Mi hermanito es autista. (My Little Brother Is Autistic)
Reviewed by Ann Welton, Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, Tacoma, WA -- Críticas, 3/1/2008
Manrique-Whitlock, Eileen.
illus. by Mrinali Alvarez Astacio. Puerto Rico: La Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico (Igualitos). 2008. 23p. ISBN 978-0-8477-1579-4. $11.95.
K-Gr 2-Based on the author’s own experience, this simple, directly phrased book provides a good, basic introduction to the subject. The young narrator, a little girl whose brother is autistic, presents the story using a gently rhyming text. She points out some of the more obvious hallmarks of autism: inability to communicate, dependence on a routine, intense focus on sometimes small things, agitation, and sensitivity to loud or sudden noises. The girl and her mother follow the therapist’s suggestions, and, toward the end, the boy begins to talk. The bright and attractive cut-paper illustrations will certainly draw children in, and the exuberant and charming protagonist proves an excellent advocate for her little brother. From a series designed to promote understanding of those viewed as different, this title will serve well as a discussion starter in classrooms and homes.
View All Blogs
