The following books on Asperger's and related issues have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club. They are sorted by Guide Rating, with five stars being best.
1. Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Temple Grandin and others have written eloquently about what it's like to grow up on the autism spectrum, but they've generally written from the perspective of a grown-up. Here's an account from a kid right in the thick of it, an adolescent with Asperger's who wants parents to know what it feels like, and other kids to know they're not the only ones who feel that way. 4.5 Stars
2. All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
This looks like one of those cute gift books, but it's got a serious purpose: to provide a description of Asperger syndrome behaviors in the context of a creature for whom independence and aloofness is a point of pride. It's a clever, charming package. 4 Stars
3. Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger's, Tourette's, Bipolar, and More!
Cover image courtesy of Jill Schoenberg Girma
If your child has behavioral challenges, you've probably had the experience of reading symptoms for one diagnosis after another and feeling your child could be tagged with any of them. Kids in the Syndrome Mix works to sort out some of those tangled strands and lead parents to meaningful interventions for their children, whatever the diagnosis may be. 4 Stars
4. Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults With Asperger Syndrome
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
If your child has a hard time understanding the unspoken, contradictory, and ever-changing ways of social humans, this book may have something to offer, whether there's a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome or not. It gives calm, logical, specific, and practical steps to understanding where other people are coming from, and how conversations need to go. The journal at the end helps put your young person in charge of the change. 4 Stars
5. Asperger Syndrome and Bullying
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
A victim of school bullying battles back as an adult in this small helpful handbook. Dubin didn't know he had Asperger syndrome until he was 27, but bullies didn't need a label to target him as a victim. He identifies the traits of kids with AS that make them particularly vulnerable to bullies, and presents suggestions for schools, teachers, parents and bystanders to end the abuse and make classrooms more inclusive. 3.5 Stars
6. Asperger's From the Inside Out
Cover image courtesy of Perigee
This empowering memoir/self-help book by the executive director of The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership (GRASP) isn't intended for parents, but they may pick up some good ideas anyway for helping their children with Asperger syndrome succeed in the world and in positive self-image. The author was diagnosed as an adult, at the same time his son was, and brings an interesting perspective on how getting that label can change things for the better. 3.5 Stars
7. Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Some parents read books about miracle cures or stoic acceptance for inspiration, but for parents of older kids with special needs, who are finally facing the future, a book like this might fill the bill. While it does offer instruction and advice, it's mostly the story of a kid who, against the odds, went to college and did just fine. 3.5 Stars
