Sticking Like a Burr

A friend recently told me that her son

started to get interested in reading when

he discovered Captain Underpants.

That's a common story, and the fact that

her son has an Asperger's diagnosis may

not be as relevant as the fact that a lot of

kids like Captain Underpants.

Getting any child interested in books may

be as simple as finding a series they like

and popular series are a good place to start.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants 

are popular choices that have great kid appeal

because of their funny stories with goofy pictures. 

A short list of funny stories with goofy pictures:

Lenny and Mel, Scaredy Squirrel, and of

course, Sticky Burr, the subject of a new

book and today's review.

Here's what my son wrote about the newest 

adventure of that good-natured little seedpod Sticky:

"Sticky Burr started to tell the story.

But then, Scurvy Burr interrupted, 

and said he wanted to tell the story.

[I hope he's not too scurvy to tell the story].

They went to Spooky Glen.

They met Burweena.

I remember when she saw Sickly Burr.

[They fell in the bottomless pit]"

The parenthetical remarks are what

he said out loud when I first asked him

to tell me about what he had read a week

ago.

Now, he often cannot or will not remember

what we read the night before, so I thought

this recall very promising. Comic book like 

stories sometimes engage him more strongly.

As with the "I hope he's not too scurvy" 

remark, an unusual word or phrase sticks

in his mind more than the story.

The Sticky Burr books are aimed at 

elementary age kids, but there's enough

there for a middle school reader who still

wants picture support. The pictures 

absolutely show what is happening in

the text (a must for readers with autism)

and the humor is silly and character based

(a plus).

If you know a kid w/ autism who'd like to

have a book review posted, comment

or e-me autismreads@gmail.com

Stick to reading,

Spectrum Mom