Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

Rating:
Summary: Stereotype Alert!
Review: As an educator who works with young children with autism, I must caution about the stereotyping risk of this book. Autism is too complicated to simplify into one boy and his spinning frisbee. The book portrays a boy who, "wanted to be in his own world just about all the time." True, many kids with autism prefer to play alone, but also there are many who would like to play with others but do not know how to initiate play or respond to typical play situations. Others love to be hugged and enjoy some social interaction. The wording in this book may lead some people to believe that all people with autism want to be left completely alone. Simply not that simple.

Rating:
Summary: Andy has a yellow frisbee
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Everobody needs a friend
Review: The story of little boy Andy and His Yellow Frisbee takes place on the school playground. Every day Andy, autistic boy brings his favorite toy Yellow Frisbee to school to play with during lunch. He always spends every recess by himself, spinning his frisbee.

His older sister Rosie plays soccer as Andy spins his yellow frisbee around in a corner on the playground. It just so happens that the new girl at school Sarah who carries a large backpack has taken notice of Andy.

From the very beginning of the book, " Andy was a real puzzle to Sarah." I get a feeling that the author knows first hand the trials and adjustments 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 preoccupied 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.
While sitting there during recess Sarah wonder what it was like being new at the school as she constantly check 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 twist 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. It's a wonderful story, viewing autism through the eyes of children, and paralleling the behaviors and feelings of children with autism with their classmates and siblings. Between the lines it says we all need a friend, we can reach out to somebody and ask them to play even if they seem different from us.
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.
At the end of the book, author offers factual information about autism, its different degrees and characteristics. Andy is a book that will help youngsters see how those with special needs may be different but deserve tolerance and kindness just like all children do. A brief list for further reading offers other titles about autism from this publisher.