Autism Book Shelf: A Day With No Words

Children’s books will always be special to me. I began my publishing career in the Penguin juvenile division, and before that I was the children’s buyer at Tower Books. Picture books, in particular, have so much power, as they are accessible to the youngest of minds. Plus, the text tends to be beyond polished–they have to convey an idea, tell a story, or teach a lesson in very few words. Also, art. Children’s book illustrators maybe never earn what they’re worth. An artist must interpret and support the written story in, say, 20 full pieces, which is a lot of work, but each of those pieces can help a child engage with the story. When the words and the pictures come together, they can leave their mark on a generation, planting little seeds in little brains.

So when I saw that the writer behind one of the autistic accounts I follow, Fidgets and Fries, was publishing A Day With No Words, inspired by her nonspeaking autistic son, Aidan, I got pretty excited and preordered my copy. Then the big news hit: New York Times Best Seller (just checked and it’s made it to a second week on the list). A story that author Tiffany Hammond was told “there wasn’t a market for” had risen to the top of the market.

Success story aside, it really is a lovely book. The story follows Aidan through a day with his mom. Aidan uses an AAC device (tablet) to communicate. This device is introduced and then is just a thing; its validity is not questioned and we see it in action. Mom has her own tablet and uses it to communicate not only with her son but with strangers, like to order food or admonish some rude folk at the park. An author note at the end of the book addresses the “no words” bit of the title, as it’s crystal clear both characters have loads of words–but without an audible voice, nonspeakers can be perceived as not knowing how or being able to communicate.

Maybe it’s because Hammond herself is autistic that Aidan’s day shows us other aspects of an autistic life. We see the effects of certain sounds or voices, how crowded places can cause anxiety (and the workaround of going somewhere specifically when it’s not crowded), always knowing exactly what to order at a restaurant, and the perfect joy that is spinning until you fall down.

And cheers to the illustrator. Kate Cosgrove uses a color palette that is fun and sweet without being too bold or overwhelming. She illustrates senses and stimming and communication, which really needed to be done right for this story. (It’s only about a real person, no pressure!)

Like I said, I’ve seen a ton of picture books. Some are fun or cute or beautiful or sad, and some are a combination of those things and also important. This book is important for a whole lotta kids to see themselves in it, as Aidan is a whole lotta underrepresented. This book is important for every other kid too, as they share their world with people like Aidan in some way. I’m excited for everyone being exposed to AAC and am hopeful for the normalization of all forms of communication.