Books by the Team Who Brought You AuKids Magazine
Happy New Year!
〰️
Happy New Year! 〰️
January offer
〰️
20% off books
〰️
Use code DEBJAN20
〰️
This site only
〰️
January offer 〰️ 20% off books 〰️ Use code DEBJAN20 〰️ This site only 〰️
Scroll down for more information on each book and links to buy them
NEW: Strange Sayings and Confusing Conversations
by debby elley
PUBLISHED BY JESSIC A KINGSLEY
illustrated by tim stringer
Debby has written this witty book of short stories to validate a different view of the world, and to show autistic children that their experiences are not unusual. At the same time, she uncovers the mysteries behind some non-autistic conversational habits. At the end of each story, there’s advice for adults on making conversations easier for youngsters on the spectrum.
Look up here to find out about Debby’s background.
Check out Pure Innovations’ radio show with Debby chatting about the book here.
“I’m a huge fan of Debby’s writing and was very much looking forward to reading ‘Strange Sayings and Confusing Conversations’ - I was far from disappointed. As a resource this is fabulous; as a piece of writing it is insightful, charming, and hilarious. A fantastic informative text which is also brilliant fun to read.”
“I loved the fact that this was written so that a child could understand the short stories but that notes to adults (following) detail how to help more with very clear explanations.”
“An excellent child centred book to explore some of the odd conversations people can have.”
FIFTEEN THINGS THEY FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AUTISM
BY DEBBY ELLEY
PUBLISHED BY JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERS
“ It reads like a conversation with a wise and trusted friend and is in turn moving and wickedly funny.”
“This book is full of real-life humour, tongue-in-cheek truth telling, and front-line, in-the-trenches parenting know-how. ”
Alec and Bobby are autistic twins with completely different kinds of personalities and needs. Whereas Alec is a non-verbal extrovert with complex needs and an acquired brain injury, Bobby negotiates the challenges of a mainstream envrionment and is a reflective, thoughtful introvert. They have different kinds of sensory needs and require approaches tailored to suit them. Here, their mum, founder and co-editor of AuKids Debby Elley, addresses those needs chapter by chapter, providing a host of practical strategies to support them with communication, independence and self-regulation. At the same time, she’s reflecting on meeting your own needs as a parent, adopting the kind of positive perspective that will build confident kids - and generally adapting to a different kind of motherhood. This witty and jargon-free guide explains autism for the layperson and will be as useful to family and friends as it is to parents and teachers.
“Bright, witty, and upbeat, Debby Elley’s book is a heartfelt plea for people to understand the world as those with autism see it, backed up by lots of practical examples of how to do it. As entertaining to read as it is thought-provoking. ”
“This reads like a best friend’s guide to autism. Elley’s honesty, warmth, and positive outlook shine through making this a truly readable, relatable and hopeful book. Between the lines there is a wealth of useful information, understanding and valuable signposts to further reading. An especially great read for those new to autism. I highly recommend this book!”
Want to learn more about the thinking behind this parents’ guide to autism? Click here.
Read Debby’s interview with Spectrum Women magazine here.
THE ICE-CREAM SUNDAE GUIDE TO AUTISM
BY DEBBY ELLEY AND TORI HOUGHTON
iLLUSTRATED BY J.C. PERRY
PUBLISHED BY JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERS
“A brilliant, positive, easy to understand explanation of autism for young people. It sums up such a complex condition without stereotyping that all autistic people do X or feel Y making it a great basis for conversations around autism. ”
“I am a Special Education Teacher and was immediately drawn to the idea of this book and had to buy it! I am so glad that I did. I can’t wait to share this with my peers, as I think it would be a wonderful activity for all children in a classroom setting to do (i.e. create their own ice cream sundaes). ”
In the book we discuss how even potential sounds can cause anxiety to people who are noise sensitive.
Can you spot the things that might be able to make a sudden noise here?
Aimed at children ages 7-11 with and without autism, the best-selling Ice Cream Sundae Guide to autism explains autism simply and clearly, with fun puzzles and talking points along the way. Our aim was to present autism not as a negative list of ‘deficits’ but as a more neutral collection of traits that changed according to a person’s environment.
The book was a reaction to the term ‘Triad of Impairments’ which had been used to describe autism since the 1970s. This clinical terminology was passed onto parents whose children were being identified as autistic, making it more difficult for them to look upon autism positively or to explain it to their children in a positive way. Debby, a parent of autistic twins, felt that he had to ‘unlearn’ early messages before she could help her twins…and this conversation evolved into ‘how would we explain it instead?’
The book quickly became an Amazon best-seller and is now considered a standard guide on autism for children.
Read more about the concept behind the book here. Look up other work by the illustrator here.
“We have read many children’s based books to explain diagnosis to our son and his siblings but this is by far and away the best, which I knew it would be having read the authors’ previous books and magazines.
Our son’s younger brother has always struggled with understanding why his brother does the things he does and how he doesn’t understand what he’s doing. Despite everything we’ve done and read with him, he has still been so frustrated.
We read the Ice Cream Sundae book today and it was like a light bulb went on and his behaviour towards his brother has change dramatically today.
Our oldest now has a vocabulary to talk about his diagnosis and the ice cream analogy really made sense to him.”
CHAMPIONING YOUR AUTISTIC TEEN AT SECONDARY SCHOOL
By Debby Elley and Gareth D. Morewood.
Illustrated by Terry Culkin
PUBLISHED BY JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERS
“Reading this was a game changer for us. Packed with ‘real life’ advice from authors who know how parents feel.”
“Quite simply, a masterclass in avoiding crisis and allowing these young students to thrive.”
“This is the most raw and honest, yet inspiring and hopeful book I’ve ever read in regards supporting your autistic child through mainstream education. A truly fabulous book.”
Gareth D. Morewood wrote the book Championing Your Autistic Teen at Secondary School with Debby Elley; it provides a blueprint for how schools and parents can work together to make an environment tailored to the needs of each autistic pupil. Gareth’s approach is underpinned by his Saturation Model - explained briefly here and detailed more fully in the book.
Illustration by Terry Culkin, from Championing Your Autistic Teen at Secondary School
The transition to secondary school can be a daunting time for parents of autistic youngsters, as well as children themselves. Have you selected the right place? What if they don’t really understand your child’s needs? Will they adapt sufficiently – and if not, then what happens?
The good news is that you have the ability as a parent or carer to address these concerns, rather than leaving it all to chance. This book will give you the tools to do just that.
With chapters on choosing a school, preparing the groundwork for collaboration, overcoming obstacles and heading off conflict, this book provides an essential toolkit for parents wanting to get the best for their child from a mainstream school.
Read more from Debby Elley and Gareth D. Morewood in our National Autistic Society article on collaboration between parents and school staff.
“Highly recommended text for families planning transition, also for schools seeking to provide high quality provision for youngsters with autism.”
“Debby and Gareth have combined their respective experiences as parent and professional to create a treasure trove of inclusive principles and practical strategies”
JUST THE JOB!
A light-hearted guide to office life for the autistic employee.
By Debby Elley and Maura Campbell.
Illustrated by Tim Stringer
PUBLISHED BY JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERs
Debby Elley of AuKids magazine
Maura Campbell, screenwriter and co-author of Spectrum Women - Autism and Parenting
Illustration by Tim Stringer for Just the Job!
“Very helpful in navigating office life as an autistic person. Weird jargon, dress codes, coffee machine etiquette and what (not) to say about Janet-from-accounting’s new haircut? Maura and Debby have got you covered!”
Smart casual? Close of play? Endless water-cooler discussions about the weather?
Non-autistic adults can behave in baffling ways - and never more so in the maze of unwritten social rules, jargon and ritual that is your average day at the office. Luckily, Maura and Debby (office code cracker extraordinaires) have gone undercover in 'typical' offices for decades to pull together the ultimate survival guide for the autistic employee.
“This book is an absolute must for any autistic person ( actually all neurodivergent people) who want to work in an office environment.
I also feel that it is a valuable educational tool for bosses/ managers and training departments to refer to and get ‘inside’ nuggets of wisdom.
Humour is used throughout to educate, inform and empower all to thrive in the complex world of the office, and this book is a masterpiece, in that it combines all of this to produce a valuable lifeline and resource for the community.
Thank- you Maura and Debby and congratulations to you on writing this best seller!”
Read Brian’s full review and find out more about Just the Job! and other work-related advice at the book’s Facebook page.
Also available as an audio title on Audible
Illustration from the book, by Tim Stringer
“When starting a job in an office, an autistic person can feel as though they have entered an alternative world. This insightful and humorous guide provides a rationale for office customs and translates the idiosyncractic terms. It is only through the eyes of auitsm that you really appreciate the culture and expectations of working in an office. This is essential reading for an autistic person considering or starting work in an office.”