Her beautiful stories can be useful for both autistic and non-autistic readers. Cotterill is autistic, and has taken inspiration for each Little Senses story from either her own personal experiences, or the experience of someone close to her. Through this series, featuring titles like The Beach is Loud! and It Was Supposed to Be Sunny, Cotterill captures some common frustrations and difficulties that autistic kids face, and models ways that kids can work through these obstacles.Ĭotterill’s illustrations are colorful without being overwhelming, and perfectly complement her text. The Little Senses Series by Samantha CotterillĬotterill has written and illustrated several picture books, including the “Little Senses” series.
The following list of picture books is a great place to start: While there aren’t quite as many autistic authors in the picture book market - compared to the middle grade and young adult sides of the industry - there are still some amazing books out there that are definitely worth reading. Because stories move us in ways that facts and statistics alone sometimes can't.”Īt these conferences, one of the most frequently asked questions is, "What books should I use with little ones?" As a result, I've made it a personal goal to seek out great picture books about autism. “That's why stories are an essential part of autism advocacy.
Stories show that the world needs all kinds of minds, and every kind of brain has its unique strengths and challenges. Most significantly, well-written stories about autism let our autistic kids know that they are not alone - that they are not broken. Stories can help explain autistic traits that may be confusing to non-autistic (or neurotypical) people. I talk about how they can promote empathy and understanding in non-autistic students and staff. I talk about how stories can be powerful tools for introducing autism to students. And beyond the library walls, I speak at conferences about the importance of sharing stories about neurodiversity and mental health. Being autistic, I also try to include books by autistic authors, whenever possible.
On in Recreation 10 Picture Books for Starting a Conversation About AutismĪs a school librarian, I work hard to create a diverse collection of middle grade and young adult books.
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