I first started this list about five years ago, and it has been copied numerous times. Upon reviewing it now, I can honestly say these remain some of the best books you can find. Look soon for additional updates and links. Also visit the other Books page and click on the carousel. If you click on underlined titles, they will bring you to the book's page on amazon.com, where you can get more information. You can also click the Visit the Store button to your left, which takes you to my store, where these and other titles can be found.
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders: Good Places to Start
Asperger Syndrome. Ami Klin, Fred R. Volkmar, Sara S. Sparrow, eds. Guilford Press, 2000. This is the closest thing to a textbook on AS there is, much of it based on the intensive research currently being conducted at the Yale Child Study Center. An essential addition to every school district’s professional library. Web site: http://www.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/
Asperger Syndrome: A Guide for Educators and Parents. Brenda Smith Myles and Richard L. Simpson. Pro-Ed, 1998. This school-focused overview of Asperger Syndrome includes important information on assessment, teaching academic content, and transition.
Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Tony Attwood. Jessica Kingsley, 1998. Clear, concise, and just over 200 pages, Dr. Attwood’s book is the classic first book for many parents and professionals when it comes to Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism. Dr. Attwood is a true advocate for persons with ASDs and any chance to catch him in a conference or seminar should not be missed. Web site: http://www.tonyattwood.com
Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Uta Frith, ed. Cambridge University Press, 1991. Frith provided the first translation of Dr. Hans Asperger’s 1944 paper “‘Autistic Psychopathy’ in Childhood,” wherein he first described children we now recognize as having Asperger Syndrome. This book includes that fascinating translation, as well as chapters examining the relationship between AS and other ASDs and other topics.
Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Transactional Developmental Perspective. Amy M. Wetherby, Barry M. Prizant, eds. Brookes, 2000.This is a textbook that will provide educators will a sound basic grounding in the communication and behavioral challenges of students with ASDs. Includes extensive references.
The Autistic Spectrum: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Your Child. Lorna Wing. Ulysses, 2001. Dr. Wing, who is also the parent of a child with autism, has a sensitive, easy-to-read style perfectly suited to this introductory book. New and highly recommended.
Autism in History, Theory: Going Deeper
Targeting Autism: What We Know, Don’t Know, and Can Do to Help Young Children with Autism and Related Disorders. Shirley Cohen. University of California Press, 2006. This sensitive, thought-provoking book takes a hard look at what educators and other professionals know (or think they know) about treating autism. Parents will appreciate Cohen’s evenhanded exploration of various philosophies and interventions (her chapter on Lovaas is recommended). Educators can gain much from her conviction that more can — and should be — done.
Autism: Explaining the Enigma. Uta Frith. Blackwell, 1989. This fascinating book is less devoted to explaining “how to” than to exploring “why.” It covers the history of autism, in both fact and fiction, and discusses what autistic behaviors and tendencies reveal about the autistic mind. Beautifully written.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Older Student or Adult
Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Strategies for School Success. Brenda Smith Myles and Diane Adreon. Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2001. Strategies for understanding and supporting the older child with AS. Complete with forms, checklists, and case studies.
Autism: Preparing for Adulthood. Patricia Howlin. Routledge, 1997. This award-winning book combines solid research and hard data with practical information. This is the 2007 version is available only as a Kindle Book, for amazon.com's electronic reader.
Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Classroom
Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers. Val Cumine, Julia Leach, and Gill Stevenson. David Fulton, 1998. I love this book! This slim book from the U.K. is cleanly organized, easy to read, and packed full of practical strategies for teachers. Because it is written for a British readership, some of the terminology and information regarding special education laws will not apply. However, it is a must-have for parents and teachers. It comes with very wide margins, and when my son was young and everyone was new to AS, I “customized” a copy by indicating what in it pertained to him and adding information where relevant. That copy “traveled” with him from teacher to teacher for about four years.
Asperger’s: What Does It Mean to Me? A Workbook Explaining Self-Awareness and Life Lessons to the Child or Youth with High Functioning Autism or Aspergers. Catherine Faherty. Future Horizons, Inc., 2000. (Note: Remind teachers that they are not to use the book to inform a child of his/her diagnosis.) The author is a therapist in North Carolina’s renowned TEACCH program, and she wrote this to help children understand their diagnosis and themselves. Sensitive, beautifully designed, and including exercises as well as extensive notes for parents and other professionals at the end of each section, this is a must-have for every family and every school psychologist. Also includes information on ASDs in the classroom. All these years later, it's amazing that nothing has come along to address these issues that's even half this good.
Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Patricia Howlin. Wiley, 1998. For reasons unknown, Patricia Howlin is not as widely known here in the States as she deserves to be. All of her books offer clear, practical information backed by research. Her discussions of “alternative” and augmentative therapies is refreshingly evenhanded. Also available as a Kindle Book, using amazon.com's electronic reader.
Do-Watch-Listen-Say: Social and Communication Intervention for Children with Autism. Kathleen Ann Quill. Brookes, 2000. This oversized paperback is chockfull of information, specific goals and techniques for achieving them, sample forms and checklists, as well as resource lists on suggested children’s books and music and sources for software, special toys, and materials.
Educating Children with Autism. National Research Council. National Academy Press, 2001. This is highly recommended for educators and administrators. Compiled by the National Research Council (which is part of the National Academy of Sciences), this book addresses everything from how to prepare staff to work effectively with students who have ASDs to the role of federal, state, and local policies.
How to Be a Para Pro: A Comprehensive Teaching Manual for Paraprofessionals. Diane Twachtman-Cullen. Starfish Specialty Press, 2000. Don’t be misled by the title. Although written specifically as a training manual for the paraprofessional, or aide, this book could serve as the basic introduction for anyone — parent, family member, educator, therapist — dealing with a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Clear, concise, and easy to read, it includes chapter summaries and “take home” messages that boil down the complexities nicely. The book’s second half deals specifically with issues paras encounter.
Teach Me Language: A Language Manual for Children with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Related Developmental Disorders. Sabrina Freeman and Lorelei Drake. SKF Books, 1996. This book can be used by parents, therapists, and teachers to help children across the autism spectrum learn language skills. Also available: Companion Exercise Forms for “Teach Me Language,” by the same authors.
Teaching Children with Autism: Strategies for Initiating Positive Interaction and Improving Learning Opportunities. Robert L. Koegel and Lynn Kern Koegel. Brookes, 1996. The Koegels are respected researchers and authorities on teaching children with autism. This book combines the “big picture” of interventions and education, practical strategies and the data to back them up. Excellent.
A Work in Progress: Behavior Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive Behavioral Treatment of Autism. Ron Leaf, John McEachin, Jaisom D. Harsh. DRL Books, 1999. This comprehensive book on applied behavior analysis for autism treatment covers it all: from the history of ABA to specific techniques for everything from teaching pronouns to managing a successful play date. More than half of the book is devoted to a full ABA curriculum. Includes samples of data tracking sheets and other forms.
Goals and Objectives
How Well Does Your IEP Measure Up? Diane Twachtman-Cullen and Jennifer Twachtman Reilly. Starfish Specialty Press, 2002. This title proceeds from the premise that a solid IEP, with clearly written and specific goals and objectives, is the cornerstone of any sound, effective educational program. Although there are many books out there about special education and the IEP process, this is the first we’ve seen to include examples and templates for the goals and objectives children with ASDs need but which are too often missing from most school district’s “banks.” There is simply no other book like this one--a must-have for parents and teachers.
Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism : A Manual for Parents and Professionals. Catherine Maurice et al., eds. Pro-Ed, 1996. The author of the groundbreaking, award-winning Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family’s Triumph Over Autism provides a highly recommended, thorough guide to setting up and running an ABA program.
Social Skills/Behavioral Issues
Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments. Brenda Smith Myles and Jack Southwick. Autism Asperger Publishing, 2005, rev. ed. For those faced with AS and HFA students with challenging behaviors (tantrums, etc.), this wonderful little book explains the AS characteristics that impact such behaviors, functional assessment of behaviors, strategies for teaching students self-awareness and self-management, and special tips on how to respond to such behaviors to help students gain self-control.
Inside Out: What Makes the Person with Social Cognitive Deficits Tick? Michelle Garcia Winner. SLP, 2000. Order through http://www.socialthinking.com. This book addresses social skills issues for children of middle-school age and older. Available only through the Web site.
Teaching Children with Autism How to Mind-Read: A Practical Guide. Patricia Howlin, Simon Baron-Cohen, and Julie Hadwin. Wiley, 1999. This fascinating book provides a thorough explanation of theory of mind, the role of TOM deficits in the behavior and learning of persons with ASDs, and a clearly outlined, step-by-step program (complete with pictures and teacher/parent “scripts”) for teaching mind-reading skills. Highly recommended.
Sensory Issues
Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Issues: Practical Solutions for Making Sense of the World. Brenda Smith Myles, Katherine Tapscott Cook et al. Autism Asperger Publishing, 2002. This slim (about 130 pages), cutely illustrated volume is chockfull of insights and tips for helping students deal with sensory integration problems. It is especially strong on pinpointing the possible sources of sensory discomfort and providing creative, simple suggestions easily implemented in the classroom.
The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction, revised edition. Carol Stock Kranowitz. Perigee, 2006. The first book written on SID for a lay audience, this remains one of the best-selling books for children with special needs, and no wonder. Kranowitz provides insight and practical, usable solutions for helping children cope with sensory issues.
Visual Learning, Visual Supports
Activity Schedules for Children with Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior. Lynn E. McClannahan and Patricia J. Krantz. Woodbine House, 1999. An illustrated guide to creating activity schedules from the teachers who invented them. Essential.
Making Visual Supports Work in the Home and Community: Strategies for Individuals with Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Jennifer L. Savner and Brenda Smith Myles. Autism Asperger Publishing, 2000. Lavishly illustrated and concise, this provides a quick but thorough overview of the art and science of creating visual supports.
Visual Strategies for Improving Communication: Practical Strategies for School and Home. Linda A. Hodgdon, 1995. This is the “big” book of using visual devices for everything from schedules to social skills. Full of information and tips, supply lists, and countless illustrations.
Visual Supports for People with Autism: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Marlene J. Cohen, Donna L. Sloan et al., 2007. Must-have if you are using visual supports; full of great ideas.