Helpful Resources for Parents of Children/Adolescents with Autism
(updated March 2025)

Psychologist

Psychoeducation about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is key to better understanding a child/adolescent’s symptoms and behaviors and learning how to intervene in a manner tailored to his/her needs, strengths and weaknesses. The following websites and names of experts are offered:

• Temple Grandin, internationally renowned expert on autism, as she has been diagnosed with high functioning autism and has written many books on the subject to help educate individuals (www.templegrandin.com).
• Tony Attwood, internationally renowned expert on what used to be called Asperger Syndrome; this author has written several books and chapters on this subject (www.tonyattwood.com).
• www.autismspeaks.com and www.autismcanada.org.
• Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes you Knew by Ellen Notbohm
•  When Life Becomes Autism: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting a Neurodivergent Child (Natacha Raphael)
• Understanding and Managing Autism in Children: The Ultimate Guide to Autism in Girls and Boys (Olivia Harris)
• Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum (Temple Grandin and Debra Moore)
• Beyond the Spectrum: A Guide to Parenting Adolescents with Autism (Richard Bass)
• The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (and their Parents) (Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve)
  

Books for Children and their Siblings:

• “I Have Autism” – A Child’s First Look at Autism.  A resource Guide and Reproducible Personalized “I Have Autism” book with CD-Rom (by Pat Crissey)
• I See Things Differently.  A First Look at Autism (by Pat Thomas)
• My Friend Sam (series of books, in French and in English, written and illustrated by a local artist and father of a son who is now a young adult with ASD, Patrick Hardy – www.myfriendsam.ca) 
• My Brother is Different: A Book for Young Children Who Have a Brother or Sister with Autism (by Louise Gorrod)
• (for parents and older children) Everybody is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters with Autism (by Fione Bleach)
• The Superhero Brain: Explaining Autism to Empower Kids and The Superhero Heart: Explaining Autism to Family and Friends (both by Christel Land)
• All of My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism (by Shaina Rudolph)
• My Brother with Autism: A Story Book to Celebrate Differences (by S. Nadia)
• Masterpiece (by Alexandra Hoffman) 
• Uniquely Wired: A Book About Autism and its Gifts (Julia Cook)
• Dragon and his Friend: A Dragon Book about Autism (Steve Herman)
• I Have Autism and That’s Okay (Kacy Chambers)
  

Other books that may be helpful:

• Asperger Syndrome and Anxiety: A Guide to Successful Stress Management (Nick Dubin).
• Conversation Skills for Kids with Autism and Asperger’s (Kindle edition) (Janine Tool, PhD)
• Girls Under the Umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Lori Emsperger et Danielle Wendel).
• Camouflage: The Hidden Lives of Autistic Women (Dr. Sarah Bargiela)
  

Suggested helpful books and programs to help improve social mapping and affect regulation skills are the following:

• Social thinking programs offered by Michelle Garcia Winner, such as the Superflex series of books and games and Social Behavior Mapping
• The New Social Story Book – Revised and Expanded, 15th anniversary edition (Carol Gray)
• Zones of Regulation (program established by Leah Kuypers) 
• How to Talk with Friends: A Step-by-Step Social Skills Curriculum for Children with Autism (Janine Tool, PhD)
  

Books for Teens:

• The Social Survival Guide for Teens on the Autism Spectrum (Lindsay Sterling, PhD)
• The Awesome Autistic Go-To-Guide: A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens and Tweens (Yenn Purkis and Tanya Masterman)
• The Asperkid’s (Secret) Handbook of Social Rules, 10th anniversary edition: The Handbook of (Not-So-Obvious) Neurotypical Social Guidelines for Autistic Teens (Jennifer Cook)
• Autism Survival Handbook for Teens: Essential Life Skills for Enhancing Communication, Organization and Self-Advocacy (Suzy Jules-Richard)
• Autism and Adolescence: The Way I See It (Temple Grandin)
• Lifeskills for Teens with Autism (V. Godfrey)
  

Connecting with the local Autism Resource Centre (ARC) (such as the one located in Riverview, NB – www.autismresource.ca) would help with educating oneself about ASD, as they have a lending library and helpful resource material for not only the parents and adults, but also for children, adolescents and their siblings.  As well, ARC offers programs and activities during the year that are helpful to ASD kids and teens.

***  Le Centre de Ressources sur l’Autisme Sud-Est NB (www.autismresource.ca) offre des services en français – consulter leur site web et cliquer sur l’onglet « français ».