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Andrea Guzmn, Linda Houle, and Kristin Stone

LSC 530: Texts and E-Tools for Tots to Teens
Professor Mary Moen
April 28, 2016
Autism Awareness Summer Reading Program
Break Outside for Summer Reading
Part I
Theme: Break Outside for Summer Reading
As part of the summer reading program we will encourage participants to break outside
of their comfort zone and explore books and other materials about autism. This will promote a
community of inclusivity with a focus on autistic children. The terms break outside can also
refer to breaking out and exploring all that summer has to offer.
The focus of this program is children between the ages of 5 and 12.
Events
Summer Reading Launch Party.
Get the local schools involved. Collaborate with teachers to promote the summer reading
program and invite all the children to the library for a launch party. This launch party could be a
pizza party, but with an option for children to play games if not comfortable in the social setting.
A gaming corner would be set up in advance and all children with autism would be invited to
preview the space prior to the official start time of the program. The gaming corner would
include promotional flyers of applications that we wish to recommend as part of the summer
reading program.
Minecraft Tournament.

Have a Minecraft event every month of summer reading: June, July, and August. Keep
sessions to a maximum of 6 participants at a time. Registration would be required. If interest is
high we could offer two 1 hour sessions each time the program is run for a total of six sessions.
StoryWalk.
Throughout the summer months, we will offer 4 different books to be read on a
StoryWalk. The StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT. It was
developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg
Hubbard Library. A StoryWalk is an exciting way to bring the library and reading outdoors.
All you need to do is follow the path as you read the story. All stories connect to building social
and emotional awareness of yourself and others.
Outside Event with Bubble Performer.
The bubble performer has been very popular in public libraries in the past and this goes
with the theme of Break Outside and encourages the children to play outside.
Autism Awareness Day.
Game Day with families to encourage interaction with kids on the autism spectrum in a
friendly environment.
Computer Game Tournament.
This tournament will involve an app or game we want to promote during the summer
reading program.
Cosmic Kids Yoga Night.
One night each month will be dedicated to yoga for children. We will be using videos
created by Jaime Amor from Cosmickids.com. There are many benefits to yoga, including body
awareness, relaxation, and calmness. This program has been successfully used in a special

education inclusion classroom at North Smithfield Elementary School. Registration would be

required. If there is high interest, we could offer two, half hour sessions.
Autism: The Musical.
Have a film screening of Autism: The Musical and have attendance count as participation
in the summer reading program.
Incentives
Incentives for participating in the summer reading program include the kick off pizza
party, building your own sundae when reaching a certain goal, and a prize at the end of the
summer when the final goal has been met.
The measure of success/participation will be based on the amount of time the children are
spending reading or actively joining in library programs. The goal is to devote 20 minutes at a
time to reading or using an application that the library is promoting, in order to meet the goal of a
total of 10 hours. This will be measured using a board game and every 20 minutes that are
completed the child will be encouraged to come into the library and receive a sticker on their
board game.

Promotional Efforts
Promotional efforts will include flyers in print and digital formats, YouTube videos,
attending schools before they break for the summer and talking to students about opportunities at
the library during the summer. The Autism Project, a nonprofit located in Johnston, RI, hosts an
annual Imagine Walk in the month of April at Goddard Park in Warwick RI... This would be an
ideal setting for a tent or table to display autism books and related material, as well as meet
others involved in the autism community. Attending the Imagine Walk could also be a good place
to let others know about the program and how to extend Autism Awareness beyond the month of
April.
Part II
Justification for the Program
The autistic community is underserved and there are so many books and resources about
and relating to autism that should be highlighted and introduced to the young reading
community, not just those who have autism. The Autism Project, for instance, is a unique

collaboration of parents, professionals and community members who provide quality support,
training, and programming that is accessible to all for children and adults with an Autism
Spectrum Disorder, their families and those who work with them (Who We Are, n.d.). This is a
resource that can be used by any library in Rhode Island that is interested in better serving the
autistic community.
Sarah Pimenta (S. Pimenta, personal communication, April 7, 2016) from the Autism
Project stated that it is difficult to choose one tool to help people with Autism communicate,
because each individual with Autism is so different from the next. What may work for one
person, may not work for another. Visuals in general are very helpful to assist with both selection
of library materials and the experience of going to the library; the type of visual, and how it is
used can vary from person to person. Visuals can include; first/then boards (used to help
someone understand first short story, then break) and countdown timers (used to help visualize
the concept of time - 4 more minutes of story time, then choose a book etc.). These are
considerations to keep in mind when designing the summer reading program and curating a list
of items to promote and use in programming.
The purpose of summer reading is to keep children engaged and learning even when
school is not in session. In recent years, there has been a transition from summer reading
programs to summer learning programs (Jacobson, 2016). Jacobson writes that librarians are
viewing their impact in a different way: In the past, success might have been measured by
packing 200 children into a room for a puppet show. Now [...] the focus is more on engaging
with children in a deeper way (2016, p. 34). A summer reading program focused on the autistic
community is a way for libraries to engage in a deeper way with a group of children who are in
need of more, or special, attention. This also allows for children and parents who do not belong

to the autistic community to learn to engage with people and families who have autistic
connections.
Part III
The Break Outside for Summer Game Board was created as a visual tool to keep track of
the reading progress of the participants. The purpose of the game board is to offer visual
stimulation, setting goals, and self-motivation to meet those goals.
Below is a list of twenty items that can be used as part of the summer reading program.
Children will be required to read, watch, or listen to at least two of the following in order to meet
the summer reading challenge. Participation for the summer reading program will be measured
using time. The goal is for children to spend a total of 10 hours reading, watching, or listening to
materials over the course of the summer. One item from the list must be read, listened to, or
watched in full to honor the theme of autism inclusivity.
Tools used to determine what items to include in the following list include looking for
relevant materials. Also, we wanted to be sure to include items that are available in Rhode Island
public libraries. There is a permanent link for items that sends patrons directly to the catalog.
Another benefit of the permanent links is that most of the items have reviews listed directly in
the catalog. Review sources include School Library Journal, The Horn Book, Publishers Weekly,
Kirkus Reviews, and more. Items on the list were also looked at on Amazon to garner public
opinion on the materials.
One item from the list below that we agreed could be watched by everyone as part of the
summer reading program is Autism: The Musical. One of the programs will be a showing of the
film and everyone will be encouraged to attend. If people choose not to attend or cannot make it
there are multiple copies in the state and it would be easy enough for them to request it and

watch at their convenience. The reason for choosing this item is that the film was created by
parents of autistic children and it features five autistic children and their participation in theater.
This could be the beginning of a film viewing and discussion program at the library. Another
film that could be viewed as part of the year-long program is Jennifer Medvins Little Hero. The
reason for choosing a film instead of a book is that the visual element could allow for more
participants and inclusivity regardless of age or reading level.
#

Title / Permanent Link

Description

My Friend Has Autism

Age Range: 5 - 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten 3

This is a story of two little boys

What do the boys have
and their friendship. One of the
in common?
little boys has autism, but that does
Answer: Their love of
not interfere with their bond.
airplanes

Same But Different: Teen Life

on the Autism Express
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up

Teenage teens share their story

about growing up together and
what it is like for one to have
autism and the other to have an
autistic sibling. The story
alternates between their two
perspectives.

What fictional names

do Ryan Elizabeth and
RJ use?

Autism: The Musical

Rated: NR (Not Rated)
DVD Release Date: May 13,
2008

Autism: The Musical follows five

children with autism, and their
parents as they put together a fulllength original stage production.
The children learn to use music to
express emotion.

What was your favorite

song in the musical?

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Age Range: 10 and up

This Newbery Medal Honor book

is about twelve-year-old, Moose,

Why does Mooses dad

take a job at Alcatraz?

Question

Answer: Callie and

Charlie

Possible answers:
We Just Won't Be
Defeated, Urge for
Going, Silent Night,
Bolero, Families,
Wounded World, Try to
Find Me, I'm Not That
Girl, and As

Grade Level: 5 and up

Audiobook

who moves to Alcatraz Island in

1935 when his father takes a job at
the prison.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up
Audiobook

In this sequel to Al Capone Does

My Shirts, Moose Flanagan is
frightened when he discovers that
noted gangster Al Capone, a
prisoner of Alcatraz, wants a favor
in return for the help that he
secretly gave Moose.

During what historical

time in U.S. history
does the book take
place?

Al Capone Does My
Homework
Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up
Audiobook

Moose Flanagans father is

promoted to Associate Warden and
Moose must face new challenges
as his life on Alcatraz Island
begins to change because of his
fathers new position.

What major challenge

does Moose face in this
story?

Chicken Boy : The Amazing

Adventures of a Super Hero
with Autism
Age Range: 4 and up

This story is told from the

perspective of an autistic child. He
claims to have a superhero inside
his head and he calls him
Chicken Boy. It is a story about
accepting people who are
different.

What other book has

the author written about
Chicken Boy?

Since Were Friends

A picture book that comes
with a CD for coloring
Age Range: 4-8
Grade Level: Preschool - 2

Meet Matt. Like other individuals

with autism, Matt has difficulty
with social situations, but Matt
likes to play sports, swim, and go
to the playground. Matt is very
excited about having an
understanding friend to do these
things with.

What genre is this

book?

So his sister can go to a

special school in San
Francisco

The Great Depression

His sister, Natalie, is

blamed for starting a
fire in their apartment
and Moose tries to find
the actual culprit.

Chicken Boy: A Super

Hero Deals With
Doctors & Dentists

Realistic fiction

10

11

12

13

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

Age Range: 5-8
Grade Level: 1-3

My Best Friend Will

Age Range 8-12

The Autism Acceptance Book

Age Range: 6-13

My Brother Charlie
Age Range: 4 and up

Arnie and His School Tools:

Simple Sensory Solutions that
Build Success
Age Range: 6-12
Grade Level: 1-7

This is a book about Andy, a boy

who has autism. This book shares
the perspective of what it is like to
have a sibling with autism.

What is Andys sisters

name?

This book is about the wonderful

relationship between Jamie, a
neurotypical 11-year-old
neurotypical Jamie and her friend
with autism, named Willie. Jamie
shares her experiences about what
it is like to have a friend with
autism.

Who was the publisher

of this book?

This colorful activity book teaches

everyone about acceptance and
understanding of people with
autism.

What is the underlying

theme?

In this story, a young girl writes

about her twin brother Charlie,
who has autism. She shares all of
the things that her brother Charlie
can do! This author of this book,
Holly Robinson Peete, is a
national autism spokesperson and
actress. She has an autistic son
who inspired her to write this
book.

What instrument does

Charlie play Itsy Bitsy
Spider on?

Read how Arnie learns simple

strategies that will help make his
life, with sensory needs, much
easier.
This book was published by the
Autism Asperger Publishing
Company.

Can you name one tool

that Arnie uses when
his motor is running too
high?
Possible Answers:
Fidget, weighted vest,
headphones, yoga ball,
chewy

Rosie

The Autism Asperger

Publishing Company

Everyone is different
and unique.

Piano

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I See Things Differently: A

First Look at Autism
Age Range: 4-7

All My Stripes: A Story for

Children with Autism
Age Range: 4-8
Grade Level: Preschool-3

Different Like Me: My Book

of Autism Heroes
Age Range: 8-12
Grade Level: 2nd and up

This book was written to help

young children understand more
about other children that have
autism. It is beautifully written
and has bright and colorful
illustrations on each page. The
author is a psychotherapist and
child counselor. This books
focuses on the social and
emotional issues in a sensitive
manner.
The topic of autism is explored in
a way that encourages positive
interaction among children,
parents, and teachers.
Special Needs Resource
Foundation of San Diego

Can you catch autism

from someone else?

Zane is a zebra who happens to

have autism. He worries that his
classmates will treat him
differently. Zanes mother helps
him to feel more confident in who
he is and that his autism makes
him special.
This book contains a reading guide
with tips for parents and caregivers
of children with ASD.

Zanes mother tells him

that her favorite stripe
is his curiosity stripe.
What does curiosity
mean?

This story is about historical

people that had difficulty fitting in
with society. Yet, these famous
people, which include Andy
Warhol and Albert Einstein, were
able to overcome these adversities
and achieve great things.

In this book, Quinn is

an 8 year old boy that
has Aspergers
Syndrome. He talks
about many of his
heroes who are also
different. Can you
name one of his heroes?
Possible Examples:
Albert Einstein, Lewis

No

It is when you always

want to know more.

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Carroll, Dian Fossey

17

Its Okay to Be Different

Ages: 4-7
Grade Level: Preschool-1

Brightly colored with large print,

this book teaches children that it is
okay to be different!
This book celebrates diversity in a
fun and silly way!

The author, Todd Parr,

lives in San Francisco
with what type of
animal? (His name is
Bully!)
His dog

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Squirmy Wormy
Age Range: 6 and up
Grade Level: Kindergarten
and up

Emmas Friendwich
Age Range: 4-6
Grade Level: Preschool-1

This is a story about a boy named

Tyler, who has autism and sensory
processing disorder. This funny
picture book will help young
children see how Tyler can make
himself feel better. This book is
endorsed by Dr. Temple Grandin
and was voted 2012 Book of the
Year by Creative Child Magazine.

In this story, Tyler likes

to squeeze between the
couch cushions like
what type of food?

This book is part of a 16 book I

See I Learn Series. This story,
focuses on social and emotional
skills and uses visual picture boxes
to help children follow along. In
this book, Emma has just moved
and wants to make new friends.
See the steps that she takes to
make 2 friendships!

What is one thing that

Emma does to make a
friend?

Hot dog

Possible Answers:
Smiles, asks, helps,
shares

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20

Oliver Onion: The Onion

Who Learns to Accept and Be
Himself
Age Range: 4-10
Grade Level: Preschool-5

In this story, Oliver the Onion

doesnt like the way that he looks.
He tries to run away from who he
really is, but eventually, he learns
that he should embrace and
celebrate his uniqueness. This
book was published by the Autism
Asperger Publishing Company.

Oliver doesnt want to

be an onion anymore.
Instead, he wants to be
a delicious fruit? What
fruit does Oliver want
to become?
An orange

The following are applications that can also be used as part of meeting the summer
reading program for autism awareness.
Title

Description

Camp Discovery

This app is designed specifically for children

with autism and is an excellent educational
tool for children ages 2 and up.

Ready

Ready is an "open ended" software creator

that lets anyone create games, apps, and
software without any previous coding
experience. (Description from creators
website)

References
Adkins, D., & Bushman, B. (2015). A special needs approach. Children & Libraries: The
Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 13(3), 28-33
The Autism Project. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.theautismproject.org/
The story so far... - Cosmic Kids Yoga. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cosmickids.com/about/
Jacobson, L. (2016). Endless summer learning. (Cover story). School Library Journal,
62(3), 30-34.
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder. (2015, Aug. 25). Retrieved from
http://www.carolinaparent.com/Understanding-Autism-Spectrum-Disorder/

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Who We Are - The Mission, Vision, Staff & History of The Autism Project. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.theautismproject.org/about