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A review by lucsbooks
The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide by Siena Castellon
5.0
After reading this book the first thing I want to say is that I loved Sienna Castellon and I wish her everything good and pure in this world!
I absolutely loved reading this book and here are some of the reasons:
- #Ownvoices - Sienna is both a teenage girl and autistic.
-Makes it clear that being neurotypical is just one way of being, not the only and certainly not the “right” way
- every term (medical, LGBTQ,...) with which some people might not be familiar with was immediately explained in a simple and straightforward way.
- It’s an extremely broad guide going through everything from clothes, puberty (I particularly enjoyed this), friendships, relationships (a big emphasis was put on explaining consent and every teacher in the world should read if not the entire book (they really should!!!) then just those paragraphs because Sienna did a better job of it than any teacher I ever had or heard of), family, society, school, bullying, discrimination...
- The illustrations are a great way of educating people about not only what being autistic is and feels like but also to contradict the misconception that all autistic people are white boys. (Disability rep. is also present.)
- Autism is a spectrum, not something that is unchanging and completely invalidates the “high” and “low” functioning labels.
This entire book is written in such a kind and measured way, sharing experiences and tips that work for the author as well as several others that might work for others.
I felt like Sienna was talking to me as a friend and I felt so thankful for what she was sharing with me. I know that this book seems to be aimed at other autistic girls but I honestly think that if neurotypicals read it, even if you think that you don’t know anyone that is autistic, you could learn to be a better and more understanding human being and isn't that what we all want?
Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for this DRC.
I absolutely loved reading this book and here are some of the reasons:
- #Ownvoices - Sienna is both a teenage girl and autistic.
-Makes it clear that being neurotypical is just one way of being, not the only and certainly not the “right” way
- every term (medical, LGBTQ,...) with which some people might not be familiar with was immediately explained in a simple and straightforward way.
- It’s an extremely broad guide going through everything from clothes, puberty (I particularly enjoyed this), friendships, relationships (a big emphasis was put on explaining consent and every teacher in the world should read if not the entire book (they really should!!!) then just those paragraphs because Sienna did a better job of it than any teacher I ever had or heard of), family, society, school, bullying, discrimination...
- The illustrations are a great way of educating people about not only what being autistic is and feels like but also to contradict the misconception that all autistic people are white boys. (Disability rep. is also present.)
- Autism is a spectrum, not something that is unchanging and completely invalidates the “high” and “low” functioning labels.
This entire book is written in such a kind and measured way, sharing experiences and tips that work for the author as well as several others that might work for others.
I felt like Sienna was talking to me as a friend and I felt so thankful for what she was sharing with me. I know that this book seems to be aimed at other autistic girls but I honestly think that if neurotypicals read it, even if you think that you don’t know anyone that is autistic, you could learn to be a better and more understanding human being and isn't that what we all want?
Thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for this DRC.