Asperger's Huh? A Child's Perspective [Paperback]

Rosina G. Schnurr (Author), John Strachan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0968447309 | ISBN-13: 978-0968447307 0

A book for children ages 6 - 12 who have Asperger's Disorder.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"An Excellent book for children who have Asperger's Disorder" Review comments of an adult with Asperger's Disorder.

A wonderfully simple and insightful view into the world of a child with Asperger's Disorder.

Parents and children, as well as teachers and other professionals will benefit from the practical and positive approach of this book.

About the Author

Rosina G. Schnurr, Ph.D., F.A.Cl.P. is a clinical psychologist who has worked with children for over twenty years. Her experience as well as her positive and sensitive style reflect her caring concern for these special children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 52 pages
• Publisher: Anisor Publishing (August 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0968447309
• ISBN-13: 978-0968447307
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

488 of 489 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A small book that meets a big need!, January 22, 2000

By 

Carol Annett (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asperger's Huh? A Child's Perspective (Paperback)

Individuals with Asperger's Disorder experience the world differently from most people. They can't comprehend why their behaviour seems odd to others. "Asperger's Huh?" will help them to understand the mystery.

Numerous excellent books about Asperger's have been published within the last five years. Some explain this mild form of autism in clinical terms for professionals and others offer practical tips for parents and teachers.("Asperger's Syndrome, A Guide for Parents and Professionals"' Tony Attwood, 1998; "Asperger Syndrome, A Practical Guide for Teachers", Cumine, Leach and Stevenson). A couple of books are aimed at adolescents and adults with the condition. ("What is Asperger syndrome and how will it affect me? A guide for young people", Martine Ives of the NAS Autism Helpline in the United Kingdom; "Pretending to be Normal- Living with Asperger's Syndrome", Liane Holliday Willey, 1999).

"Asperger's Huh?" is the only book I know of that is geared specifically for children in the 6-12 age range when the diagnosis is frequently made.Written from the perspective of an 11-year-old boy who has just been diagnosed, the book explains the disorder, offers reassurance and gives practical suggestions. The child tells the story, familiar to many Asperger children and parents, of how he discovers he has Asperger's after many social blunders and endless trips to different doctors. In his own 11-year-old way he describes how he learns that those with Asperger's have a hard time making friends and they get upset easily. He talks about learning "social sillies" (social skills) and learning how to deal with being called a "weather weebie" because he likes to talk about the weather all the time. He finds out that like him, lots of kids with Asperger's aren't very good at team sports. He describes how he is really smart in some ways, like remembering complex words, but has a hard time with other things, like understanding what he has read. He learns "anxiety busters" which help him relax and deal with frustrations when things don't go right. He learns that he must try to be FAAT, which means to be Flexible, Adaptable, Appropriate and to Trust someone. Best of all, he finds out that having Asperger's Disorder isn't such a bad thing, especially if you have people you trust to help you out.

This 50-page soft cover book could be read one chapter at a time to younger readers or in one sitting by older children and adults. The positive, kid-friendly style of the book will appeal not only to a young audience but also to older children and adults who want to understand more about Asperger's without having to read a textbook. John Strachan's cartoon-style drawings are not only fun and helpful to the progression of the narrative, they enhance the points in each chapter for Asperger children who are often visual learners.

Since reading it last October, I have introduced the book to members of my Asperger Parent Support Group. Our parents have been buying copies to give to their children, grandparents, teachers and teachers' aides. My 17-year-old- son with Asperger's, who edited this review for me, commented that his "younger genetic compatriots" could learn a lot from the book. His grandfather liked the first person format because "it made it very real." Grandpa also observed that the author "does not talk down to the reader" but gets her message across in a very "user-friendly" non-technical style. Twelve-year-old Adam with Asperger's identified with the narrator-"The guy's like me-he only likes 'talking doctors' too." After reading the book, Adam's younger brother said,"I think I understand Adam's behaviour better now."

I highly recommend this book because it helps promote understanding and appreciation of a wonderfully unique group of children. Rosina Schnurr is to be commended for this excellent addition to the Asperger's bibliography.

64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful book for me and my son, February 25, 2005

By 

Dreamdog (PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Asperger's Huh? A Child's Perspective (Paperback)

My son (age 7) and I have enjoyed reading this book together. I considered buying it for over a year, but was discouraged by the negative reviews here.

When I finally got it, I was puzzled by some of the criticisms leveled at the book. I didn't find the introduction to be melodramatic; in fact, it struck me as being as matter-of-fact as an AS kid might be in the face of the situation (he has behaved extremely inappropriately at a dinner honoring his father). As for the mom crying, I would have cried in that situation, too (and I don't know another mother who has a kid with AS who hasn't cried over her child's behavior at some point).

As for the comments that this book presents a single view of AS: it's written in *first person*. Of course it only presents one view of the diagnosis! Going through the book with your child and pointing out the ways in which he/she is both similar to and different from the narrator is a great way to practice understanding similarities and differences among people in general.

I recommend this book highly. Also, I'd like to mention that it arrived much more quickly than I expected; I got it in about a week.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start, June 6, 2003

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Asperger's Huh? A Child's Perspective (Paperback)

This is a book I wish had existed a generation ago. It had high and low points. The high points were the voice of acceptance that was being given to explaining Asperger's, which is a neurological condition on the autism spectrum to children. It is a good starter book for sharing with children on the spectrum who continue coping with "undefined differences."

One thing that bothered me was that the writing suggested a "uniform, one size fits all" approach and description of Asperger's. This can be misleading to readers. Still, it was a good faith effort and one that can be used to empower children on the spectrum and explain their "differences" in a clear cut, humane and frank way.