Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

This book is a great one for reading with neurotypical children who have friends, classmates, and/or siblings on the autism spectrum. It is well written, has nice pictures, and lends itself easily to discussions. I disagree with the person whose review states that the "sterotypical" behavior of the child spinning the frisbee is a negative thing. This is simply one example of a type of sensory need our friends on the spectrum have, and it opens the door to discussion about it.

When I first read this book I was not crazy about it; I tend not to like books directed at kids that are overtly about autism because the kids automatically know that it is a "lesson" book rather than a story book. But of all the books I bought in an effort to give the regular education teacher a tool for talking with my son's typical classmates about his autism, this is the one that my typical 10 year old daughter selected. We have used it for three years and each time the teacher has said it generated an interesting and sensitive dicussion among the children (grades 1-3). Of course it takes a good teacher to lead the discussion, too, but this book has proved to be a valuable resource.

The story of Andy and His Yellow Frisbee takes place on the school grounds where Rosie plays soccer as Andy spins his yellow frisbee around in a corner on the playground. It just so happens that the new girl Sarah who carries a large backpack has taken notice of Andy.From the very first sentence, " Andy was a real puzzle to Sarah." I get a sense that the author knows first hand the trials and tribulations of raising a child with autism, since the autism ribbon is known as a "puzzle". During recess each day while Rosie was playing soccer she would watch over at the hopscotch area where Andy was engrossed with his yellow frisbee. She was not pleased when Sarah started observing her brother and getting closer to him. All Rosie could think about while trying to focus on her soccer game was whether Sarah would invade Andy's space and be able to understand his speech if he tried to talk to her.The soft pastel illustrations play out the story line with the body positions of Andy and Sarah and the busyness of the other kids in the background. While sitting there during recess Sarah pondered what it was like being new at the school as she checked her teddy bear inside her backpack. Rosie had noticed the large backpack of Sarah's when she first arrived at the school and was cautious, but it turns out this was to keep her favorite item with her for extra comfort. Sarah decided that Andy's yellow frisbee could be a comfort item like hers.This was an interesting spin on comparing how a new student at school feels to the child who prefers to be alone in their own world. Something about Andy and his daily routine in spinning the yellow frisbee caught the eye of the girl allowing her to open up and meet others because of this. The relationship between the siblings shows the compassion and lengths Rosie goes to keep her brother safe and make sure his environment is comfortable so he can continue with his spinning. Instead of showcasing him as being different he almost seems carefree and not strange as other books have portrayed those with disabilities. I highly recommend Andy and His Yellow Frisbee to those within the special needs community, special education system and families and neighbors of those with various disabilities. This will open the lines of communication and get children to discuss their feelings and how they view those who are challenged.

Andy loves to play with his yellow frisbee. This is an activity he prefers to using the playground equipment or playing with other children. His sister Rosie keeps a watchful eye on Andy, especially when she sees another child eyeing him curiously. Instead of ridiculing Andy who has autism, the other child goes over to meet him. Disarmed, Rosie begins chatting with the girl, explaining Andy's behavior and about autism in general. Andy's frisbee spinning is extended to spinning plates and other objects; his strong reactions to sensory stimuli e.g. loud noises are addressed. Rosie acts as an advocate for Andy; she includes him in what she is doing.This is truly a lovely story that makes no promises and does not gloss over the sensory and social and developmental challenges that people on the autism spectrum routinely contend with. I like the way Rosie accepts Andy unconditionally and I like the way the author includes resource information about autism.

My older son is 6 years old and non-autistic, while my younger child is 4 and has mild autism. He is moderately verbal and academically bright; his real tell-tale signs of autism are only some stimming behaviors, such as flicking his fingers and lining up cars, and his reduced ability to understand social situations. Therefore, he is not very much like the child depicted in this book; but for me and my husband, that wasn't a relevant issue since autism is multi-facetted in its manifestations - you simply can't cover every example on the spectrum in one fiction picture book.What we liked about the book compared to all the others we've read is that it doesn't launch into the whole whiny sibling scenario. Our older son hasn't begun to complain about his brother's illness and we'd prefer he didn't start. Of course, if your non-autistic child has already been moaning about his/her sibling, then you might want to try some of the other books that depict this problem.This book is a non-judgemental "day in the life of" read, told in a calm, third person style. It may seem too unemotional and removed for some people, but it suits our tastes and situation well.