Hey Everyone!Those of you that have read the About Me part of my Google profile will know that I work part time as a Special Education Support Assistant in a primary school. So far this year I have spent a lot of time working one on one to support a 6 year old boy on the autism spectrum in a mainstream public school. Before I began working in schools, I worked as a Disability Support Worker in a respite centre for adults with a disability. Over the past ten years I have met and worked closely with many people on the autism spectrum. I find myself drawn to books that help to raise awareness of autism and demonstrate that autistic people are people first.
Here are My Top Five Favourite Novels about Autism. I have personally read and enjoyed each of these books. These novels are all fiction and each show a different perspective of autism. Just remember that once you have met a person with autism, you've met one person with autism - and once you have read a book about autism, you have read one book about autism.
The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
I loved both these books, but probably The Rosie Project a bit more. They are written by an Australian author and I enjoyed the familiar setting. They are both about a man who is on the highly functioning end of the autism spectrum, written from his point of view. He was never diagnosed, has a successful career but is struggling with interpersonal skills.
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Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
Lisa Genova is one of my favourite authors. She always makes my cry. Love Anthony is about a child with autism, written mostly from the perspective of his mother. I don't want to say anymore to give away the plot.
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Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson
This is a Young Adult novel from the point of view of a girl who is friends with and falls in love with a boy who is on the autism spectrum. It was wonderful to read a book from this perspective. A short and sweet story.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
This is also a Young Adult novel, but told from the perspective of a teenage boy on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. It really takes you inside his head and gives you insight into how he thinks. This book has been adapted to a stage production, and a movie adaptation in in the works.
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Amazon
| Kobo 
| Book Depository
| Kobo | Book Depository“The spectrum is long and wide, and we're all on it. Once you believe this, it becomes easy to see how we're all connected."
p306 Author's notes― Lisa Genova, Love Anthony