Bibliography
Lears, Laurie. 1998. Ian’s Walk: A Story about Autism. Ill. by Karen Ritz. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN: 0807534803
Plot Summary
Julie cannot wait to go to the park and feed the ducks with her big sister, Tara. There is only one problem. Her little brother, Ian, who has autism, wants to go, too. At first, Julie does not want to take Ian with him but she knows that he really wants to go so she asks her mother if they can take him. Her mother tells them to keep a close eye on him. As they walk to the park, they stop in Nan’s diner, a fire truck rushes past, they stop to smell flowers at Mrs. Potter’s stand. Ian does not have the same reactions to all the sights and sounds that his sisters have, and Julie feels embarrassed by this. When they stop for lunch, Ian refuses all the available treats but insists on eating cereal that they have brought along. Julie waits with Ian as their big sister; Tara goes to get some pizza. Ian is standing beside Julie but when she looks away for a moment or two, he wanders off on his own. When Tara returns, Julie realized that he is gone. They ask several people if they have seen Ian but no one has. Julies then decides to stand still and try to think the way Ian does. She must try to see the world through his eyes in order to find him. When they hear the big, old bell begins to ring, Julie realized that the bell is Ian’s favorite thing in the park. They find Ian, lying under the bell making the big gong move back and forth. Julie realizes how much she loves Ian and that he is a very special person-no matter if he is different. On their way home, they walk the way Ian wants to. He lies on the sidewalk and lines up little rocks, stops to smell and sniff the bricks next to the post office, pause to listen to a sound that no one can hear but Ian and watch the fan in the diner until they are dizzy.
Critical Analysis
This is an excellent book about a young girl who has a brother with autism. Families affected by autism have challenges that most people do not understand. In addition, siblings often have extra challenges of taking care of their brother or sister. This often brings feeling of embarrassment and anger in addition to the feelings of love, tolerance, loyalty and responsibility. When thinking about cultural markers, it can be difficult to pinpoint exact cultural markers for the autistic spectrum. Every person who has autism is unique and is affected by in different ways. However, Julie does a good job of explaining some of the things that are symptoms of autism. Throughout the book, Julie explains that Ian’s brain does not work like other people. She explains that he sees, hears, smells, feels, and tastes things differently from other people. This is very true of people with autism. When Julie and Tara get hungry, they go to the food booths at the park. “When we go past the food booths, Ian won’t even look at the pizza, hot dogs, or soft pretzels. But he reaches into my pocket for the bag of left over cereal.” In addition to having specific food preferences, Ian seems to be in his own work and oblivious to other people including his sisters. However, at the beginning of the story, when Julie and Tara are getting ready for the park, Ian realizes that they are going to the park-and although he is nonverbal, he communicates to let them know he wants to go. He stands at the screen door and “raps his fingers hard against the screen and begins to whine.” Julie has developed an understanding of Ian’s communication skills and she realizes that although he is often in his own world, he wants to go with them. Another example of Ian being in his own world is when he is waiting with Julie for the pizza and “flaps his hands and pays no attention.”
Karen Ritz’s illustrations add beautiful details to the story. Ian looks like a normal child, which is true of most people affected by autism. The differences they have are not physical. It is the brain that is different. They show Ian’s sensory issues such as smelling bricks, lining up rocks, perseverating on the ceiling fan and flapping his hands.
This story helps readers to understand that siblings who have a brother or sister with autism often feel resentment, and are often embarrassed by their sibling. These are normal feelings because it is hard to deal with the effects of autism. Julies’ love and tender feels are also normal. No matter how aggravated she feels, ultimately she loves Ian and understands him enough to help him enjoy his walk. I would suggest this book to be read by teachers, assistants, caregivers, neighbors and relatives of anyone who has a child with autism. It certainly would make an excellent addition to the school library and other facilities that deal with disabilities and children of all ages.
Review Excerpts
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1998)
A note about autism precedes a very short first-person picture story expressing a bit about how it feels to have an embarrassingly "different" sibling. The young narrator is Julie, who is probably in an upper elementary grade or the first year of middle school. Julie is able to take responsibility for Ian at her mother's request while they go to the park. Readers see Ian's responses to specific sounds, sights, smells, textures, and tastes during the outing. These brief scenes showing examples of sensory perception and emotional response are realistic. So is Julie's alarm while Ian momentarily vanishes, her affectionate relief when she locates him, and her greater tolerance for his publicly displayed idiosyncracies afterwards.
Leila Toledo (Children's Literature)
Children who have siblings with disabilities are often embarrassed by the family member that is disabled. Autism presents a particular challenge since there is no physical affliction. They look "normal" but display odd behavior. Tara and Julie, Ian's big sisters, take their brother, who is autistic, for a walk. Throughout the day Ian hears, smells, tastes and sees things differently than his sisters, sometimes annoying them. At one point Ian wanders away. They panic, but Julie closes her eyes and tries to think like Ian. Is he at the water fountain watching the stream of water gush past his eyes? Or is it the bell in the center of the park? She finds him ringing the bell. The sisters display their frustration but also compassion for their brother. This story provides an insight into the world of autism and how it affects the healthy family members.
Connections
Dolly Gray Award for Children’s Literature in Developmental Disabilities, 2000.
Other Books by Laurie Lears:
Nathan’s Wish: A Story about Cerebral Palsy. ISBN: 9780807550366
Becky the Brave: A Story about Epilepsy. ISBN: 9780807506011
Ben has Something to Say: A Story about Stuttering. ISBN 9780807506332
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