The Ice-Cream Sundae Guide to Autism: An Interactive Kids' Book for Understanding Autism — Hardcover

Every sundae starts with the same basic idea — and ends up completely different depending on what goes into it. That's the heart of this picture-led hardcover book, which uses the familiar, visual language of an ice-cream sundae to help children explore what autism is, how it shows up differently in every person, and what makes each autistic child's combination of strengths, challenges, sensory differences, special interests, and thinking styles uniquely their own. Written by Debby Elley and Tori Houghton, co-editors of AuKids magazine, and illustrated by J.C. Perry, the book invites readers to create their own personal "sundae" — a hands-on way to explore identity, self-awareness, and individuality through colorful illustrations and workbook-style activities.

We carry this at EOWD because the way we introduce autism to children matters. This book doesn't frame autism as a problem to solve or a deficit to overcome. It presents autism as one part of what makes a person who they are — layered, individual, and worth understanding. It's a meaningful starting point for family conversations, sibling support, caregiver-guided reading, and classroom discussions about neurodiversity and acceptance.

Use this book as a conversation starter, not as a complete explanation of every autistic person's experience. Autism looks different for every child and adult, and some readers may connect with the sundae analogy more than others. This book does not teach all children to understand autism, improve social skills, prevent bullying, treat autism, fix behavior, or replace individualized education, therapy, or caregiver guidance.

Explore this book and open the conversation in a way that feels as individual as the child you're reading it with.

Product Specs

• Authors: Debby Elley; Tori Houghton
• Illustrator: J.C. Perry
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 64
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Illustrated: Yes
• Dimensions: 24.64×17.53×1.02 cm (9.7×6.9×0.4 in)
• Publication Date: June 18, 2020
• ISBN: 978-1-78775-380-8
• Subject: Autism education, neurodiversity, children's autism understanding, individuality, sensory differences, special interests, self-awareness
• Language: English

• Brand: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Model/SKU: 9781787753808
• ISBN: 978-1-78775-380-8
• Vendor/Supplier: Books by splitShops (via Shopify Collective)