Useful Books On Autism

Here to steer you through the maze of autism.

“The following are my top five books about autism. I hope there is something here that you find useful and interesting.”  Charlene Tait

Charlene Tait, Director of Development, offers some suggestions for autism reading publications:

When I first started working in the field of autism it was really difficult to find useful autism reading material. Today we are inundated with information and it seems there has been an explosion of literature of all kinds available on autism.

Of course, this a really positive change as it means more people know and understand about the needs of people on the autism spectrum and as importantly that more people want to know.

Cumine, V., Dunlop, J., Stevenson, G.(2009) Asperger’s syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers. London: Routledge.

This is the second edition of this a gem of a book. It is packed full of valuable information and is useful beyond the classroom. The authors give one of the most accessible accounts of psychological theories of autism but more importantly they give relevant practical examples and good practice advice.

Nazeer, K. (2006) Send in the Idiots:Or how we grew to understand the world. London: Bloomsbury

There are a number of personal accounts authored by people on the spectrum and I particularly liked the approach taken in this book.

Attwood, T. (2006) The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Does exactly what it says, provides a comprehensive overview of Asperger’s syndrome and the range of issues, challenges and supports they may require.

Nichols, S., Moravick, G.M.,Tetenbaum, S.P. (2009) Girls Growing Up On The Autism Spectrum. London Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

This is a book I have dipped in and out of. I have included it because I think it is useful for parents, practitioners and women on the spectrum to have a resource that raises and tackles issues that are directly relevant to females. The book covers a whole range of topics such as self perception, puberty and sexuality.

Bowler, D. (2007) Autism Spectrum Disorders: Psychological Theory and Research. West Sussex: Wiley.

This is not for the faint hearted and is more of a reference book and really useful for those with a more academic interest in autism. This book provides useful reviews of research in relation to psychological theories and is useful for stimulating thinking and discussion about a range of topics.