Joey and Sam - storybook about autism
Written: Jun 08 '02 (Updated Jun 08 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Accurate text and illustrations
Cons: Ending did not make sense
The Bottom Line: A good portrayal of autistic behaviors and what takes place in a special classroom for Sam
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| bonniesayers's Full Review: Illana Katz and Edward Ritvo - Joey and Sam: A Hea... |
For several months I have been perusing books that relate to sibling relationships where one of them is also autistic. Since the brothers in this book happen to be a year apart I thought this would be perfect for me to read to my older son to help him understand his brother. Sam is the one who has autism and is five years old. Joey and Sam share a room and ride the bus to school together.
The Prologue for Joey and Sam: A Heartwarming storybook about Autism, a family and a brother’s love starts off with a poem entitled, Mother to her autistic child by Illana Katz. Edward Ritvo, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Division of Child Psychiatry and Mental Retardation at the UCLA School of Medicine authored the Epilogue and co-wrote this book with Ms. Katz.
The cover highlights two blonde boys standing outside with arms around each other. If not for the fact we know the younger brother is autistic it would be hard to figure out just which one has the disability. This is exactly what Dr. Ritvo points out in his Epilogue. “ We hope Joey and Sam enables you to help your children be compassionate and understanding when playing with other children who are not developing normally. That is the reason we chose autism as Sam’s developmental disability. Autism has no unique physical characteristics and its symptoms may wax and wane.”
The storybook is written with Joey as the narrator and starts out with Sam waking up Joey on the first day of spring. Joey than quickly calls out Mommy to come get Sam so he can get some sleep. Sam has started his ritualistic behaviors by waving his hands in the air, walking on his toes and making sounds that Joey could not understand. “Why can’t he be like other brothers?” asked Joey. “Why is he different?”
His Mother does not answer the questions but tells Joey she loves him as she kisses him. Joey is reminded how Sam looks like others kids’ but has autism and thinks that being six is hard on him when he has a five-year old brother like Sam. In the kitchen Sam shows signs of echolalia, as he repeats verbatim what his Mother says, which is another common autistic trait.
When the Father came down for breakfast along with Joey they sat around the table looking forward to pancakes. Sam continued to pace around and around while tapping his fingers on the table.
I read over Joey and Sam: A Heartwarming storybook about Autism, a family and a brother’s love a few times before I attempted this with my seven year old. It was hard to keep his attention focused on the book as I read about the pancakes because that is a favorite of his. He was able to notice the similarities of Sam not sitting at the table with the family as his brother does the same thing.
After some prodding by the parents Sam does sit down and eat his pancakes, but he does not look at anyone. When the mother mentions the pancakes might be hot, Sam gives a response that is typical with many on the spectrum, “ Mercury is hot and dry, it is a planet. It is close to the sun.” My older son has the tendency to recite facts on dinosaurs at the most unusual times, like a walking encyclopedia.
Once again Joey is complaining about Sam, “Why can’t he be like other brothers? Why do I have a brother like him? My friends laugh at him. They don’t even want to play here.” The illustrations are done by Fran Borowitz in black and white in what appears to be either charcoal or pencil in gray. It does seem that Sam’s ears look a bit bigger than normal in these illustrations.
Joey explains that he has told his friends about autism and how they will not be able to catch it like a cold and perhaps one is born with it. What is unclear to me is how it seems one minute Joey the narrator can comprehend autism and his brother but continually complain to his parents in the next breath. It is like he needs reassurance and blames Sam on all his problems. “ My friends just don’t understand, Why can’t the doctor fix him, Dad? It’s not fair, Nobody has a brother like Sam, except me!”
What takes place next is obviously Sam is affected by the negativity of his brother because he sits down next to Joey, hugs him and says, “ Sam loves Joey”. Sam is the one to reach out to Joey and there is no praise for Sam or discussion with Joey on his attitude. This would be the time when reading through to stop and share feelings on how those questions would make a sibling react. The opportunity is there to teach a lesson, although I think not what the authors’ intended since it is hard to tell where they were going with this book.
At the front door the bus arrived and off Joey and Sam went, greeted by the friendly smile of the driver. Once they got to school Joey was off to his first grade class as Sam’s teacher, Miss Terry took him by the hand to his special class where all the children had autism. During recess Joey goes outside and plays with his friends while Sam plays with special teacher Mr. Reed and learns how to throw and catch a ball. Mr. Reed offers praise to Sam and is rewarded with a smile.
Miss Betty the speech teacher came to Sam’s class before lunch. Joey and Sam do not eat lunch together as Joey sits with his friends and Sam eats with his classmates and teachers. Today being the first day of spring is the Spring Sing in the auditorium that afternoon. Joey’s class was first up singing three songs. Everyone clapped their hands when they finished, including Sam. Sam’s class performed with Sam reciting a poem. Joey’s friends were impressed and had no idea that Sam could read. They ended with a spring dance where Joey told them even Sam could dance. Joey and his friends cheered Sam on.
Now Joey walks over to Sam, places his arm on his shoulder and tells him “ I’m glad you are my brother. I’m proud of you, I love you even if you are different. I love you even if you never get better. I love you the way you are!” To me it reads like Joey cannot accept his brother until his friends do and that goes against what was previously stated from the Epilogue. Nowhere in the text did either parent help Joey with his feelings for his brother and there was no compassion shown in the home privately.
I liked the premise of Joey and Sam: A Heartwarming storybook about Autism, a family and a brother’s love but the brother who showed what love really is would have to be Sam. The book fell short in these areas of compassion and dealing with the family unit. The parents were more of a back drop with Sam having the big heart living happily in his own world while his brother was in denial earlier on. Joey cared more about what his friends thought and I did not continue reading further to my son because I felt this was not accurate for children so young. Perhaps by the third grade kids are trying to please their friends but six years of age did not fly with me.
It was such a contrast going from what the classroom for Sam was like and then Joey focusing on the quiet of his class or the fact that he ate lunch with his friends and had recess with them. I liked the way the therapists and teachers were involved with the children in the autism class. Another complaint would be how the classmates for Joey were considered friends but for Sam they were just classmates. In the end Sam is a very happy and content kid going about his routines while Joey focuses on his friends and frets about having a brother like Sam.
I still recommend this book for families as a whole to read but not to place too much emphasis on the story line for siblings to autistic children. The illustrations would warrant five stars as well as the portrayal of autistic behavior and the positive role of the classroom teachers and assistants.
I would not want the wrong message to come across that you can complain in the home to your parents about your autistic sibling, ignore them at school until your friends realize your sibling can read, clap, sing and dance. Ian’s Walk is still the best that I have come across in this category.
I failed to mention that both my children are autistic, but the seven year old is considered high functioning with his brother being non-verbal. I would like my eldest son to learn more about autism spectrum disorder as he mainstreams into regular education next year.
Recommended:
Yes
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bonniesayers
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