Girls already face many challenges through their childhood and teenage years, including understanding social groups, bullying, puberty, and relationships. Aspie girls face even greater challenges.
Luckily Aspie girls and their parents don’t have to feel like they’re facing these challenges alone. There are two award-winning books written by Asperger’s experts and Aspies that shed light on how they faced challenges and in many cases overcame them to become professionally and personally satisfied.
1. Asperger’s and Girls
Accolades
Asperger’s and Girls is written by a who’s who of asperger experts and celebrities, including Temple Grandin. It comes with great accolades, including the Gold Award in the 2006 ForeWord Book of the Year competition.
Content
It covers topics important to girls with Asperger’s, including
- How to educate female students with Asperger’s
- Frienship, bullying, and fitting in at school
- Puberty
- Moving from high school towards college and professional life
- Do’s and Don’ts in relationships and marriage
- Maternal instincts
What Readers Say
Unfortunately despite the book’s awards and stellar cast of authors, reader reviews of the book are mixed.
Readers who liked the book say it’s
- Packed with very good information with first-hand accounts and recommendations
- For parents and relatives, the book gives insight into how girls with Asperger’s think
- Readers particularly praise the Dating Do’s and Don’ts chapter
Readers who don’t like the book say it’s
- Verbose
- Aspie readers seem to think the information is condescending and doesn’t give them actionable items
- Material is of uneven quality–some is great, some is not so great
2. Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome
Aspergirls is written by Aspie Rudy Simone, writer and Asperger’s consultant from San Francisco.
It won the Independent Publishers gold Medal and was a ForeWord “Book of the Year” nominee. Rudy Simone’s books have been endorsed by autism celebrities including Temple Grandin, Tony Attwood, and Liane Holiday Willey.
Content
Topics covered in the book include:
- Aspie girls and school
- Sensory overload
- Gender roles and identity
- Puberty
- Dating, sex, and relationships
- Friendships
- College
- Career
- Marriage and children
What Readers Say
The books seems very well reviewed by readers. Positives about the book include:
- Author is approachable and never condescending with Aspie girls–great for Aspies!
- Powerful personal stories
- Empowering
- Good for families, educators, and doctors who work with Aspies
- One person who works with Aspies but doesn’t have Asperger’s himself wished the book would give more concrete advice about how to teach and interact with Aspie girls
- Focuses largely on the author’s personal experiences which may or may not be representative of other Aspie girls
- Author seems attracted to alternative therapies and is less interested in science
