Autism Acceptance

April is World Autism Month. Check out these adult fiction & non-fiction titles to increase your awareness and understanding of autism. 

Online Resources:

Autism Society of Alberta
Autism Society of Canada

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All the things we don't talk about : a novel

All the things we don't talk about : a novel

Feltman, Amy, author
2022

"Morgan Flowers has spent their adolescence following all the rules. Raised by their neuro-divergent father Julian and recently deceased grandmother, nonbinary Morgan grew up painfully aware of all they needed to do to stay out of trouble and maintain their scholarship, and of their mother Zoe's absence. Dazzling, dangerous, and increasingly alcoholic Zoe, who fled to Europe on a trust fund, believed that Julian and his mother would raise Morgan better than she could've. And she's right, in a sense. Julian has raised Morgan with care, but now at seventeen, Morgan is struggling with gender and trauma, while falling in love with the only other scholarship kid at school, in ways Julian can't quite understand. When Zoe reappears in New York on a bender after her ex kicks her out of their Lisbon apartment, she upends each of their lives. Through it all, Zoe's ex Brigid has been an unlikely pen-pal for Julian, whose autism keeps him at an arm's length from everyone besides Morgan-but Brigid understands what it's like to love and lose Zoe, and their secrets feel safe with each other. And when Zoe's return propels Morgan into a dizzying series of mistakes, Brigid might be the link that can pull them back from the edge. A story of betrayal, addiction, and angst alongside queer love, joy, and acceptance, ALL THE THINGS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT is as a celebration of and a reckoning with the power and unintentional pain of a modern family"-- Provided by publisher.

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Autism in Childhood For parents and carers of the newly diagnosed.

Autism in Childhood For parents and carers of the newly diagnosed.

Beardon, Luke.
2023

"If every parent receiving a diagnosis of autism for their child could read this book, it would avoid so much misunderstanding and unhappiness." - Dr Clare Lawrence

A diagnosis - or a suspected diagnosis - of autism in a child can be overwhelming for  a parent, especially if you know nothing, or very little, about either of them.

Dr Luke Beardon is a well-known expert in the field, and this book is an accessible, easy-to-read introduction for those encountering autism for the first time. Gently and honestly, it guides you through the issues you might encounter, busting the myths around autism, and explaining what the diagnosis means for your child, for you, and for your wider family. It looks at sensory profiles, helps you handle your child's anxiety, tackles education, and answers a variety of frequently asked questions.

Other topics covered by this sensitive and empowering book include how to have conversations with your child (the 'autistic voice'), how to manage your child's education and - importantly - the undeniable strengths of autism.

As an introduction to - and a celebration of - the intriguing, beguiling, frustrating and remarkable world of autism, this book will help you understand your child's unique value and importance in the world.

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Autism in heels : the untold story of a female life on the spectrum

Autism in heels : the untold story of a female life on the spectrum

O'Toole, Jennifer Cook, author
2018

"The face of autism is changing, and more often than we realize, that face is wearing lipstick. Autism in Heels, an intimate memoir, reveals the woman inside one of autism's most prominent figures, Jennifer Cook O'Toole. At the age of thirty-five, Jennifer was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and for the first time in her life, things made sense. Now, Jennifer exposes the constant struggle between carefully crafted persona and authentic existence, editing the autism script with wit, candor, passion, and power. Her journey is one of reverse self-discovery, not only as an Aspie but--more importantly--as a thoroughly modern woman."--Jacket.

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The curious incident of the dog in the night-time

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time

Haddon, Mark, author.
2004

Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.

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Dispatches from Ray's planet : a journey through autism

Dispatches from Ray's planet : a journey through autism

Finlayson, Claire, 1957- author
2020

"As a child, Claire’s big brother Ray was always bright and inquisitive, and she looked up to him. But as the two became teenagers, Ray struggled to acquire the social skills that came more easily to Claire and their friends. Claire tried to help, pointing out what he should or shouldn’t have said or done. Ray insisted that he wasn’t the problem—“On my planet…”, he would explain, there were no social climbers, no cocktail parties, no subtle hints or subliminal messages to miss. On his planet, the telling of little white lies would be a capital offence. At sixteen, sitting with him in the high school cafeteria, Claire vowed to find Ray’s “planet.” After graduation, Ray took a job as a letter carrier with Canada Post, but after thirty-three years on the job he had developed plantar fasciitis, his feet so painful he couldn’t walk. Instead of seeking medical help, he began leaving mail in his truck overnight—a serious dereliction of duty. He was fired, blew his appeal, and spiralled into a suicidal depression. Claire didn’t know he was in trouble until he reached out to her by email. Thus began a remarkable email correspondence that pulled back the curtain on an inner life Claire couldn’t have imagined. Where in-person interactions plunged him into hot water, by email, Ray’s writing revealed a compassionate, funny, sad man who showed extraordinary insight into his often self-destructive way of navigating the world. Ray was fifty when Claire realized he might have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but by then, having survived without a diagnosis his whole life, Ray was reluctant to have a label pinned on him and resisted Claire’s efforts to fix him by trying, in all sincerity, to make him more like her. Dispatches From Ray’s Planet draws on Ray and Claire’s correspondence to tell the story of two siblings from two very different planets. There are thousands of Rays in our world, hiding in basements or holding up walls at social functions. In this collective memoir, Claire and Ray share their journey with the hope that others can also learn that we all perceive the world in different ways, and that “different” does not necessarily mean dangerous."-- Provided by publisher.

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Flying at night

Flying at night

Brown, Rebecca L. (Rebecca Lynn), 1976- author
2018



The good sister

The good sister

Hepworth, Sally, author
2023

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one, with a home and a husband and a fierce desire to become a mother. Fern is the quirky one, the free spirit, the librarian who avoids social interaction and whom the world might just describe as truly odd. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern's protector from the time they were small. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart's desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn't realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all.

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Harmony : a novel

Harmony : a novel

Parkhurst, Carolyn, 1971- author
2016




I will die on this hill : autistic adults, autism parents, and the children who deserve a better world

I will die on this hill : autistic adults, autism parents, and the children who deserve a better world

Ashburn, Meghan, author.
2023

"There is a significant divide between autistic advocates and parents of autistic children. Parents may feel attacked for their lack of understanding, and autistic adults who offer insight and guidance are also met with hostility and rejection. Meghan Ashburn, a mother of two autistic boys, and Jules Edwards, an autistic parent, were no strangers to this tension and had an adversarial relationship when they first met. Over time, the two resolved their differences and are now co-conspirators in the pursuit of disability justice. This book unites both perspectives, exploring the rift between these communities and encouraging them to work towards a common goal. It provides context to dividing issues, and the authors use their experience to illustrate where they've messed up, where they've got things right, and what they've learned along the way."-- Back cover.

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In a different key : the story of autism

In a different key : the story of autism

Donvan, John (John Joseph) 1955- author
2016




The pattern seekers : how autism drove human invention

The pattern seekers : how autism drove human invention

Baron-Cohen, Simon.
2023

"In The Pattern Seekers, Simon Baron-Cohen reveals the surprising answer to two apparently distinct questions: Why are humans so inventive? And why does autism exist? The first question hangs over almost every human endeavor: Business people want to know how to innovate. Cognitive psychologists want to understand the nature of creativity. Evolutionary scientists and comparative psychologists want to understand why we are capable of such cultural complexity and diversity, when other animals, at best, have learned how to use a rock as a simple tool. At the same time, the study of autism has become a preeminent concern among overlapping groups, from educators to scientists to business people and parents -- and of course to people with autism themselves. In The Pattern Seekers, Simon Baron-Cohen argues these two questions are actually the same: understanding autism -- specifically the fixation on patterns that is considered characteristic of the condition -- is the key to understanding both the ancient origins and the modern flowering of human creativity. With a perspective that spans the first stirrings of our ancestors on the African Savannah to the corridors of high-tech companies, Baron-Cohen shows how what he calls systemizing underlies everything from the invention of the first musical instrument to the innovative output of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. Bolstering his argument with a range of fascinating case studies-including the way Kobe Bryant plays basketball and the piano, the prevalence of autism in various Dutch cities, and how chimpanzees learned to use grass to catch termites -- he describes how a passion for pattern-finding is at the heart of modern science and technology. But such powers come at a cost: The better one is at it, the less empathy one has for others, making social functioning difficult. And although it might be fashionable in some circles to talk about being "on the spectrum," many seek a cure for autism, and the world still struggles to accept and accommodate the autistic. So, even as Baron-Cohen seeks to understand what autism "is for," he seeks to change the way our society thinks about and behaves toward autistic people. As Baron-Cohen puts it, the critical role of autistic traits in our species' past means it's not simply time to tolerate autism or celebrate neurodiversity, but that it's time to show autistic people the highest respect. The Pattern Seekers is the rarest of books: mission-driven psychology combined with groundbreaking evolutionary science. It is necessary and joyful reading for anyone concerned with how our society treats those it calls disordered, and the beginning of a new chapter in how we investigate ourselves as a species."-- Provided by publisher.

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Rubbernecker

Rubbernecker

Bauer, Belinda, 1962- author
2015