Book review: Karen L. Simmons’ “Little Rainman”
by Donna
Little Rainman: Autism — Through the Eyes of a Child takes what many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience and puts it into words and pictures. It would be a wonderful book to share with children who have been diagnosed with autism. More importantly, I think this is a wonderful book to share with children in kindergarten and elementary school — it helps explain what life may be like for their peers who have autism.
As an Easter Seals Administrator and Speech and Language Pathologist, I spend a lot of time reading clinical textbooks, business books, and articles on the latest in best practices. It isn’t often I get to read a book written through the eyes of a child.
Little Rainman was a breath of fresh air. It was so revealing to hear a child explain the symptoms of a complex diagnosis that has baffled the most brilliant physicians, clinicians and researchers.
Simmons’ book describes symptoms and characteristics that we, as parents and clinicians, have observed in some children diagnosed with autism. The great thing is, she does it in language that’s easy for children with and without disabilities to understand.
This book helps readers understand that children with autism are not “strange” — they just process information differently. And just like all of us, people with autism have some skills that are strengths, other skills that are somewhat challenging.
Thanks to Karen and her son Jonathan for sharing this book with us.