belongs
- Tips for reading and note taking
- Study and test taking skills
- Learning how to ask the right questions
In Conclusion
"Wear the old coat and buy the new book."
- Austin Phelps
I first encourage you to see if your library carries these books. Or you can order them on interlibrary loan.
If, after reading the book, you feel it's a must have for your personal autism spectrum library: purchase it for yourself :)
What are some of your top autism spectrum books for marriage, relationships, and children?
photo credit: goXunuReviews
