Preface. Part 1. For Younger Children and Parents. 1. Christopher Castaldi-Moller and Joshua Vazquez, Age 10. 2. Carley Belknap, Age 9. 3. Cassidy Parker Knight, Age 13. 4. Maya Cassandra King, Age 10. 5. Chandra Kelley-Robinson, Age 11. 6. Alyssa Chmura, Age 19. 7. Cami Poole, Age 10 11/12. 8. Ben Jepson, Age 13. 9. Chelsea Lang, Age 17. 10. Micah Quindazzi, Age 14. 11. Anonymous, Age 34. 12. Adam Barrett, Age 27. 13. Missy Olive, Age 41. Part 2. For Teenagers and Parents. 14. Susannah Chandler, Age 22. 15. Rebecca Sicile-Kira, Age 17. 16. Jenna Cohen, Age 24. 17. Lisa Cohen, Age 21. 18. Hannah Burke, Age 15. 19. Christine Hurd, Age 18
Siblings of children with Autism share the good, the bad and the annoying!
Jane Johnson is the Managing Director of the Autism Research
Institute, the co-author of Dr. Bryan Jepson's Changing the Course
of Autism; A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians, and
the co-editor, with Anne Van Rensselaer, of Families of Adults With
Autism; Stories and Advice for the Next Generation. She lives in
New York City with her husband and three children.
Anne Van Rensselaer has worked as a freelance editor, and as a book
packager with Jane Lahr Enterprises in New York. Her true calling
in life was to be the grandmother of three.
Siblings: The Autism Spectrum Through Our Eyes... is a good read
for parents and young adult siblings of children with autism. It
offers wisdom of those who have gone before to those now dealing
with the issues of having a sibling with autism. It is a concise,
94-page book that will help readers truly understand and appreciate
those on the spectrum and how their brothers and sisters perceive
their both positive and not-so-positive experiences of having a
sibling on the autism spectrum.
*Journal of autism and Developmental Disorders*
Most of the reports are upbeat and hopeful. They include lists of
do's and don'ts or pros and cons, poems and lessons learned. Young
people and parents growing up in a family where there is a child
with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will gaining comfort,
reassurance and knowledge from these stories... young people will
enjoy the short, readable chapters. As one of the contributors,
Alyssa says, "The most important job in life is not whatever career
you pursue, but to be the best sibling you can be." This book will
certainly help readers achieve this goal.
*Youth in Mind*
I felt emotional through much of this book, in a bitter-sweet way
because it exemplifies all that is wonderful about family... The
message that having autism in the family brings out the best in
each of us, permeates all the accounts and one senses it is genuine
and not just a platitude. As the mother of someone on the spectrum
I'd have to concur with each and every one of them. How proud all
the parents must be of these children!
*AS Teens*
For the first time, the 'neurotypical' siblings get to have their
say...This book is essential reading for children and teenagers
with a sibling on the autistic spectrum, and for parents wishing to
understand how autism in the family will affect their neurotypical
child... 'Sibling - The Autism Spectrum Through Our Eyes' Edited by
Jane Johnson and Anne Van Rensselaer is an anthology of what it is
really like to be a brother or a sister to someone on the spectrum.
The book is divided into 2 sections containing a total of 19
chapters. Each contributor has sufficient space to recall their
experiences and to write about what they consider important. Too
many books contain just snippets of opinions which the authors use
to champion their own voice and because their statements are kept
in context there is less likely to be any misrepresentations of
their views...Although the book is written principally for
siblings, it is actually also very relevant to parents who feel as
if they are desperately failing their other children. The book will
more than likely to reassure them. The stories in this book very
much corroborate the impressions I have formed about the
difficulties and benefits of being a sibling to someone on the
spectrum... This account is perhaps more honest and realistic in
that it acknowledges the frustrations, embarrassment, a sense of
being hard done by without having to counter such comments with an
immediate positive. The contributor also mentions the times when
their sibling was teased or tormented and they failed to act
through fear of themselves becoming victims. I felt that these
normal human failings were as essential as the positive
presentations. Children need to understand that they will sometimes
behave in a way that makes them feel guilty or ashamed. However,
once again, the most upsetting thing mentioned was when the
contributor's brother was teased and misunderstood... I felt
emotional through much of this book, in a bitter-sweet way because
it exemplifies all that is wonderful about family. It is about the
paramount gift we all have when we share our lives with someone of
difference and are forced to learn to accept and love each other,
just because we are family, and we have no choice and THAT
ultimately is a tremendous gift. The message that having autism in
the family brings out the best in each of us, permeates all the
accounts and one senses it is genuine and not just a platitude. As
the mother of someone on the spectrum I'd have to concur with each
and every one of them. How proud all the parents must be of these
children (including the grown up ones!)
*bfkbooks.com*
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