General Reference—
• ATTWOOD, T., Asperger's Syndrome - A Guide for Parents & Professionals, Jessica Kingsley, UK, 1998. This paperback is essential reading for those living or working with a child or adult with Asperger Syndrome. It is written in a clear and concise manner, with plenty of examples, practical suggestions and resource lists.
• BARNHILL, G., Right address...wrong planet: Children with Asperger Syndrome becoming Adults, Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2002. Written by an autism consultant, who has an adult son with Asperger Syndrome, this paperback covers a much needed area - that of adolescence and adulthood. Ms. Barnhill offers both her family perspective and practical advice for those living with/caring for an adult with Asperger Syndrome.
• BASHE, P.R. & KIRBY, B.L. The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome, Crown Publishers, 2002. Written by two parents, this paperback deals with the social, emotional and cognitive challenges faced by those with Asperger Syndrome, and their parents. It also provides an overview of treatment strategies and options.
• HOWLIN, P., Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, John Wiley & Sons, 1998. Pat Howlin is one of the most highly regarded clinicians in the field of autism. This paperback describes the full range of presentations along the autistic spectrum, and explains what is currently known about causes, assessment and treatment. Pat deals in an unbiased way with the vast range of treatments and therapies for autistic disorders. This is a detailed reference for practitioners and caretakers.
• NEWPORT, J. & M. Autism-Aspergers and Sexuality, Future Horizons, 2002. This paperback is written by a married couple, both of whom have Asperger Syndrome. It is a valuable insight into the social and sexual challenges faced by those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and provides advice for these individuals and their parents. Some parts of this paperback are quite explicit.
• SHAW, W., Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD, The Great Plains Laboratory, US, 1998. This paperback will be of interest to parents and others who are researching the alternatives to conventional treatment and management of Autism Spectrum Disorders. It specifically focuses on biological treatments, including antifungal and antibacterial treatments, gluten and casein restriction, vitamin therapy, food allergies - to name a few. This publication is not considered to be part of the mainstream literature on Autism Spectrum Disorders, but will meet the need of some families.
• WING, L., The Autistic Spectrum - A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Constable, London, 1996. On its publication in 1971, Lorna Wing's paperback Autistic Children was acclaimed as the definitive guide on autism. In this update, Lorna describes what autism is, how to help those with the condition, and the service types of value. This guide is easy to read and invaluable for parents and anyone working with people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Training Programs and Approaches—
• ADAMS, J., Autism - PDD: Introductory Strategies for Parents & Professionals; Creative Ideas During the School Years; and More Creative Ideas from Age Eight to Adulthood, Adams Publications, Ontario, 1995 & 1997 (distributed by Future Horizons). A mother in Canada has compiled these parent resource paperbacks. They are packed with useful ideas, checklists, strategies, sample charts, teaching aids and suggestions gleaned from her son's teachers and therapists.
• CUMINE, V., LEACH, J. & STEVENSON, G., Asperger Syndrome A Practical Guide for Teachers, David Fulton Publishers, UK, 1998. This is an essential resource paperback for teachers and parents. It provides a clear, non-technical explanation of the autistic spectrum, Asperger Syndrome, diagnostic issues and the educational implications of current theories. The bulk of the paperback provides information about educational and behavioural interventions in a school setting, in an accessible dot point format.
• GRAY, C., The Original Social Story Paperback; The New Social Story Paperback and the New Social Story Paperback Illustrated Edition, Future Horizons, (1993, 1994 & 2000). Social Stories provide individuals with autism with accurate information regarding situations they encounter. For many students with Asperger Syndrome, this type of written information appears to have a positive impact on their responses to social situations. Social stories have also been used successfully to teach academic skills. These paperbacks are collections of sample social stories compiled by Carol Gray, who developed the Social Stories approach.
• HOGDGON, L., Visual Strategies for Improving Communication, Quirk Roberts, 2001. A very practical paperback that provides easy to follow strategies for using visual aids to assist those with autism, Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS. Strategies are suggested for school and home.
• JORDAN, R. & POWELL, S., Understanding and Teaching Children with Autism, John Wiley & Sons, England, 1996. An excellent paperback for all teachers of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The authors provide a basis for understanding the developmental processes and problems of these students, and also the implications of these for social and educational learning.
• MCAFFEE, J., Navigating The Social World, Future Horizons, 2002. This manual provides a thorough curriculum for teaching social skills to individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. The program includes forms, exercises and guides for the student, and educational guidance to teachers and parents.
• MOYES, R.A., Incorporating Social Goals in the Classroom, Jessica Kingsley, 2001. This paperback is divided into two sections - the first gives a thorough overview of the characteristics of Asperger Syndrome and high functioning autism; the second half provides a guide to assessing areas of social deficit and implementing appropriate strategies. Very useful for parents and teachers.
• MYLES, B. S. & SOUTHWICK, J., Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments, Autism Asperger Publishing, KS, 1999. This paperback specifically examines the rage and anger exhibited by persons with Asperger Syndrome. Chapter headings include "An overview of the characteristics of Asperger Syndrome that may impact on behavior"; "The rage cycle and functional assessment of behaviors in the cycle"; "Strategies that promote self-awareness, self-calming and self-management"; and "Specifically for Parents". It is practical and easy to use and especially recommended for parents, caretakers, and teachers.
• SMITH MYLES, B & ADREON, D., Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical solutions for school success, Autism Asperger Publishing Co, 2002. An excellent overview of the challenges faced by teenagers with Asperger Syndrome at school. The paperback provides teachers and parents with practical solutions to assist in the transition to, and survival in, secondary school.
• WILLEY, L.H. (ed.), Asperger Syndrome in Adolescence: living with the ups, downs and things in between, Jessica Kingsley, 2003. This paperback tackles issues pertinent to all teenagers with Asperger Syndrome, including friendship, depression and sexuality. A different author, including Tony Attwood, Liane Holliday Willey and Rebecca Moyes, has written each chapter.
• WINTER, M., Asperger Syndrome: what teachers need to know, Jessica Kingsley, 2003. Written by a teacher, this paperback is very easy to read and full of strategies that will assist teachers, both in understanding Asperger Syndrome and also in providing a positive classroom experience for students.
Parents and Families—
• BOYD, B. Parenting a child with Asperger Syndrome, Jessica Kingsley, 2003. Written by the mother of Kenneth Hall (author of Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything) this paperback is a handy guide for parents and teaching staff. The format makes it very easy to use - it covers the range of issues that affect a person with Asperger Syndrome, and a host of tips and strategies to address these issues. Highly recommended for parents and teachers.
• HARRIS, S.L., Siblings of Children with Autism, Woodbine House, USA, 1994. This paperback will help parents understand a little more about sibling relationships and how Autism Spectrum Disorder can affect these relationships. It is a practical paperback, with suggestions and strategies for dealing with specific issues that are often of concern to siblings.
• JACKSON, J. Multicolored Mayhem, Jessica Kingsley, 2003. Jacqui Jackson is the mother of seven children. Her four boys are affected by a mixture of autism, Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Jacqui is also the mother of Luke, who authored the very popular paperback Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome. In Multicoloured Mayhem Jacqui gives the reader an amazing insight into her parenting strategies and the skills she has developed that enable her to parent these children on her own!
• WAITES, J. & SWINBOURNE, H., Smiling at Shadows, Harper Collins, 2001. This is the story of Junee and Rod Waites and their son Dane. Dane was born in Melbourne in 1974. He was diagnosed with classic autism when he was about four. Junee and Rod have endured much to bring Dane into their world, from infancy through childhood and adolescence to the talented and caring adult that he now is, with a valued place in his community. A remarkable family account.
Children's Paperbacks—
• DAVIES, J., Able Autistic Children - Children with Asperger Syndrome, University of Nottingham,1993/94. Designed specifically for brothers and sisters of children with Asperger Syndrome from the age of seven years, this useful paperback explains what Asperger Syndrome is and explores some of the difficulties that siblings may experience.
• HADDON, M., The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Random House, 2003. Christopher is 15 and has Asperger Syndrome. He finds his neighbor's dog dead one night and decides to 'do some detecting' to solve the crime. His efforts lead to an eventful sequence of events for Christopher and his parents. The story is written in the first person, from Christopher's perspective, and provides an amazing insight into how people with Asperger Syndrome and Autism think. It is funny, sad, exhausting and ultimately very satisfying to read. Whilst noted as a children's paperback, we would recommend it for teenagers and adults - it is a little gruesome and the language is colorful!
• HOOPMAN, K., Blue Bottle Mystery; Of Mice and Aliens; Lisa and the Lacemaker; Haze, Jessica Kingsley, 2001, 2002, 2003. Kathy Hoopman is an Australian parent who has written a series of adventure stories in which the central character has Asperger Syndrome. These paperbacks are a delightful read for siblings, peers and young people with Asperger Syndrome. Suitable for children aged eight years onwards.
• IVES, M., What is Asperger Syndrome and how will it affect me?, National Autistic Society, 1999. This is a useful guide specifically for the teenager and young adult seeking explanations about themselves. It contains simple coping strategies and answers to some frequently asked questions.
• MURRELL, D., Tobin Learns to Make Friends, Future Horizons, 2001. A delightful story about a train carriage that has characteristics of Asperger Syndrome, and therefore has difficulty making friends. Highly recommended for siblings, peers and children with Asperger Syndrome, between the ages of 6 - 14.
• OGAZ, N., Wishing on the Midnight Star, Jessica Kingsley, 2004. Told from the point of view of Alex, a 13-year-old boy whose older brother has Asperger's, this adventure story is about two brothers, their relationship, their friends and some interesting dilemma's they get themselves into. A highly enjoyable read for those aged between 8-15. This paperback is by the author of another Asperger adventure, Buster and the Amazing Daisy.
• SCHNURR, R, G., Asperger's Huh? - A Child's Perspective, Anisor Publishing, 1999. An excellent paperback on Asperger Syndrome for children, peers, teachers or parents. Written from the point of view of a 10-year-old child with Asperger Syndrome, it gives a good overview of the common difficulties faced by those with Asperger Syndrome.
• WELTON, J., Can I tell you about Asperger Syndrome? - A guide for friends and family, Jessica Kingsley, 2004. This paperback is about Adam, an 11-year-old boy with Aspergers Syndrome. Adam's story is about the challenges of AS, his talents and his needs. This paperback is designed to assist children's understanding of AS, and is suitable for those aged between 7 and 15.
Autobiographical Accounts—
• FLEISHER, M., Making Sense of the Unfeasible, Jessica Kingsley, 2003. Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome when he was 11 years old, Marc has gone on to complete degrees in mathematics. This paperback is an enjoyable account of his life and his strategies for success, complete with appendices on astronomy, parallel universes and the mathematics of unfeasibly large numbers!
• HALL, K., Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything, Jessica Kingsley, 2002. A wonderful paperback written by an 11-year-old boy with Asperger Syndrome. This paperback gives a fantastic insight into his world, and provides an understanding of life with Asperger Syndrome. Highly recommended for siblings, parents, teachers and young people with Asperger Syndrome.
• JACKSON, L., Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome, Jessica Kingsley, 2002. Written by a 13 year old boy with Asperger Syndrome, this paperback is highly recommended for parents, teachers, and young adults with Asperger Syndrome. It is funny, sad, insightful and full of great tips for parents and teachers.
• LAWSON, W., Life Behind Glass (1998); Understanding and Working with the Spectrum of Autism (2001); Build Your Own Life (2003), Jessica Kingsley. For 25 years Wendy was incorrectly diagnosed with schizophrenia. When in her 40's, her son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and she realized that this condition explained her own difficulties. With this unique insight, Life Behind Glassis a readable and very moving personal account. Her more recent paperbacks provide practical day-day strategies for living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Wendy is an acclaimed speaker and consultant and lives in Victoria.
Videos—
• Ask Me about Asperger Syndrome, Michael Thomson Productions, 2000. A fantastic, 30 minute video targeting teaching staff. This video is very comprehensive and will give teachers a thorough introduction to Aspergers Syndrome and several classroom strategies that will assist students and teachers. Would also be helpful for parents.
• ATTWOOD, T., Asperger Syndrome: a video guide for parents and professionals, Future Horizons 1999. A three hour presentation by Tony Attwood covering the major characteristics of Asperger Syndrome, the diagnostic process and management strategies. It is a very helpful introduction for anyone interested in learning about Asperger Syndrome. Tony has an informative and unique presentation style and is in demand as a speaker around the world.
• GRANDIN, T. Sensory Challenges and Answers and Visual Thinking of a Person with Autism, Future Horizons, 2002. These videos are interviews with Temple Grandin and provide a useful insight into the sensory challenges faced by people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the process of 'thinking in pictures' and strategies to overcome these. Each video is approximately 30 minutes long.
• PRIOR, M. et al, Understanding Asperger Syndrome, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, 2000. This 28 minute video explains the nature of Asperger Syndrome, how it impacts on the affected child and their families, and gives practical advice for teachers. Available to buy from Autism Victoria.
Periodicals—
• Autism Research Review International (USA)
• Autism/Asperger Syndrome Digest (Future Horizons)
• Communication (National Autistic Society - UK)
• NoticeBoard (Association for Children with a Disability, Victoria)
• The Advocate (Autism Society of America)