Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
  Ian's Walk: A Review November 2, 2008
This is a story of a day in the life with autism as seen through the eyes of a neurotypical sibling.
Being a mother to only one child (who also has autism), I was initially taken aback by Julie's reaction when her little brother, Ian, wanted to go with her and their older sister, Tara, to the park.
The story starts out,
""It's the perfect day to go to the park and feed the ducks with my big sister, Tara. Except my brother wants to come along too.
"Aw, Ian, why don't you stay here?" I say. Ian doesn't answer me though, because he has autism. But he raps his finders hard against the screen and begins to whine.""
It's no secret that autism has made me a bit sensitive. Sometimes, too sensitive.
I have siblings. One sister and brother; both older. I remember what it was like being the baby of that clan. There were many a time when my sister and I didn't want to be "bothered" with my brother, and he was neurotypical. There was also many a time when no one wanted to be "bothered" with the other.
Sibling rivalry is normal, and getting on each other's nerves is what makes for some interesting memories.
But there is something that sets Julie and Tara a part from other siblings... they have the additional challenge of living with autism.
The story, as seen through Julie's eyes, takes you through various scenarios where Ian's actions cause her discomfort. However, it is only when Ian wanders off that Julie's negative feelings about autism change.
Although, the book speaks of the differences between Ian and his siblings, it would have been nice for the author to mention any similarities between them.
All in all, I 'would' recommend this book to anyone looking to better understand some of the behaviors of autism.
It makes for a nice introduction.
 My Own Ian's Walk July 24, 2008
Right from the beginning of this review, I will disclose some bias towards this book. My youngest son (of three) is five and has been diagnosed with severe autism. His name is Ian and he has many of the behaviors shown in this book. Ian's brothers (including his neuro-typical twin) sometimes have a difficult time understanding why Ian does some of the things that he does. It is especially hard for Ian's twin to comprehend why Ian continues to have potty accidents, doesn't speak, and "stims." This book has helped my other sons see that Ian is the way he is because he has autism, and that it is okay.
Ian will be attending an inclusive kindergarten this year for 3/4 of his day. I plan on sending this book, along with a few others, for his teacher to read to the class. I am hoping that it will help enlighten Ian's classmates about children with autism. I am optimistic that if his classmates better understand autism, they will not tease Ian because he may behave differently during class.
On a personal note, I cried throughout the story because the story Ian is so much like my own Ian. I had to read it to myself a few times before I could read it aloud to my sons without tearing up. My other family members that have read it also enjoyed it, many with tears.
My opinion is that this book shows the behaviors of many children with autism, especially children with severe autism. It presents the information in a clear, matter of fact fashion without technical jargon that most children would not be able to understand. Obviously, the book is not going to be a representation of all children with autism because each child is unique. However, it does give an excellent view of children who have sensory issues and how they deal with the environment around them. It also shows that if we are willing to look at the world in a different way, that maybe we can all understand the world of autism just a little bit better.
Autism Teacher July 12, 2008
As a Teacher of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the moderate to severe range, I found this book to be wonderful. It is a simple explanation I can present to neuro-typical kids regarding why my students sometimes perform behaviors that neuro-typical people consider bizarre.
A Book to Help Siblings of Autistic Children June 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My 8-year-old daugther, Ella, sometimes has a hard time dealing with her 6-year-old autistic brother, Luke, and she seems to relate to the sister in this book. Most recently, she had to present a topic in her class and she picked autism.
She first read this book to the whole class, then she did a question and answer session and last she showed a video of one of Luke's ABA tutors teaching Luke how to tell jokes (someting that usually comes so naturally to the rest of us). I came to class to observe her and I was so proud of her for doing such a fabulous job on her topic. She is a natural speaker and incredibly knowledgeable on the topic of autism.
One parent whose son is in the same class (whose sister is also autistic) was interested in learning more about this book. It's a great book for teachers to read to their classes to help people to understand autism and what goes on in a day in the life of a family with a child of autism.
ian's walk November 22, 2007
This is a wonderful story explaining sibling love. I think that all parents with multiple children should get this book to read to their kids.
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