Jennifer Cook O'TooleReseñas

DNF. Needed another go with the editor to condense content.

A rather eye-opening memoir by a woman who, in her mid-thirties, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, and who put in a lot of her own research to show how autism “looks a bit different in pink” and that because autism was identified in boys in a study, many girls and women are never diagnosed because their behaviors are different. A little too self-promotional at times for my taste, but nevertheless, an interesting account of being in a world with which you feel out of sync, a sensation I have felt most of my life.

When Julia was introduced to Sesame Street in 2017, I was ecstatic. Finally, there was some representation of autism in children's shows. Yet, in the six years that followed, there have been few, if any, books about Julia. So, when I came across My Friend Julia by Jennifer Cook, I knew I had to read it. I especially love that Jennifer Cook is also autistic—nothing for us without us.

My Friend Julia introduces Julia as "funny, smart, and autistic." I love this word order because autism is only part of who she is, just like her red hair. It then goes through activities Julia enjoys with other muppets, like art with Elmo or building with Ernie. It also shows Julia's bunny Fluffster, her flapping, and her headphones. As an autistic adult, I still have my Mr. Bear and do the same things. I loved the representation. The entire book is positive and inclusive. It ends with suggestions on how to be a good friend. It's great for autistic kids and their friends and would be perfect for schools.

Recommended age: 4-6 years old

Writing style: The book goes back and forth between descriptions of Julia and quotes by other muppets saying how they are similar or different from that description.

Lexile range (unofficial): 410L - 600L
Decoding difficulty: 4/5
Vocabulary difficulty: 4/5
Sentences difficulty: 4/5
Patterns difficulty: 5/5

Illustration style: Solid color backgrounds with full-color photos of the muppets.

Reality-based: Julia is one example of an autistic person. It works well for young children and can lead to more conversations about autism.

Disclaimer: Thank you, NetGalley and Lerner Publications, for this title. All opinions are my own.

It’s difficult to listen to a memoir with another purpose (in this case autism awareness for women) and not be a little confused. I appreciated learning so much that I didn’t know. But as the author didn’t get diagnosed until her thirties, the memoir part retroactively places autism as the reason for her experiences. I think I just would like to see more out there, so I’ll go to more books to learn. I wasn’t able to find any common ground here with the author’s life, but I’m glad that she’s out there telling her story.½

WOW! Just WOW!

I first heard Jennifer speak in January of this year. She mentioned that she had a new book coming out this summer. At that point, I knew that I had to get my hands on it.

Later on I discovered that the digital ARC was available on Edelweiss—YIPPEE! (Being a librarian has its perks.)

As someone who is on the Spectrum myself, I found myself totally relating to Jennifer’s experiences of social awkwardness, her attempts to fit in, and of feeling misunderstood. At times, it got so intense that I had to put my iPad down and step away for a bit.

Overall, reading Jennifer’s story helped me to validate and reaffirm my place in a unique sisterhood.

My hope is that other neurodiverse women will pick up this book, read it, and feel affirmed and validated in their unique experiences. In addition, I would highly recommend this title to mental health professionals and anybody else who cares for and wants to better understand women with high-functioning ASD.

As I was reading this book I did not look forward to reviewing it for I knew I should recommend this book, but at the same time I wanted to tell people not to read it as it really sounds like it's talking about me.

rigtigt fin lille bog om alskens sociale trafikregler - også for ikkeautister!

A really engaging book full of play ideas supported by clear instructions and photos. Shows how to use structured play to support children with Asperger synrome. The play ideas will help to develop fine motor and socil skills, planning and organisation.

The author of the book has Asperger syndrome, is married to an Aspie and is the mother to three young Asperkids. The idea for this book originated from her experiences as a young person grappling with the 'confusing' world of social etiquette. It aims to be a comprehensive guide to social rules for people with Asperger syndrome as well as a useful resource for parents and caregivers. Some issues discussed include friendships; when a thank you is expected; knowing how to handle criticism; and, a section on practice sessions.

Jennifer O'Toole, moeder van drie kinderen met Asperger en zelf Asperger, ontwikkelde uit haar ervaringen als leerkracht een nieuwe leermethode, aansluitend op de leefwereld, de bijzondere talenten en de geweldige potentie van dergelijke kinderen, om het zelfvertrouwen en de zelfstandigheid van deze ‘Asperkids’ terug te vergroten. Vaak zijn zij hun leeftijdsgenoten ver vooruit wanneer het gaat om logisch denken en feitenkennis maar kunnen meer doelgerichte opdrachten en het leggen van sociale contacten even snel tot twijfel leiden.