Reflection on Text Set as a Whole

Reflection on Text Set as a Whole

After reading the three books, Poems and Short Stories about my Brother Kevin who ahs Autism, Ian’s Walk, and The Flight of a Dove, I feel as though I have a good start to a literary collection about autism. These books can be read to, and understood by children in elementary school. I feel as though it is extremely important to provide children with valuable and accurate knowledge about autism because it is become more and more prevalent. It is most likely that all children will come into contact with a person who has autism, whether it be at home or in daycare, school, at the park, etc. Exposure to books such as these will give children an idea of what to expect from other children with autism. It will also provide them with tools for how to interact, communicate, and understand different behaviors displayed by children with autism.

My search for children’s books about autism was challenging. I had a hard time fining books about autism that were not purely informational, research findings, or learner’s guides directly targeted at adults. However, the text set that I was able to create will be a useful resource in my future home and classroom. I feel that children will be able to put themselves in the shoes of the various characters, and personally relate to them.

It is always better to be aware of what to expect when meeting someone different than yourself. This text set allows children to become familiar with characteristics and behaviors often displayed by individuals with autism. In fact, the note about autism, which is included in the front of each of the three books, provides useful information aside from the text itself. These passages could be used to teach about autism in general, and then use the story as a supplemental resource to apply the information learned in the introduction.

The theme of acceptance and support runs through each of the books. The books illustrate how patience and understanding can help establish an environment that supports all different kinds of people. Within this text set, every child could find at least one book to relate to. If a child has a sibling with autism, they would be able to relate well to Ian’s Walk. If a child has a classmate with autism they could relate to The Flight of a Dove. Lastly, any child who knows someone with autism could relate to the stories and poems about Kevin in Poems and Short Stories about my Brother Kevin who has Autism. Each book includes accurate information and feasible situations that one might experience when encountering a child with autism.