Visual Thinking by
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE NAUTILUS GOLD AWARD "A powerful and provocative testament to the diverse coalition of minds we'll need to face the mounting challenges of the twenty-first century." --Steve Silberman "An absolute eye-opener." --Frans de Waal A landmark book that reveals, celebrates, and advocates for the special minds and contributions of visual thinkers A quarter of a century after her memoir, Thinking in Pictures, forever changed how the world understood autism, Temple Grandin-- "an anthropologist on Mars," as Oliver Sacks dubbed her--transforms our awareness of the different ways our brains are wired. Do you have a keen sense of direction, a love of puzzles, the ability to assemble furniture without crying? You are likely a visual thinker. With her genius for demystifying science, Grandin draws on cutting-edge research to take us inside visual thinking. Visual thinkers constitute a far greater proportion of the population than previously believed, she reveals, and a more varied one, from the photo-realistic "object visualizers" like Grandin herself, with their intuitive knack for design and problem solving, to the abstract, mathematically inclined "visual spatial" thinkers who excel in pattern recognition and systemic thinking. She also makes us understand how a world increasingly geared to the verbal tends to sideline visual thinkers, screening them out at school and passing over them in the workplace. Rather than continuing to waste their singular gifts, driving a collective loss in productivity and innovation, Grandin proposes new approaches to educating, parenting, employing, and collaborating with visual thinkers. In a highly competitive world, this important book helps us see, we need every mind on board.
Place, craft and neurodiversity: re-imagining potential through education at Ruskin Mill by
For over four decades, Ruskin Mill Trust has worked with young people with special educational needs and behavioural issues who learn traditional crafts and organic farming as part of an integrated curriculum of therapeutic education, overcoming barriers to learning and re-engaging with the wider world. This accessible and inspiring book showcases how an appreciation of place, traditional crafts, farming and transformative education offers a wider route to human well-being for all. The authors outline the different fields of the “Practical Skills Therapeutic Education” method, which includes developing practical skills, learning the ecology of the farm and understanding therapeutic education, holistic care, health and self-leadership.Taking the reader on a tour of Ruskin Mill's many extraordinary provisions across Britain, and going deeper in conversation with its founder, Aonghus Gordon, this book is an outstanding story of creative thinking in an age of narrow focus on classrooms and written examinations, presenting a transformative perspective on education and care. Being grounded in work supporting young people with complex additional needs, it provides a rare insight into the work of one of the world's leading charities working with neurodiversity.With its non-specialist language, Place, Craft and Neurodiversity offers ideas and resources for work in different areas of education and therapy. It will inspire parents, educators and care workers around the globe.
Camouflage: the hidden lives of autistic women by
Autism in women and girls is still not widely understood, and is often misrepresented or even overlooked. This graphic novel offers an engaging and accessible insight into the lives and minds of autistic women, using real-life case studies. The charming illustrations lead readers on a visual journey of how women on the spectrum experience everyday life, from metaphors and masking in social situations, to friendships and relationships and the role of special interests. Fun, sensitive and informative, this is a fantastic resource for anyone who wishes to understand how gender affects autism, and how to create safer supportive and more accessible environments for women on the spectrum.
The Illumination of Jim Woodring
This elegantly profound documentary explores the award-winning, mystical work of American comics creator, cartoonist, and painter Jim Woodring. As an artist that has astounded the world for three decades, he has also suffered from hyper-realistic hallucinations and visions since he was a child - eventually diagnosed as autism and prosopagnosia (the inability to recognize familiar faces). His artwork has been lauded and collected by cultural luminaries such as Matt Groening (The Simpsons), actor Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski), Duncan Trussell (The Midnight Gospel), and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather). Audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with Woodring’s work will be fascinated by this powerful, cinematic biography which details the artist’s haunted youth and his attempts to make sense of a world that seemed less real than animated cartoons while dealing with the challenges of his autism and spiritual curiosities.
Matthew Wong: The Realm of Appearances
Self-taught artist Matthew Wong (1984–2019) painted intimate landscapes that recall Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, seventeenth-century Qing period ink painting, and contemporary artists he admired, including Philip Guston (1913–1980), Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929), Joan Mitchell (1925–1992), and Bob Thompson (1937–1966). Matthew Wong: The Realm of Appearances offers the first formal survey of Wong’s six-year painting career that began in Hong Kong and matured in Canada. It includes new scholarship with a focus on his process and commitment to conversation, experimentation, and connection. Through his unique visual language, Wong fostered dialogue between not only himself and other artists, but other artists and each other. The five essays are lavishly illustrated with approximately 70 of Wong’s paintings and include a selection of his writings.
Henry, Like Always by
A Schneider Family Book Award Winner A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book A NPR 2023 Books We Love Pick A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023 A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book A beginning chapter book series based on the award-winning picture book, A Friend for Henry! Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always. Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes. GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS: With short chapters and simple text, this book is perfect for newly independent readers who are just moving into longer books. BACK TO SCHOOL: Familiar school scenarios--from new schedules to making new friends--are portrayed with humor and understanding in this series that will appeal to and reassure any child starting or continuing in school. DIVERSE STORIES: Representing neurodivergent kids is a vital aspect of expanding diverse representation across books for all ages. Henry, Like Always provides a mirror and a window for kids on the autism spectrum and their friends to see themselves in the stories they read. AN AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Jenn Bailey and Mika Song were awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award for their picture book A Friend for Henry. See how the story continues in this classic-feeling early reader series based on the same character! Perfect for: Newly independent readers An excellent resource for parents of kids on the spectrum Librarians, teachers, and booksellers looking for a children's book that offers a window into the experience of autism A reassuring read for kids with varying levels of social anxiety Gift-givers looking for a sweet and relatable book about friendship
Nadia : a case of extraordinary drawing ability in an autistic child by 
Lavender Clouds by
A dazzling, humorous, and highly personal portrayal of neurodivergence from a leading voice in mental health comics. Eisner Award nominated author Bex Ollerton--known as @Schnumn to her thousands of followers--is a talented comic artist who feels energized and courageous on some days and exhausted and emotionally depleted on others. In Lavender Clouds, she translates her experiences with Autism, ADHD, and mental health into a series of colorful, emotionally resonant comics that tell stories of neurodiversity and resilience. With a tone that is sharp but always sensitive, this debut book collection describes the many insights and strategies the author has learned on her journey to self-acceptance. Among the many topics addressed in the book are the folly of "foolproof" organization strategies, the perils of burnout, the joy of small hopes, and the importance of growing at your own pace and on your own path Breathtaking in its artistic range and emotional truth, Lavender Clouds offers an enlightening and uplifting read for anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, or other issues related to mental health.
Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement: Stories from the frontline by
This open access book marks the first historical overview of the autism rights branch of the neurodiversity movement, describing the activities and rationales of key leaders in their own words since it organized into a unique community in 1992. Sandwiched by editorial chapters that include critical analysis, the book contains 19 chapters by 21 authors about the forming of the autistic community and neurodiversity movement, progress in their influence on the broader autism community and field, and their possible threshold of the advocacy establishment. The actions covered are legendary in the autistic community, including manifestos such as "Don't Mourn for Us", mailing lists, websites or webpages, conferences, issue campaigns, academic project and journal, a book, and advisory roles. These actions have shifted the landscape toward viewing autism in social terms of human rights and identity to accept, rather than as a medical collection of deficits and symptoms to cure.
Inclusive smart museums: engaging neurodiverse audiences and enhancing cultural heritage by
Summary: James Hutson is Professor and Department Head of Art History and Visual Culture, and Lead XR Disruptor, at Lindenwood University, USA. Piper Hutson is a Corporate Art Curator and Adjunct Professor at Lindenwood University, USA. This book delves into the significant and timely intersection of cultural heritage, neurodiversity, and smart museums, exploring how various immersive techniques can create more inclusive and engaging heritage experiences for neurodiverse audiences. By focusing on these three aspects, the book aims to contribute significantly to the fields of cultural heritage, neuro-inclusivity, and smart museums, offering practical solutions and examples for heritage professionals and researchers. The book highlights the importance of preserving and enhancing cultural heritage by incorporating immersive technologies and inclusive practices that cater to the needs of neurodiverse audiences. It emphasizes the need for museums and heritage sites to be more inclusive and accessible for neurodivergent individuals, showcasing best practices and innovative techniques to engage this audience effectively.
Visible spectrum: portraits from the world of autism by
Mary Berridge's award-winning series of photographs is paired with narratives written primarily by the subjects or their parents. The book Visible Spectrum offers an intimate view of life with autism, as told from within an autism community, which includes Berridge and her son. It also explores the ways the subjects and their families navigate a world which is not made for them and in which they are not always welcome. Despite this, the stories may surprise readers with their thought-provoking and affirmative viewpoints on autism and being different.
Sensory: Life on the Spectrum: An Autistic Comics Anthology by
A colourful and eclectic comics anthology exploring a wide range of autistic experiences - from diagnosis journeys to finding community - from contributors with autism. From artist and curator Bex Ollerton comes an anthology featuring comics from thirty autistic creators about their experiences of living in a world that doesn't always understand or accept them. Sensory: Life on the Spectrum contains illustrated explorations of everything from life pre-diagnosis to tips on how to explain autism to someone who doesn't have it, to suggestions for how to soothe yourself when you're feeling overstimulated. With unique, vibrant comic-style illustrations and the emotional depth and vulnerability of memoir, this book depicts these varied experiences with the kind of insight that only those who have lived them can have.
The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy: Step-By-Step Advice on How to Ally and Speak up with Autistic People and the Autism Community by
The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy takes an in-depth look at the key elements of effective, respectful, inclusive advocacy and allyship. Every topic was chosen, shaped, and informed by #ActuallyAutistic perspectives. The step-by-step guide discusses various aspects of how autism is perceived, explores how best to speak up for individual needs, and introduces advocacy for the wider autistic community. Each step outlines one vital aspect of advocacy and allyship, such as emphasizing acceptance, avoiding assumptions and assuming competence. The advice and strategies laid out in this guide center the wisdom and experiences of Autistic people and enable the reader to confidently speak up with insight and understanding.
We Walk: Life with Severe Autism by
In this collection of beautiful and raw essays, Amy S. F. Lutz writes openly about her experience--the positive and the negative--as a mother of a now twenty-one-year-old son with severe autism. Lutz's human emotion drives through each page and challenges commonly held ideas that define autism either as a disease or as neurodiversity. We Walk is inspired by her own questions: What is the place of intellectually and developmentally disabled people in society? What responsibilities do we, as citizens and human beings, have to one another? Who should decide for those who cannot decide for themselves? What is the meaning of religion to someone with no abstract language? Exploring these questions, We Walk directly--and humanly--examines social issues such as inclusion, religion, therapeutics, and friendship through the lens of severe autism. In a world where public perception of autism is largely shaped by the "quirky geniuses" featured on television shows like The Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor, We Walk demands that we center our debates about this disorder on those who are most affected by its impacts.
Naming Adult Autism: Culture, Science, Identity by
Naming Adult Autism is one of the first critiques of cultural and medical narratives of Autism to be authored by an adult diagnosed with this condition. Autism is a 'social disorder', defined by interactions and lifestyle. Yet, the expectations of normalcy against which Autism is defined have too rarely been questioned. This book demonstrates the value of the Humanities towards developing fuller understandings of Autistic adulthood, adapting theory from Adorno, Foucault and Butler. The chapters expose serious scientific limitations of medical assumptions that Autistic people are gifted at maths but indifferent to fiction. After interrogating such clichés in literature, cinema and television, James McGrath also explores more radical depictions of Autism via novels by Douglas Coupland, Margaret Atwood, Clare Morrall and Meg Wolitzer, plus poems by Les Murray and Joanne Limburg. Follow this link to see James McGrath in conversation with Kelly-Anne Watson at Leeds Beckett University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQOotRZRzv4 Follow this link to view a content breakdown of the above interview: https://www.academia.edu/36406389/Naming_Adult_Autism_A_Conversation_winter_2017_ Follow this link to read a 'Seeking Sara' blog interview with James: https://seekingsara174.wordpress.com/2018/08/19/639/
Invisible Differences: a story of Asperger's, adulting, and living a life in full color by
Meet Marguerite. She feels awkward, struggling everyday to stay productive at work and keep up appearances with friends. She'ssensitive, irritable at times. She makes her environment a fluffy, comfortingcocoon, alienating her boyfriend. The everyday noise and stimuli assaults hersenses, the constant chatter of her coworkers working her last nerve. Then, whenone big fight with her boyfriend finds her frustrated and dejected, Margueritefinally investigates the root of her discomfort: after a journey of toughconversations with her loved ones, doctors, and the internet, she discovers thatshe has Aspergers. Her life is profoundly changed - for thebetter.
Hubert by
Hubert is a solitary man who shapes his life by going to museums. He talks to few people and only about museums and art. When his neighbor downstairs, a lonely woman, tries to seduce him, he doesn't understand. He takes photos of the pictures he likes--usually of beautiful women--and paints copies of the paintings at home. There is only one real woman who fascinates him; she lives in the opposite building and he can see her balcony from his window. One of the most beautiful graphic novels Jonathan Cape has ever published, Hubert marks the beginning of a great career.
The Pocket Guide to Neurodiversity by
At least one in seven people are thought to be neurodivergent. So what exactly is neurodiversity? What does 'executive functioning' mean? What are 'spiky profiles'? In this simple guide, expert speaker and trainer Daniel Aherne provides a clear introduction to neurodiversity and the four most common neurodivergent identities of autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Using an analogy of a cactus needing a desert to grow in, he emphasises the importance of getting the environment right for neurodivergent people, rather than expecting them to adapt to the neurotypical world. Daniel, who himself has ADHD, also explains how neurodivergent people often have great strengths alongside areas of difficulty, and writes about the interplay between diagnoses, as well as unpacking tricky concepts such as working memory, sensory processing, communication differences and more. Busting common misconceptions and setting out simple tips and guidance for supporting the neurodivergent people around you, whether among your family, friends or at your school, college or workplace - or if you yourself are ND and want to improve the understanding of others - this essential guide will help us all celebrate neurodiversity and foster more inclusive communities.
Working with Autistic Transgender and Non-Binary People by
Setting out advice, research and personal reflections to inform professionals' daily practice and overall understanding of the lives and experiences of autistic transgender and non-binary people, this edited volume is an invaluable resource for anyone who seeks to engage more with autistic transgender, non-binary or gender-variant people. Aiming to contextualise the overlap of autism and gender variance, this book features chapters by leading authorities such as Wenn Lawson, Damian Milton, Isabelle Hénault, Reubs Walsh, Lydia X. Z. Brown, and Shain Neumeier as well as other contributors from around the world. The collection is structured in three sections; the first provides interdisciplinary and intersectional approaches on autism and gender as well as the experiences of transgender and non-binary autistic people; the second features professionals discussing their work, the challenges they face and the solutions they find helpful; and the final section presents thoughts and perspectives from trans and non-binary autistic people on various aspects of their experiences, focusing on information that professionals will need to consider and discuss with the people they support. Combining rich and nuanced accounts of the lives of autistic trans people, practical guidance and information as well as the latest academic research about autistic transgender and non-binary individuals, this unique collection is essential reading for any professional wanting to develop their daily practice.