The Amazing Autism Brain Cards
Glòria Durâ-Vilà, illustrated by Rebecca Tatternorth
Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that can be the most effective and so it is with this set of cards that offer an excellent resource for those who live or work with children/ young people who have recently received an autism diagnosis.

In the pack there are 150 laminated cards and an explanatory booklet explaining their purpose and offering words of wisdom about how to use them and with whom, (it could be with an individual or within a group) plus ideas, advice (choosing one’s words carefully, for example), and quotes from children themselves.

The cards are divided into two sets, one blue and the other yellow and each set also has some blanks for personalisation.

The yellow set are the ‘I am’ ones – those showing a strength – ‘fair and just’, ‘a good friend’, ‘observant’, ‘determined’ and ‘good at science’ for example.

The blue set are the ‘challenges’. They might refer to something sensory such as ‘Being cuddled’ or ‘Recognising feelings of hunger or thirst’; or related to the emotions ‘Showing my true feelings’ for instance, or seeing the big picture – ‘working towards a goal’, or perhaps ‘Knowing how to behave in different situations’.

In having the opportunity to choose those cards they feel relate to them, the young person feels in control and is helped to get a personalised picture – a celebration of how their autism looks.