Aneta Cruz

Inclusion, awareness of others and autism come together in a tale, which holds a message but still manages to keep to a fun situation.

Juan has the jitters. He often does when something falls out of the usual routine. So, he handles it with an amazing amount of control. But he's not alone as his teacher and class have a fun day, which manages to help him cope with his jitters and enjoy himself as well.

This book is well done and does a good job at presenting Juan as a normal kid, who simply approaches things/life a little different. He needs rhythm in his routine, and when the strays away, he uses clapping and counting to keep himself grounded. The author does a great way of presenting is problem by letting it simply happen. Listeners/readers get to watch Juan in his life and see how things work out wonderfully. It's a warming book, which offers tons of smiles, encouragement, and shows how great things can be. And it deserves a thumbs up for that.

As a mother with a child with autism, I could only smile and wonder, though. It's never said what Juan's problem is...in a introduction or afterword or anything. Listeners will want to know what's up with Juan because it's clear something is and curiosity is part of life. Plus, Juan's way of dealing things only works for a smidgen of those with autism. I've also very rarely come across a kid who is so self-aware of his issue as Juan is at that age.

Still, I do find this to be an excellent book in many ways and am impressed with how seamlessly all aspects are placed together. This book will be a wonderful addition to any group discussions focusing on autism or for those children, who know someone who has a very similar like Juan, to help them better understand the person.

I received a complimentary copy and found this really well done!… (mehr)