Read on Twitter
TW: ableism (in particular against autistics)
Hi friends! A new middle grade book has come to my attention that is honestly abhorrent. If you read the blurb, Finding S.A.M is about the brother of an autistic boy who finds it embarrassing to have an autistic brother 1/8
Hi friends! A new middle grade book has come to my attention that is honestly abhorrent. If you read the blurb, Finding S.A.M is about the brother of an autistic boy who finds it embarrassing to have an autistic brother 1/8
In fact that’s the first thing we are told in the blurb. From the very first line we are told that he is embarrassing. Nice huh? This book is all about how awful it is to have an autistic sibling and WORSE to go to the same school as them 2/8
I simply cannot understand how any publisher thought a middle grade about how awful it is to have a disabled sibling was ok to publish. Do you know what isn’t surprising? The book is written by the mother of an autistic child (boy am I glad I am not that child) 3/8
It paints a harmful picture that autism is a burden. That autistic people are inherently embarrassing just due to their autistic natures. And most importantly, this blurb reinforces that autistic people are not “normal” in the most derogatory way 4/8
I am #ActuallyAustistic and I cannot tell you how upsetting it was to read this blurb. To wonder if that was how my sister saw me when we went to the same schools. Now imagine an autistic child reading that blurb. Their family. Their friends. 5/8
I cannot in good conscience allow this book to be published without some kind of resistance. The publisher is one elm books. Their email is [email protected] and if you’re in the US you can even call them. 6/8
I am asking book twitter and anyone else who sees this thread to get in touch with the publisher and to explain why this book is not ok. Explain why it is harmful. They cannot ignore the issue if enough people speak up. 7/8
Please friends, if book twitter is to be inclusive as it thinks it is, you need to stand with autistic people on this front. It won’t take long and it can make a difference. Please contact this publisher and let them know you do not think this book is ok. 8/8
Also: please boost this! Please spread the word! I have a limited platform and would love to see more people take a stand.
(Thanks @TheGavGav7 for bringing this awful book to light)
(Thanks @TheGavGav7 for bringing this awful book to light)
