Little Rainman: Autism--Through the Eyes of a Child [Paperback]

Karen L Simmons (Author), Karen Sicoli (Author), Rob Woodbury (Author), Mitzi Briehn (Author), Susan Simmons (Author), R Wayne Gilpin (Editor)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Recommended by world-renowned author and speaker Dr. Temple Grandin, this children's book paints a picture of what life is like for children with autism. Unique illustrations accompany a child's voice as he explains the different ways he thinks, sees, hears, and feels. This book is great for reading to children with or without autism to encourage acceptance and understanding. Written by Karen Simmons-Sicoli, mother of a son with autism, this was one of the first books of its kind and it continues to be a classic in the autism community.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"These pictures are some of the best illustrations of what autism is. They give the reader a really good picture of how a child with autism thinks. They think with pictures in their head. I use them in my presentation and lectures to demonstrate visual thinking processes."
Dr. Temple Grandin, world-renowned author and speaker

About the Author

Karen Simmons is a mother of six, two of whom have special needs. In addition to being a best-selling author, speaker, and conference coordinator, she is also the founder/CEO of Autism Today, an online organization providing information, research, and resources on autism. As the Internet Entrepreneur Award winner of the year, Simmons’ website AutismToday.com is an asset to the special needs community.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 60 pages
• Publisher: Future Horizons (November 20, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885477295
• ISBN-13: 978-1885477293
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 10.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #963,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HAVING AN AUTISTIC CHILD, THIS BOOK IS EXTREMELY SOBERING., December 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Rainman: Autism--Through the Eyes of a Child (Paperback)

WE HAVE AN AUTISTIC 9 YEAR OLD CHILD, DIAGNOSED AT AGE 3. TO DATE, WE HAVE YET BEEN ABLE TO FIND A BOOK THAT IS NOT OVER-ANALYTICAL, NOT TO MENTION WAY OVER OUR HEADS CONCERNING HOW TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EVERYDAY REASONING AND ACTIONS OF OUR SON. AFTER READING THIS BOOK, I HAVE IMMEDIATELY GROWN CLOSER AND MORE APPRECIATIVE OF MY CHILD AND HIS DISABILITY. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF, SINCE READING THE BOOK, NOT GETTING SO EASILY UPSET WITH HIM. THERE ARE "AUTISTIC" THINGS HE DOES THAT UPSET ME SINCE I KNOW THEY ARE THE BY-PRODUCTS OF HIS CONDITION BUT AFTER READING THE BOOK, I BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE HIM THAT IS CAUSING THIS, NOT HIM TRYING TO HURT OR IRRITATE US WITH CERTIAN ACTIVITIES, EVEN DOWN TO HOW HE RESPONDS TO HIS ENVIRONMENT AND OTHERS. OF COURSE I HAVE AM AWARE OF ALL THE "SYMPTOMS" AND I AM LIVING THEM, BUT THIS BOOK IS SO REAL AND INTIMATE IN ITS DEPICTION OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD'S MIND THAT EVERY PARENT OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD (NO MATTER HOW MILD) AS WELL AS THOSE CLOSE TO THEM, MUST READ THIS BOOK! CONGRATULATIONS KAREN FOR A SHINING ACHIEVEMENT! WHAT A REWARD YOU WILL RECEIVE FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for relatives of autistic children, March 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Rainman: Autism--Through the Eyes of a Child (Paperback)

This is a terrific book! It helped my in-laws understand my son better. They had thought autism was as it is in TV movies - silent, non-responsive, unreachable children. Their grandson certainly wasn't like that, he got good grades, so he wasn't autistic. Now they realize that when I say my son is autistic I'm not insulting his intelligence, but refering to the way his mind works.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A mixed review, July 26, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Little Rainman: Autism--Through the Eyes of a Child (Paperback)

I applaud the author for her attempts at telling a story through the eyes and words of her son. The concept is correct, the method is not. The story rambles, often jumping from topic to topic. The "handwritten" font is creative, but actually hard to read. It could have been so much more effective to have this book written by someone with more legible printing. The photos are at times compelling, but others are too obscure for children to interpret. I bought this book for my seven-year-old son, to help him understand my four-year-old autistic son. There were some helpful thoughts, but this book seemed to create more confusion and questions for him.