WHAT'S NEW ON THE BOOKSHELF?
Delightful New Book About
a Girl's Autism Journey
a Good Read for All
B
efore autism was a word or a diagnosis, it
existed. Children with these issues were
considered “odd.” Today, autism afflicts one
in 68 children in the United States. This
means that most of students will, sometime
during their school career, meet someone
with autism.
Rebecca & Heart is a story set in pre-WWII London.
Rebecca is “odd.” When a stray mutt that she calls
Heart shows the community how to enter Rebecca’s
closed world, life changes for everyone.
The story, narrated by a loveable fly-on-the-wall, is
written for middle-grade readers. Experts in the field
of autism who endorse the book believe it should be
read by every age. Getting to know Rebecca, under-
standing her behavior, caring what happens to her,
can help students become more accepting, more
tolerant, and compassionate when they meet peo-
ple with autism in their classrooms. Less fear, less
embarrassment, more knowledge, and understand-
ing can reduce bullying and create better learning
environments for all students. This light-hearted, of-
ten humorous book is a way to do this.
With 16 published books of children’s literature for pre-K through high school, Deanna Klingel spends a lot of
time on the road visiting schools, giving presentations at museums, performing in reenactments, and speaking
at conferences. Several of the books have received awards or recognitions. Deanna lives in North Carolina with
her husband Dave and golden retriever Buddy. Her seven children are grown and married. Her writing career
started when the last child left home.
Website: booksbydeanna.com/index.html
To purchase: www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Heart-Deanna-K-Klingel ebook/dp/B078TQML5Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UT-
F8&qid=1515532903&sr=8-1&keywords=rebecca+and+heart+by+deanna+k.+klingel
52 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 74