20 recommended books on Autism

While sensitivity and acceptance towards people with autism spectrum disorders has been increasing, There are many myths, stereotypes, prejudices and fears in the general population about people with autism.

Many researchers, psychologists, educators, family members and, especially, people with ASD have helped to make people better known. fund this type of disorders through works of scientific dissemination and testimonies about people's day-to-day lives autistic

Then we will know several books about autism, both novels and testimonies and popular science works based on research work, that have the objective of helping those affected, their families and therapists to understand what this disorder is.

• Related article: "The 4 types of autism and their characteristics"

20 recommended books about autism to learn about ASD

There are many stereotypes, myths and false beliefs that are held about autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the most widespread being that they cannot improve or that they are all the same. However, autistic people, whether they are children or adults, are very diverse individuals, with a multitude of hobbies and different interests and, of course, with conditions of different severity, for this reason we speak of spectrum disorders autistic. These are 20 works that we cannot miss if we want to know more about autism.

1. A Different Mind: Understanding Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, by Peter Szatmari (2004)

Peter Szatmari exposes in this book the idea that, before trying to understand how people with autism think or feel, it is necessary to know why they do not like to be touched or do not seem to show any type of emotion. As a manual it tries to answer these questions, helping to build a solid foundation for families and teachers. Real cases are presented with which the author, a Canadian researcher specializing in this disorder, has been working for years.

• You can buy it at this page.

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog at Midnight, by Mark Haddon (2004)

Although this novel is relatively young, we can already consider it a classic in the works that seek to make TEA visible, specifically what is sometimes called Asperger syndrome. Mark Haddon introduces us to Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger's who, one day, finds his neighbor's dog dead. With the same spirit of Sherlock Holmes, the young man will try to solve this curious incident by facing a hostile and unknown world, difficult for anyone with autism.

• If you are interested, doing click here you will find more information about the book.

3. Born on a Blue Day, by Daniel Tammet (2006)

The author Daniel Tammet is a person with ASD but with a rare picture, because He also has what is known as the Savant or genius syndrome. He is an atypical autistic with abilities and skills well above normal, and that is why it should be taken into account and not to think that all autistic people are supergeniuses. Even so, the work is very interesting to know your case and understand behaviors of any autistic person, whether or not they have above-average abilities, as well as to know the savantism.

• To know more about this work, go to this page.

4. The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida (2007)

Naoki Higashida is autistic but, unlike Daniel Tammet, he has high support needs and to communicate, with a lot of effort, he does it through written text. With simple and direct language Higashida asks and answers 53 questions that cover topics and stereotypes about people with autism, in addition to exposing some behaviors and manias individuals. Among them is the one that gives name to the title of the book: "Why jump?".

• On this page more information is available.

5. María y yo, by Miguel Gallardo and María Gallardo (2007)

Miguel Gallardo presents us with the colorful comic of him what his daughter María is 12 years old, who has the disorder. In “María y yo” we are taught the importance of using clear and simple images to establish communicative dynamics with people on the spectrum. The comic recreates a vacation in which the family, as with any other with a child with autism, have to face obstacles.

• To learn more about the book, do click here.

6. Lorenzo's saucepan, by Isabelle Carrier (2010)

Lorenzo, the protagonist of this book, drags a saucepan and does not know how to get rid of it. It hampers him a lot: he has a lot of incidents, he gets stuck, he can't move forward or run. The saucepan is a metaphor that reflects the sad daily reality of children with autism conditioned by the multiple difficulties in their environment, which they do not know how to cope with. The book shows how Lorenzo, without getting rid of the saucepan, manages to cope with adversity.

• If you are interested in knowing more details, click on this link.

7. CuentAutismo, by Rubén Serrano (2010)

"CuentaAutismo" by Rubén Serrano is an analogy of 19 stories through which stories are presented that teach us to accept diversity. On many occasions we limit ourselves to defining autistic children based on their label, leaving aside that they are still children who want to have friends, have fun, laugh and play like everyone else. It is true that their way of being is a little special, but for that reason we should not deny them their right to childhood and to be happy.

• To know more about this work, go to this page.

8. The Autistic Brain, by Temple Grandin (2013)

The author of this book, Temple Grandin, she is known for being one of the first people with autism to give her own voice to her way of being, describing it in this work in the first person. She is currently a professor of Animal Behavior at Colorado State University and is surely the best known non-fictional autistic person, especially for her informative work. This book is dense so it is not recommended as a first approach to ASD although it is ideal to understand its neurological bases.

• If you are interested in knowing more details, click on this link.

9. The Spark, by Kristine Barnett (2013)

Kristine Barnett, the author of "La Chispa" tells us about her son Jacob, who has severe autism. Despite this condition, the little one is gradually becoming a genius of astrophysics. Kristine's real fight is not against an intellectual disability of her son, but in favor of listening and discovering what motivates her and in what is good each of the people with autism, trying to fan that flame or spark to make them prosper in life, being unique.

• To learn more about the book, do click here.

10. Maria is 20 years old, by Miguel Gallardo and María Gallardo (2015)

Seven years after having published “María y yo” Miguel Gallardo publishes the sequel. In "María is 20 years old" she shows us the life of her daughter now being in her twenties and how she relates to the world as an adult. She explains to us the news in the young woman's life and what things remain as they were in her adolescence.

• do click here to read more about this book.

11. M for Autism, from Limpsfield Grange School and Vicky Martin (2016)

The protagonist of this story is called M, a teenage girl who makes us understand the important role anxiety plays in people with ASD. It is through her fears, her dreams and goals that M brings us closer to her way of thinking and feeling, and teaches us what helps her and what doesn't. This book written by Limpsfield Grange School students in collaboration with Vicky Martin gives visibility to to the work of professionals, especially psychologists, as well as colleagues and relatives of people with ASD.

• To access more information about the work, enter here.

12. Lucas has superpowers, by Ana Luengo (2016)

In "Lucas has superpowers" we are told what an afternoon in Lucas's life is like. Unlike what he would be for other people, Lucas has to make a great effort, but he also gives us tell how, from where you look, what is strange behavior for some can be a great ability for others. Through the reflections of another child, the book shows us that it is the value of judgment itself that determines whether something is right or wrong, not the way of being or how each person is.

• To know more about this work, go to this page.

13. The child who forgot how to look, by Juan Martos and María Llorente (2017)

Written by psychologists from the SPELL team, “The Boy Who Forgot How To Look” offers a comprehensive but in-depth vision of autism. Although it is suitable for families and professionals, it must be said that uses specialized court language and is specially oriented for psychologists and specialists in the disorder. At the end of each chapter, it offers important clues about what has been read in it to establish knowledge well, making the reading quite enjoyable and productive.

• If you are interested in knowing more details, click on this link.

14. Autism, current explanatory theories, by Rubén Palomo (2017)

This book is more investigative, ideal to know the journey of research on autism, going from the most classic models to the most current. It has a format typical of a scientific article, so it is not exactly the most ideal if it is wants to have a general idea about what the disorder is but does allow a thorough study of the disorder theme.

• do click here to read more about this book.

15. Having a child with autism, by Melisa Tuya (2017)

In this book Melisa explains to us her particular vision of the disorder of hers, her son Jaime of her, exposing her own experience. Full of experiences and reflections on what it means to be a student with autism, the objective of this book is to approach families and teachers in a direct way. He describes the path that Melisa followed with her son, from the diagnosis, the progression of the disorder, the myths that surround him and the vision of other people who also live with him.

• You want to know more? Accede to this page.

16. The Boy Who Wanted to Build His World, by Keith Stuart (2017)

This story tells us about the life of his author, Keith Stuart, a 30-year-old man who sees that his life is falling apart and, to top it all, discovers that his son Sam has autism. After several disappointments and overwhelmed by how his life was going, one day Keith unknowingly says the magic words that would allow him to get closer to his son: "Sam, let's play Minecraft." The message of the book is that we must be involved in the interests and hobbies of children with ASD in order to communicate with them.

• To know more about this work, go to this page.

17. The Man Who Picked Up Coins with His Mouth Francisco Guerrero López and Ana Paula Zaragoza Moyano (2017)

The authors of this book are doctors of pedagogy who explain autism in two perspectives. First they focus on showing cases of autism, both real and fictional, to exemplify what this disorder is. Figures related to the TEA investigation, such as Hans Asperger or Lorna Wing, and movie characters such as Raymond Babbitt (from Rain Man) appear in the work. In the second part, the author Ana explains her observations of an autistic child placed in a classroom with children without the disorder.

• On this page more information is available.

18. Development of conceptual categories in students with autism spectrum disorders, by Manuel Ojea Rúa (2018)

In the RELATEA program a project is carried out that has the objective of facilitate the creation of relationships during perceptual-cognitive development in students with the disorder. This manual presents this program, which offers content and activities with content from various subjects. It is intended that students with autism learn by developing semantic memory, grouping contained in different categories of concepts or relating them in new categories, among others skills.

• do click here to read more about this book.

19. Unique Human Beings: A Different Way of Viewing Autism, by Barry M. Prizant (2018)

With Unique Human Beings Barry M. Prizant presents us various testimonials, examples and experiences that allow us to approach different profiles of autism through the protagonism of people with ASD and their families. Presenting it more as a way of being rather than as a terrible pathology, Prizant exposes us a pleasant reading in which values ​​values ​​such as understanding, respect and the desire to help people with this pathology emerge.

• If you are interested in knowing more details, click on this link.

20. Bet y el TEA, by Anna Gusó and Joana Bruna (2019)

In a very brief and simple way in "Bet y el TEA" We are introduced to Bet, who teaches us very successful guidelines on how adults should behave towards people with autism. This book is ideal to have a first approach to the subject, in addition to being easy to read for the smallest of the house, with many and colorful images.

• To know more about this work, go to this page.

Bibliographic references:

• Grandin, T. & Panek, R. (2014). The autistic brain: the power of a different mind. Barcelona: RBA Books.
• From Ajuriaguerra, J (1973). Child Psychiatry Manual, Editorial Masson, Barcelona, ​​4th edition.
• Hobson, P. (1995) Autism and development of the mind, Madrid, Editorial Alianza.
• Lozano, J. (2000). The diagnosis of autism, Cuban Journal of Pediatrics.
• Klin, A., Volkmar, F., Lord, C., Cook, E. (2002) Autism and the Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
• Ozonoff, S., Dawson, G., McPartland, J (2002). A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism. The Guilford Press. New York.