“As a mom, you worry about protecting your kid…But there are extra added layers of fears when you’re talking about a kid with autism or who has some special needs issue. You worry about him being bullied, about being treated unfairly. You worry about him doing the wrong thing in public and it being misconstrued.” – Holly Robinson Peete
April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day. Actress, Holly Robinson Peete’s HollyRod Foundation is an organization that advocates for children and adults with autism. Peete has co-authored two books about her family’s experiences with her son R.J., who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. One of the books is a fiction picture book, and the other is a young adult, nonfiction narrative. Although, Rodney Peete’s book is not categorized as a children’s book, Not My Boy!: A Father, A Son, and One Family’s Journey with Autism (Hyperion, 2010), is a “candid look inside his personal journey with their son, R. J. There are very few children’s books by Black authors that discuss the topic of autism. The books by the Peetes are the only books listed that are traditionally published, all the others are self-published by autism advocates. Hopefully, all the books can help promote inclusion and understanding of an often misunderstood disability. Go here for our “What’s Your Story?” feature of advocate, Dana Young-Askew, author of Come Meet Drayden. If you know of any other children’s books by Black authors about autism, leave a comment below. Our stories matter.
Hi, my name is Austin and I have Autism
Selina Jackson | Keenan Hopson | Indy Pub | February 23, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Davis Speaks: A Brother with Autism
Teisha N. Glover | Nicholas Glover | Rajiv Kumar | Exceeding Abundance Books | November 26, 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Mommy, What Is Autism?
Nikko Da Paz | Olabisi Thompson | Cares Consulting | October 14, 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Come Meet Drayden
Dana Young-Askew | Cameron Wilson | Independently Published | September 3, 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Cameron Goes to School
Sheletta Brundidge | Lily Coyle | Darcy Bell-Myers | Beaver’s Pond Press | March 27, 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Same But Different: Teen Life on the Autism Express
Holly Robinson Peete | R.J. Peete| Ryan Elizabeth Peete | Scholastic | February 27, 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged
Zetta Elliott | Purple Wong | Independent Publishing Platform | September 29, 2017 | Amazon
My Brother Charlie
Holly Robinson Peete | Ryan Elizabeth Peete | Scholastic | March 1, 2010 | Amazon | IndieBound
Keisha’s Doors: An Autism Story (Spanish and English Edition)
Marvie Ellis | Jenny Loehr | Speech Kids Texas Press, Inc. | July 1, 2005 | Amazon
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