Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Story of a Brother with Autism, March 17, 2010
This review is from: My Brother Charlie (Hardcover)
Reason for Reading: My 9yo is autistic.
Comments: Actress Holly Robinson Peete writes this picture book along with her twelve-year-old daughter, Ryan, who is the fraternal twin of a brother with autism. The story mirrors their real life and is told from the point of view of a little girl whose brother, Charlie, is autistic. She describes how they are alike in looks and likes, then how they are different in looks and likes with the major difference being that Charlie can get very quiet and sometimes not talk. She then goes on to explain how her parents found out Charlie was autistic and what it is like to have an autistic brother accentuating how he is like everyone else, but there are times for her when it is difficult to have Charlie as a brother and other times when she wishes she could help him be more like her. But then there are unique things about Charlie that make him who he is, like his special way with animals and his shell collection.
The book does a very good job on an elementary level of describing an autistic child, showing that though they may be very quiet at times or sit and play by themselves they are not different than other children. They have things they love to do and want to play and have fun. They just need time for both. This book will help others relate to the autistic child whether they be the parent, relative or friend by getting an inside glimpse into the daily life of said child. Most of all the book celebrates family, togetherness and the many ways to say "I love you" without always using the words. The book is well written bringing acceptance and dignity showing this condition is not an illness but only a way of being.
The artwork must be mentioned. Shane W. Evans has created big, bright bold paintings that are pure joy to look at. The primary colours are used effectively. I love the facial expressions and the shape of the eyes make unique characters. The painting is textured, the brush strokes can be seen in the background and I love how he shows the curly hair on some characters by filling in the area with spirals.
My Brother Charlie will be greatly enjoyed by families with an autistic sibling and should be shared in elementary classrooms to bring awareness and acceptance of autistic children they meet on the playground and away from school.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We'll All Welcome Charlie Into Our Families, April 9, 2010
This review is from: My Brother Charlie (Hardcover)
I was not the target audience for this book. And I don't have autism either. But I happened to pick up this book--and was kept gennuinely engrossed by the illustrations and storyline.
Describing what it's like growing up as the sibling of a brother with a disability, My Brother Charlie accurately tells the story from a child's point of view.
The age-appropriate language properly used throughout this text inadvertently made me reflect on the experiences which my own brother had while growing up with me and my disabilities.
Loving Charlie very much, Callie also gets frustrated by some of his actions. He is not like other children, something their mother noticed when the fraternal twins were growing up.
Such reaction is more realistic than either showing the child with disabilities as being an 'innocent angel' or an 'incompetent' without any apparent talents to share with a larger community. Charlie is a person, like anybody else.
This and other titles were not yet around when we were growing up. So my brother learned about me on his own. And by and large, he did a fairly good job of it. But our parents definently would have purchased it for him without a moment's hesitation.
It is written in clear, age-appropriate, and non-judgemental text. This is the type of title which a child is going to want to read over and over again. It explains a (potentially difficult) subject in terms which children will be comfortable with.
It's a good title for any family trying to explain disability to children. But it would also be a recomended purchase for children's libraries--so they would have resources to explain disability available throughout their communities.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Timely Book for Today!, March 23, 2010
This review is from: My Brother Charlie (Hardcover)
How do you describe how you feel about someone you love with autism? MY BROTHER CHARLIE fills in the blanks through the voice of Charlie's twin sister Ryan. Wanting to crawl inside to his world, knowing how to interpret "I Love You" without it being said, and having the difficult days when things are not always smooth sailing. This is a book for any classroom and for every family. The innocent beauty of the words along with Shane W. Evans'illustrations make this book a timely treasure about an issue that has been silent for so long.
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