The Children’s Book Review | July 3, 2018
Written by Leslie Kimmelman
Illustrated by MaryBeth Nelson
Age Range: 3-7
Hardback: 32 pages
Publisher: Golden Books
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6621-4
What to expect: Famous friends, Sesame Street, Autism, Big Golden Book
Elmo has lots of friends, and in this charming book we meet his friend Julia. She likes to play blocks with him, as well as cars. But she plays a little differently than Elmo. She likes to create neat rows of blocks instead of towers, and she prefers to see how the wheels spin on cars rather than running them around the room. All of this is fine with Elmo – he has a great time with Julia.
So when he goes to the park with Julia and meets up with Abby Cadabby, he tries to have his two friends play together. But Abby is upset when Julia doesn’t say hello right away, and she doesn’t make eye contact. Elmo explains to Abby that Julia has autism, and may need a little time to adjust to Abby. Eventually all three friends learn to play and have fun together, because they truly are amazing in their own individual ways.
This is a gentle book broaching the autism spectrum for small children. Julia’s autism is handled with care, and Elmo and Abby’s complete acceptance of Julia is a great example for children. Julia’s character has appeared on the Sesame Street television show, and this book would bookend nicely with viewing that episode. The illustrations are bright and colorful, just like Sesame Street, and the familiar characters make this important topic more impactful. The large BIG GOLDEN BOOK makes this an excellent choice for the classroom. A sweet story that all children will enjoy.
Highly recommended, especially for the classroom.
Available Here:
About the Author
Leslie Kimmelman is the author of numerous award-winning books for children and a Sesame Street editor and writer.
We’re Amazing 1,2,3!: A Story About Friendship and Autism, written by Leslie Kimmelman, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like We’re Amazing 1,2,3!: A Story About Friendship and Autism by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Autism, Friendship, Golden Books, Leslie Kimmelman, Picture Book, and Sesame Street Workshop.