"Andy and His Yellow Frisbee"

“Andy and His Yellow Frisbee” tells the story of Andy, Sarah and Rosie. Sarah is new to a school where Rosie and her younger brother Andy attend. In the book, Andy has autism, which causes him to desire isolation during his recess time. He enjoys spinning his yellow Frisbee and watches it go around and around. Rosie tends to keep a watchful eye over her younger brother. When Sarah notices Andy, she attempts to make friends by bringing her own pink Frisbee. This allows Sarah to meet Rosie and the girls get to know each other. This book is a wonderful choice to introduce children to autism. The story explains autism in a way that is easy to understand for the target age audience. Mary Thompson explains in the book how Andy can sometimes feel as though he is in a different world. Putting autism in simple terms such as these will allow young readers to imagine what it is like for those with the disability resulting in them being more accepting. The drawings are wonderful and one of the reasons I was attracted to this book. They are colorful and fun for children. The book tells a plausible tale in a charismatic way. The author is able to write about Andy without belittling him or causing the reader to feel bad for him in any way. Mary Thompson is an insider with a disabled child of her own. This allows her to give good insight into true feelings a sister or caretaker would have when dealing in a similar situation. “Andy and His Yellow Frisbee” is a good choice to introduce young readers to autism, and I would definitely include it in a diverse library collection.