A Manual for Marco
Living, Learning, and Laughing With an Autistic Sibling
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
An 8-year old girl decides to make a list of all the things she likes and dislikes about dealing
with her autistic brother, and in doing so realizes that she has created A Manual for Marco.
"Through her genuine and caring accounts about growing up with an older,
autistic brother, this 8-year-old also shows her love for her sibling who is special
but sometimes does things that are not-so-special. I highly recommend this book
written with sensitivity and beautifully illustrated."
--Lorna d'Entremont, M.Ed., Special Needs Book Review
"Shaila Abdullah proves to be a great ambassador for autism, using explanations
and warm, welcoming illustrations in A Manual for Marco that give a complex
condition a simpler explanation."
--C. Hope Clark, Author of The Carolina Slade Mysteries and The Edisto Island Mysteries
"A Manual for Marco is a welcome addition to children's literature that will help
in introducing the condition of autism to young people and providing information
that will enable them to understand a little more about it so that it will not seem
so scary."
--Wayne Walker, Home School Book Reviews
For more information, please visit www.ShailaAbdullah.com
SHAILA ABDULLAH is an award-winning author and designer
based in Austin, Texas. She has written four other books: Saffron
Dreams, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, My Friend Suhana, and Rani
in Search of a Rainbow. Along with illustrations by the author,
A Manual for Marco also includes artwork by IMAN TEJPAR,
a 12-year-old artist from Canada.
From the Growing With Love Series
Loving Healing Press
Juvenile Fiction: Social Issues / Special Needs
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a story inspired by a real-life family, Abdullah, who tackled cerebral palsy in My Friend Suhana, discusses life with an autistic sibling, as described by a girl named Sofia. The story is constructed as entries in Sofia's notebook, which she keeps "under lock and key" since her brother, Marco, has a tendency to hide things. Sofia is open about Marco's strengths ("Marco can add, count, and subtract faster and higher than anyone I know"), as well as things that make him "not-so-special" at times (his difficulty handling departures from routine, for instance). The flattened digital cartoons don't do much to establish the characters' personalities, and Sofia's narration can be wooden ("The amount of time we save on shopping allows for other fun activities, such as visits to the park or library"). Endnotes provide additional tips and information about interacting with those on the autism spectrum. Ages 6 8.
