ABOUT THE BOOK
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Day with No Words Tiffany Hammond is a new picture book centering an Autistic young boy and celebrating friendship and inclusivity.
Rainy days are perfect for museum visits, and Aidan is excited to learn. But with the umbrella weather comes long lines and loud sounds. As with others with Autism, these sensations overwhelm Aidan. His brain gets fuzzy and his eyes get blurry, and he grunts, shouts, and slaps his chest to express his feelings.
Some people don't know why Aidan reacts this way. Rather than trying to understand him, they stare at him strangely and whisper, making him feel like he doesn't belong, that he should leave. But just because Aidan communicates in different ways, doesn't mean he should hide himself.
Then another child reaches out, not with judgment but with curiosity. She invites Aidan to explore the exhibits with her, and this one act of kindness makes a world of difference. With the help of his dad and his new friend, Aidan is able to be himself, proving to others and to himself that he belongs.
From the bestselling author and creator of the Fidgets and Fries platform comes a touching, engaging picture book that encourages us all to create a more inclusive, welcoming world.
Meet Aidan!
One of the most asked questions is I received when reading A Day with No Words is: Is the boy in the book real?
Yes, he is! And he is my oldest son, Aidan.
He was diagnosed with autism at 17 months. And he has only spoken a few words in his entire life: bye. ball. uh-oh.
Aidan loves to hugs trees and spend time with his family. He is 19 years old now! And he still uses his iPad to communicate but now he is learning to Spell as well. This will be a long journey for him, maybe years, but we know he can do it and be an independent Speller/Typer in the end. Or maybe he will prefer to use the picture-based communication app he has been using for several years now? Who knows? His family opens his world to a variety of options, and they just follow his lead.
Aidan also loves going to museums, but these days he doesn’t often like the ride to get there. His family does not know why he loves them so much or why he doesn’t appear to like car rides anymore, but they are confident that he will tell him all about it when he is good and ready.
His best friend is his brother, Josiah. And he is the one who is responsible for the No Talk days we have that inspired the #1 NYT bestseller A Day with No Words. They are the most amazing pair of humans, and I know that Aidan would love for you to know his brother just as he does.
If you would like to write Aidan an email, you are more than welcome to!
I always read him the mail he gets. He may not speak but he does understand.