Clarabelle van Niekerk

My favorite thing about this book is that in the back there are tips on how to interact with a child with Asperger Syndrome. I think the most important aspect of any book focusing on disabilities is understanding what the individual is going through. All children with autism have different forms of it and they all have different characteristics. This book shows a very serious characteristic of Aspergers. Sam leaves in the night and walks to the festival with his dog. A police officer finds him but Sam is too overwhelmed to talk to the officer. All people must be aware of the symptoms associated with Aspergers. Also, the illustrations in this book are wonderful and they capture Sam's feelings.… (más)

What the book is about: The reader meets Sam, a young boy with Asperger Syndrome who shares many positive qualities similar to his family and friends; Sam also has some challenges and fears that may be a little different. Before his diagnosis Sam has a hard time making friends in school—the children do not understand him. After receiving help from his doctors and teachers, Sam is able to reach his full potential and even star in the school concert!
I loved the book Understanding Sam for a few reasons. The biggest reason was that it is the perfect introduction-to-autism book for its approximate grade level. Five, six and seven year olds are going to be in classrooms with students who are different from them in their learning styles, social preferences, tendencies and challenges—it may be difficult for these students to grasp the concept of a medical diagnosis and to make the connection between the term and the behavior. While in class one day Sam hummed the tune of his favorite song while he worked on a puzzle—the other kids in the class did not like the humming and told him to stop—later they stole puzzle pieces from him so that he would get upset. The book urges the readers to understand that, like Sam, not every child works well under the same classroom conditions and what makes Sam feel comfortable working in the classroom will not always be the same as what makes them comfortable. Understanding Sam can also broaden the perspective of its young readers by concluding the story with Sam sharing his love of music with the entire school; Sam performs a cello solo at the annual school concert; in front of many parents, teachers and peers Sam plays the best he has ever played and gets a standing ovation from the crowd! The message of Understanding Sam is that everybody is unique in what they like and dislike, how they learn, and what they contribute to the classroom environment. What is important to understand is that no one is unique in how they deserve to be treated—everyone is deserving of love and respect, especially in the classroom. When you learn to understand students like Sam, you will only have appreciation and excitement for all that he has to share with the world.… (más)