A Friend Like John

Understanding Autism

Children - Non-Fiction
28 Pages
Reviewed on 11/26/2011
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Suzanne Bartlett is the mother of a now eleven-year-old son with autism, as well as a practicing physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.

She is currently President of the Autism Society of Iowa, a member of the Autism Center Advisory Council at the University of Iowa, as well as a member of an Adult Transitional Services Committee of the Iowa Governor’s Autism Council. She served as a member of the Act Early Autism Summit sponsored by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2008.

Dr. Bartlett speaks regularly to university and community groups on the subject of autism. She is also actively involved with the organizations Autism Speaks and the International Society for Autism Research.




About the Book

A Friend Like John; Understanding Autism is intended for elementary-aged peers of children with autism, and is based on the life and traits of the author’s son, John, age 8.

Unlike other children’s books, which do an excellent job of presenting autism, this book illustrates the fact that children with autism have many similarities to typically-developing children. On each page, questions are posed to the reader such as, “have you ever felt like that?” The goal is to foster acceptance of children with autism by their typically-developing friends, family and classmates.

Whereas the differences children with autism have are often obvious to others, sometimes we forget that we all do have many things in common.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Molly Edwards for Readers' Favorite

I don't have a child with Autism, but I have one diagnosed with ADD so that I am always looking for books, or similar children or adults or ways to cope with and handle the disabilities. When this children's book became available for reviewing, I jumped at the chance to read it. Ms. Bartlett's skill in portraying John through the eyes of a child, and making it an easy to understand children's book, is stunning.

Children are very loving and accepting individuals. But, when someone has a problem, or disability like Autism, it's not easily understood among young minds, so often they find themselves shying away from that child. Through John's character in the book, Ms. Bartlett shows the young readers how sometimes, even though one may be different, they still have individual feelings and wants. Things like friendships, understanding, acceptance and love are all what that child longs for.

Through this unique and vibrant child's book, Ms. Bartlett shows how children can understand and accept a child with a disability, with Autism, if given the chance to understand.

If you are a parent of young children, or a teacher of little ones, this is a wonderful addition to your children's library of books. It can be used as an everyday read for the young ones, or it can be used as a learning tool within the classrooms. Not every child will always understand what it means to be different, but after reading this book, the child may have a better perception of what it's like to be different, and the longing for a simple thing such as a friend who cares.

With vibrant visuals and easy to understand words, Ms. Bartlett has created a wonderful and meaningful children's book. Though ADD is nowhere near Autism, it's still a hard disability to cope with when you have a child who doesn't understand why one is a little different. But, all they long for is hope, love and a friend. Ms. Bartlett portrayed all that in a wonderful, HIGHLY recommendable children's book. Well done, Ms. Bartlett!!