2023 April Reading Challenge

[Elizabeth]

April is Autism Acceptance Month, formerly known as Autism Awareness Month. For our challenge, please read either a fictional book where the main character is autistic, or nonfiction book about autism. Below are a few suggestions to get you started.

Fiction:
Too Sticky!: Sensory Issues with Autism
Can You See Me?
Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse
Planet Earth Is Blue
The Boy Who Steals Houses
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
On the Edge of Gone
The State of Grace
The Kiss Quotient

Nonfiction:
Ten Steps to Nanette
I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder: A Memoir
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention

For more info about autism, check out the Autism Self Advocacy Network at autisticadvocacy.org.

[Teresa]

Ohh, I have a list of own-voices autism fiction!

[Debbie]

I have read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It was a fascinating story and I enjoyed it tremendously.

For those who want non-fiction, anything by or about Dr. Temple Grandin is on spot. Her openness about her autism and it's challenges while showing significant accomplishments in both the practical and academic worlds brought about so much of the beginings that led to our greater understanding of autism. Can you tell I'm a fan?

[Em]

I am excited about this topic. Thanks for choosing it. I can also recommend Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum.

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I was also going to suggest Temple Grandin. AMAZING.
The library also has a book called All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum (or something like that) which was fun.
With two (at least) autistic children who don't "look autistic" I might need to read Em's recommendation.

[Darin]

I've always wanted to read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, so now I'll do that.

My son is somewhere on the spectrum, but he wasn't diagnosed until his 20s - once we learned that, when we thought of some past situations, the light bulb turned on for us! Better understood why he did things he did!

[Greg]

I read The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon.

4/4 for 2023

[Audrey]

I just put The Reason I Jump on hold because I have a 13-year-old son with autism. I also own a copy of Real.

[Tanya]

Teresa wrote: "Ohh, I have a list of own-voices autism fiction!"

Really? Would you mind sharing it?

[Teresa]

Tanya wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Ohh, I have a list of own-voices autism fiction!"

Really? Would you mind sharing it?"

I updated it to 'Neurodivergent' so some won't qualify for this challenge (OCD or Bipolar diagnoses, etc), but those ones are obvious in their individual book descriptions.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Brittany]

For this month's challenge I am going to read Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

[Brittany]

Darin wrote: "I've always wanted to read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, so now I'll do that.

My son is somewhere on the spectrum, but he wasn't diagnosed until his 20s - once we learned that..."

I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time six or seven years ago. It's a very memorable story and I'm glad I read it. I look forward to hearing what you thought about it.

[Deborah]

Em wrote: "I am excited about this topic. Thanks for choosing it. I can also recommend Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum."

This is the book that I am planning to read.

[Britt, Book Habitue]

Counting by 7s was so good.

[Elizabeth]

Wow, so many people have already picked out books for this challenge. That's fantastic. Keep it up!

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I also had a graphic novel Sensory checked out, but apparently there's only one copy in the system, so I had to return it and I probably won't get it again until the month is over. It looks fun.

[Deborah]

I finished Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum by Michael McCreary.

[Elizabeth]

Deborah wrote: "I finished Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum by Michael McCreary."

Thanks for letting us know. Don't forget to let me know when you finish your reading challenge book - that way, you'll be entered into the prize drawing to win a free book!

[Carolyn]

I am planning on reading The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews. I have been wanting to read this book and it looks like this is the month.

[Brittany]

I finished Counting by 7s, it was good and I'm glad I got to read it for this challenge

[Carolyn]

I just finished reading The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews. This book was amazing! This is one of my favorite books of the year so far! I can't wait to read it again.

[Linda]

I read 2 books.
All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum
Planet Earth Is Blue
Both were excellent reads.

[Audrey]

I read The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism.

[Elizabeth]

Excellent. Keep it up!

[Em]

I read Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X Stork. Finished today!

[JoAnn]

Spaghetti is Not a Finger Food is a fun book. I read it with my first grader.

[Elizabeth]

Nice!

[Darin]

I finished listening to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I think I'd give it 3.5 stars, which I'll round up to 4 stars.
I understand, and can relate to, the parents. Our son is probably on the spectrum. 20 years ago, we didn't know very much about autism or ADD or ADHD or many other mental challenges. Our son was diagnosed with ADHD, but there were many other issues and signs of autism.
We put our son through wilderness and residential treatment - he would not have graduated from high school without those experiences. It helped a lot...while he was there, and a little when he returned home. Our hope is that someday, he will remember what he experienced, and that will be a thing that will improve his life.
Something interesting to us, as parents, was when we were invited down for family workshops. Most of the kids there had parents who were divorced. I'm not saying my wife and I are perfect parents, but we tried very hard to be on the same page when making decisions. I can understand how the mom in this story couldn't handle Christopher at times. We love our son dearly, but much of the time, it was very hard.

Well, anyway, I don't want to go on forever, but I'm just saying we could understand how an autistic child can sometimes be a challenge to raise.

[Carolyn]

Any chance that we can get the May challenge before the weekend? I am planning my reading for next month.

[Stephanie]

I'm sorry I missed this! I just discovered these challenges. I've had Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend on my shelf for years, which would have been great for this theme. I could start it, but there's no way I'd finish by today. I'm looking forward to next month's challenge.

[Whitney]

I kinda forgot about these challenges. I loved doing them last year! I read Dear Mothman by Robin Gow this month. It was incredible. 5 stars highly recommend. Middle grade- autistic, trans boy write letters to Mothman after his best friend dies. 😭

[Elizabeth]

Carolyn wrote: "Any chance that we can get the May challenge before the weekend? I am planning my reading for next month."

May Challenge is up now!

[Elizabeth]

Stephanie wrote: "I'm sorry I missed this! I just discovered these challenges. I've had Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend on my shelf for years, which would have been great for this theme. I could start it, but there's..."

Welcome! I'm glad you found these, and hope you try May's challenge.

[Elizabeth]

Whitney wrote: "I kinda forgot about these challenges. I loved doing them last year! I read Dear Mothman by Robin Gow this month. It was incredible. 5 stars highly recommend. Middle grade- autistic, trans boy writ..."

Welcome back! Glad you remembered us. :D

[Elizabeth]

Darin is our prize drawing winner for April’s reading challenge for reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Congratulations!

[Darin]

Elizabeth wrote: "Darin is our prize drawing winner for April’s reading challenge for reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Congratulations!"

Thanks! I love these challenges - stretches my reading habits in great ways.

[Debbie]

Well, shoot, I thought I'd posted but clearly did not. Not being in the drawing is just fine with me. I read I Wish You Understood by Jacqueline Hughes ( Review )

[Elizabeth]

Debbie wrote: "Well, shoot, I thought I'd posted but clearly did not. Not being in the drawing is just fine with me. I read I Wish You Understood by Jacqueline Hughes ( Review ) "

I'm glad you posted now though. I was kind of wondering if you were too busy.

[Audrey]

Last year I forgot to vote in Reader's Choice after reading 10-15 of the books.

[Debbie]

Elizabeth wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Well, shoot, I thought I'd posted but clearly did not. Not being in the drawing is just fine with me. I read I Wish You Understood by [author:Jacqueline Hughes|806892..."

I've been struggling with reading lately. Part of it is OJ Simpson's fault. On YouTube I found a site for the entire trial, in chronological order. When it was going on, back in 1995, I only watched one day when I was home sick. Timewise, it started with a preliminary hearing in June and July 1994 and then on to the actual trial. starting on January 25, 1995. Where hubby and I have gotten is to May 15. Trial goes to September 30 with the verdict on October 1, 1995. I feel so sorry for the jury.

[Debbie]

Audrey wrote: "Last year I forgot to vote in Reader's Choice after reading 10-15 of the books."

OUCH!

[Elizabeth]

Debbie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Well, shoot, I thought I'd posted but clearly did not. Not being in the drawing is just fine with me. I read I Wish You Understood by [author:Jacque..."

But Debbie... if you feel sorry for the jury why are you reliving their experience?

[Debbie]

I'm not, exactly. I can turn it off and go watch something else. I can watch the lawyer arguments during the times when they discuss thngs outside of the jury's presence, times when the jury is stuck in a side room. I can fast forward through the frequent sidebars while the jury is stuck in the jury box twiddling their thumbs.. Most importantly, I can fix my own dinner and sleep in my own bed at night.

[Elizabeth]

Debbie wrote: "I'm not, exactly. I can turn it off and go watch something else. I can watch the lawyer arguments during the times when they discuss thngs outside of the jury's presence, times when the jury is stu..."

That's pretty cool. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.