Martian in the Playground

Author: Clare Sainsbury
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1849200009
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 145

Book Description
`This deceptively little book contains more truth and provides more insight into what it is like to have Asperger's Syndrome than many a weighty tome on the subject. It offers a view from the inside, but it is not yet another autobiography. Admirably and refreshingly, the author has refrained from giving an account solely based on her own experiences. Instead she sets out observations from 25 different suffers, giving often astonishing and sometimes harrowing glimpses of what actually happens to a child with Asperger's Syndrome in the classroom, in the playground, in the lunch queue and at home' - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry This award-winning book illuminates what it means to be a person who has Aspergers Syndrome by providing a window into a unique and particular world. Drawing on her own experience of schooling, and that of a network of friends and correspondents who share her way of thinking and responding, Clare Sainsbury reminds us of the potential for harm which education holds for those who do not fit. This book holds insights that take us beyond the standard guidance on how to manage autistic spectrum disorder. It challenges the way we might handle obsessional behaviour. It invites us to celebrate the pure passion of the intellect, which such obsessions can represent, and to recognise the delight which can be experienced by children who love to collect. It reminds us that many of the autistic mannerisms we might try to suppress actually help the child to think. This revised edition includes an additional introduction and extensive summary of research in the field of Asperger's Syndrome, both by Tony Attwood.

There's Nothing to Do on Mars

Author: Chris Gall
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0316069221
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 80

Book Description
When Davey Martin's family moves to Mars, he discovers that there's nothing to do--at least until he and his robot dog Polaris learn to seize the spirit of adventure. It's not until they've zipped around the planet on his flying scooter--climbing Martian "trees," digging up "fossils," dancing in Martian rain dances--that they discover a treasure that finally piques Davey's interest--a source of water on the red planet! Chris Gall's new picture book plays on the themes (and ironies) of a complaint parents have heard from their children a thousand times: "There's nothing to do!" The book also offers a deeper lesson to our stationary, convenience-driven society: If you're creative and look carefully, you'll be amazed at what you find!

An Anthropologist on Mars

Author: Oliver Sacks
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0345805887
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 465

Book Description
From the bestselling author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat • Fascinating portraits of neurological disorder in which men, women, and one extraordinary child emerge as brilliantly adaptive personalities, whose conditions have not so much debilitated them as ushered them into another reality. Here are seven detailed narratives of neurological patients, including a surgeon consumed by the compulsive tics of Tourette's syndrome unless he is operating; an artist who loses all sense of color in a car accident, but finds a new sensibility and creative power in black and white; and an autistic professor who cannot decipher the simplest social exchange between humans, but has built a career out of her intuitive understanding of animal behavior. Sacks combines the well honed mind of an academician with the verve of a true storyteller.

Imagining Mars

Author: Robert Crossley
Publisher: Wesleyan University Press
ISBN: 0819571059
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 386

Book Description
Mars in the human imagination from the invention of the telescope to the present For centuries, the planet Mars has captivated astronomers and inspired writers of all genres. Whether imagined as the symbol of the bloody god of war, the cradle of an alien species, or a possible new home for human civilization, our closest planetary neighbor has played a central role in how we think about ourselves in the universe. From Galileo to Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert Crossley traces the history of our fascination with the red planet as it has evolved in literature both fictional and scientific. Crossley focuses specifically on the interplay between scientific discovery and literary invention, exploring how writers throughout the ages have tried to assimilate or resist new planetary knowledge. Covering texts from the 1600s to the present, from the obscure to the classic, Crossley shows how writing about Mars has reflected the desires and social controversies of each era. This astute and elegant study is perfect for science fiction fans and readers of popular science.

The Boy from Mars

Author: Simon James
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781406383157
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 32

Book Description
The heart-warming story of a little boy who misses his mum from award-winning author-illustrator Simon James. The day that Stanley's mum had to go away, he decided to go to Mars. In his place, a not-very-well-behaved Martian arrived. He looked just like Stanley, but he wouldn't eat his vegetables, he wouldn't clean his teeth and he certainly didn't play nicely in the playground. Dad's not sure what Mum will think when she gets back. Will the martian still be there, or will the real Stanley get back in time? Simon James's gentle watercolour illustrations add depth and warmth to this charming story of Stanley who misses his mum. From award-winning author-illustrator Simon James, whose books for Walker include Dear Greenpeace and Rex. A charming and funny story that also subtly explores family relationships

The Illustrated Man

Author: Ray Bradbury
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451678185
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 308

Book Description
Eighteen science fiction stories deal with love, madness, and death on Mars, Venus, and in space.

Standing Down Falling Up

Author: Nita Jackson
Publisher: SAGE Publications Limited
ISBN: 9781873942987
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 134

Book Description
`The author enables parents and professionals to see inside an Asperger mind. Interwoven into the text is some sound advice about the best ways of helping individuals with the syndrome. This includes some helpful 'recommendations for teaching' Asperger students, with an attached list of 'things teachers should know'. Throughout, there are poignant reminders of the author's vulnerability and the cruelty of some of her acquaintances'- British Journal of Learning for Support `This book will be relevant to teachers, those working within FE and HE and professionals working in the field of mental health' - Educational Psychology in Practice `This book is easy to read and one to recommend to colleagues, parents and possibly some young people with Asperger's Syndrome' - Support for Learning `Nita's personal account of living with Asperger's Syndrome is an enlightening read. Each chapter gives a revealing insight into her personal experience and challenges of day-to-day life - Contact a Family This book is a fascinating account of Nita Jackson's experience of Aspergers Syndrome. If you have already read Clare Sainsbury's Martian in the Playground, don't expect a similar publication. Nita offers a personal account of her unique world: " is she size 10 or 16? " where does she come from? " will she be up or down today? The book contains personal descriptions of how Aspergers Syndrome affects the author's day-to-day life and the people around her. Nita shows off her intensely creative talent in her poetry and diary entries, which are used throughout the book. At times, this is an uncomfortable read. However, it is an essential text if you want to understand how the world looks from Nita's perspective.

The Imprinted Brain

Author: Christopher Badcock
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
ISBN: 1846429501
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 260

Book Description
The Imprinted Brain sets out a radical new theory of the mind and mental illness based on the recent discovery of genomic imprinting. Imprinted genes are those from one parent that, in that parent's interest, are expressed in an offspring rather than the diametrically opposed genes from the other parent. For example, a higher birth weight may represent the dominance of the father's genes in leading to a healthy child, whereas a lower birth weight is beneficial to the mother's immediate wellbeing, and the imprint of the mother's genes will result in a smaller baby. According to this view, a win for the father's genes may result in autism, whereas one for the mother's may result in psychosis. A state of equilibrium - normality - is the most likely outcome, with a no-win situation of balanced expression. Imprinted genes typically produce symptoms that are opposites of each other, and the author uses psychiatric case material to show how many of the symptoms of psychosis can be shown to be the mental mirror-images of those of autism. Combining psychiatry with insights from modern genetics and cognitive science, Christopher Badcock explains the fascinating imprinted brain theory to the reader in a thorough but accessible way. This new theory casts some intriguing new light on other topics as diverse as the nature of genius, the appeal of detective fiction, and the successes - and failures - of psychoanalysis. This thought-provoking book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in autism, psychiatry, cognitive science or psychology in general.

The Playground

Author: Jane Shemilt
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062939432
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 323

Book Description
"Beautifully written and suffused with dread. Jane Shemilt's domestic settings are seductively vivid, and the final outcome is profoundly shocking and terrifying." — Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny Big Little Lies meets Lord of The Flies in this electrifyingly twisty psychological thriller, follow-up to Jane Shemilt’s breakout debut The Daughter. Over the course of a long, hot summer in London, the lives of three very different married couples collide when their children join the same tutoring circle, resulting in illicit relationships, shocking violence, and unimaginable fallout. There’s Eve, a bougie earth mother with a well-stocked trust fund; she has three little ones, a blue-collar husband and is obsessed with her Instagrammable recipes and lifestyle. And Melissa, a successful interior designer whose casually cruel banker husband is careful not to leave visible bruises; she curates her perfectly thin body so closely she misses everything their teenage daughter is hiding. Then there’s Grace, a young Zimbabwean immigrant, who lives in high-rise housing project with her two children and their English father Martin, an award-winning but chronically broke novelist; she does far more for her family than she should have to. As the weeks go by, the couples become very close; there are barbecues, garden parties, a holiday at a country villa in Greece. Resentments flare. An affair begins. Unnoticed, the children run wild. The couples are busily watching each other, so distracted and self-absorbed that they forget to watch their children. No one sees the five children at their secret games or realize how much their family dynamics are changing until tragedy strikes. The story twists and then twists again while the three families desperately search for answers. It’s only as they begin to unravel the truth of what happened over the summer that they realize evil has crept quietly into their world. But has this knowledge come too late? "Countless psychological thrillers get compared to Big Little Lies; Shelmilt's is the real deal." — People

Teaching Play to Children with Autism

Author: Nicky Phillips
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446258599
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 138

Book Description
The Identiplay intervention helps children on the autistic spectrum, and those with specific communication disorders, learn to play. Through the use of play scripts the approach promotes the development of social skills, understanding, imagination and exploration. By learning these skills the young person can enjoy reciprocal play with an adult or peer. Supported by case studies the theory behind the approach is fully outlined and scripts are provided for instant use in a number of settings. The new edition of this popular book includes: - More on developing your own scripts - How to assess the child′s current play skills - The adult′s role in play - The use of visual/verbal support - New case studies - New scripts - Advice on taking learning outdoors - Links to resources and useful websites A supporting CD ROM contains video clips of the intervention in practice, printable scripts and a PowerPoint presentation to facilitate professional training making this a vital resource for anyone working with young children on the autistic spectrum or with communication difficulties.