Autism: "Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism"

Lears, Laurie. Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman & Company, 1998.

This book won the Dolly Gray Award for Children's Literature in Developmental Disabilities in 2000. This book is about a boy, Ian, who has autism and goes for a walk with his two older sisters, Julie and Tara. Julie narrates the story and expresses her frustration and embarrassment with Ian when he reacts differently to situations, such as sniffing the bricks or staring at a ceiling fan. Ian does get lost for a little bit, but is then found. In the end, Julie walks home with Ian the way 'he likes,' such as allowing him to sniff the bricks. She accepts his routines by the time they walk back home.

This is a wonderful story that describes many different things. For instance, it helps students who read this book to get a better insight and understanding of autism. It also helps students to see from a siblings perspective of what it may be like living with a sibling who has autism. I really liked how this book "acknowledge the negative feelings of brothers and sisters" with autism, mentioned in the "Note about Autism" at the beginning of the book (Rolland). This note also mentions that Julie is "mixed with these negative feelings, [as well as] strong feelings of loyalty, responsibility, and love" (Rolland). Because this book expressed the hardships that families may deal with it, it made it more realistic and makes the reader aware that although it can be difficult at times, it's important to be accepting, as well as try to be understanding. It also brushes on the point that responsibility and love play a role with siblings with autism.

I would definitely recommend this book for a classroom. The illustrations by Karen Ritz are beautifully done and expresses the emotions of all the characters in the book. The note at the beginning tells the readers that understanding and explaining autism can be difficult, yet this book does a great job in reflecting on a siblings perspective, as well as how Ian may feel about things. It shows that challenges, as well as the responsibilities and love that "siblings of children with disabilities such as autism " face in their daily lives (Rolland).