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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
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| Book | Searching... Guyandotte Public Library | ROB | Juvenile | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
This little sister might not use words, but she's got plenty to say! Narrated through thought bubbles, this energetic book invites readers into the day of a nonverbal girl with autism. She has so much to do--games to play, spaghetti to eat, and a missing stuffed animal to find! Sometimes life can be noisy and overwhelming, but something new is always around the corner. Talking isn't the only way to make a joke, ask for Grandma's help, or surprise your brother...
Illustrated in bright colors, Talking Is Not My Thing is a joyful portrait of neurodiverse family life.
Author Notes
Rose Robbins is the author of Me and My Sister (Eerdmans), a companion to Talking Is Not My Thing . She has a Master of Arts in children's book illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and was a runner-up for Hachette UK's Carmelite Prize in 2017. Rose grew up with an autistic brother, an experience that informs and shapes her writing. She serves as an ambassador with Inclusive Minds, an organization that promotes quality representation in children's literature, and she has written and drawn extensively about neurodiversity issues. Rose lives in Nottingham, UK. Follow her on Instagram @roserobbinsuk or visit her website at www.roserobbins.co.uk .
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--A brother and sister manage to communicate despite the fact that she never speaks. Yellow animal characters with pointy ears--not quite dogs, not quite cats--have a wonderful rapport based on her thought bubbles and his intuitive understanding of her wishes and acquiescence. They experience situations and emotions common to young children; she lets others know what she's thinking and feeling through drawings, flash cards, and actions. Cartoon illustrations with flat perspective and blocks of color work well to portray familiar activities such as eating supper, watching TV, and reading a story. The drama comes in the common bedtime dilemma of searching for a "lost" stuffed animal. The sister's distress at dinner noises and preference for routine hint at her possible place on the autism spectrum, while her solid relationship with her brother includes the ability to share a joke. For more on his perspective, consider Robbins's companion volume, Me and My Sister. VERDICT This matter-of-fact depiction of siblings with different ways of communicating and interacting with the world will encourage acceptance and understanding. A fine choice for most collections.--Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Mankato
Publisher's Weekly Review
Robbins winningly celebrates the unconditional bond between two animal siblings in this sensitive, matter-of-fact depiction of neurodiversity, a follow-up to Me and My Sister. "I don't speak, but my brother finds it easy," opens nonverbal Sister via thought bubble, as she and her brother embark on their nighttime routine. First is dinner, an overwhelmingly noisy affair that leaves Sister wishing she could "turn my ears off." "But I still like to feel included," she thinks when her brother invites her to watch TV. After a bathroom break (communicated simply by Sister via flashcard), the siblings play a guessing game ("Purple turtle!" he says, recognizing her drawing), and he reads her a story. Their supportive dynamic continues as they goof around while brushing teeth, tension only introduced when Sister discovers her stuffed bunny is missing. Luckily, a frenzied search of the yard (with Brother wielding a flashlight) saves the day, and the pair head to sleep after a sensory-friendly high five. Employing bright colors and childlike slice-of-life drawings, Robbins successfully portrays a loving family dynamic that takes everyone's needs into account. Ages 3--7. (Sept.)
Horn Book Review
Drawn as a sunshine-yellow, dog-like creature with a heart-shaped nose and pointy triangular ears, a nonverbal girl tells readers via a thought bubble: "I don't speak. But my brother finds it easy!" During spaghetti dinner, TV-watching with Grandma, read-aloud time, and tooth-brushing, the girl's thoughts and her brother's words are in sync, with the girl's gestures and facial expressions aiding communication. But when it's pajama time, the girl notices that her stuffed animal, Bunny, is missing. Wailing "EEEEEEEEE!" she dashes outside to search for Bunny, startling her brother and grandmother, who don't understand what she's up to. Brother's flashlight saves the day, and the siblings' bedtime routine soon resumes its easy rhythm. Robbins eschews labels in her story, but a brief author bio notes how growing up with an autistic brother "informs and shapes her writing." With minimal text, Robbins presents challenges ("All the noises at dinner are too much. I wish I could turn my ears off"), moments of pride ("I am teaching my brother a guessing game with drawing"), and key supports, such as flashcards and bathroom help. Thick, loose-lined drawings imbued with cheerful color offer a family portrait that normalizes autism and celebrates love and connection. Pair this with Robbins's Me and My Sister for another slice-of-life story, told from the brother's perspective. Tanya D. Auger January/February 2021 p.91(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In this companion to Me and My Sister (2019), a nonverbal, anthropomorphic critter describes a day with her brother and grandmother. Via thought bubbles, the narrator--a yellow, doglike animal with triangular ears--explains, "I don't speak." But she "still like[s] to be included," and in warm, wonderfully ordinary ways, she is. After enjoying some messy spaghetti, she watches TV with her brother and grandmother. Her brother reads to her; she teaches her brother "a guessing game with drawing." Picture flashcards help her express needs, such as going to the toilet. At bedtime, she's dismayed to discover her beloved stuffed bunny is missing, and to her family's alarm she runs outside--where Bunny waits where she'd left her. When she finds her brother's toy car beneath her blanket, the siblings exchange happy high-fives. With bold lines, large figures, and minimal background, Robbins' cartoon illustrations smoothly support the simple, direct narration. The narrator's emotions are readily communicated, such as her wobbly grimace when dinner noises make her want to "turn [her] ears off" and her beaming "happy dance" when she and Bunny are reunited. Her infectious expressions, dragon-shaped toothbrush, and bunny-patterned PJs convey plenty of personality, cheerfully reminding readers that speech isn't the only way to express oneself. Though the narrator's disability is unspecified, her noise aversion and pictorial communication will likely lead readers to place her on the autism spectrum. A cozy, inclusive look at neurodiversity and sibling bonds. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
