Book: Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons)
Author: Jodi Carmichael
Illustrator: Sarah Ackerley
Publisher: Little Pickle Press
Date: November 26, 2012 – Kindle; April 1, 2013 – paperback
Genre: chapter book
Pages: 152
Price: Kindle under $5.00; paperback under $7.00
My rating: Excellent way to learn about Asperger’s Syndrome from the child’s point-of-view
The title – Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) – is the first thing that grabbed my attention, and then the happy innocence of the little boy on the front cover.
For anyone not familiar with Asperger’s Syndrome, this book is such a great way to learn more about how it affects a child. The whole story is told through the voice of an eight-year-old boy who has Asperger’s Syndrome.
Connor is happy, smart, eager, energetic, and gets into trouble easily because of how differently he relates to his surroundings. He doesn’t mean to, it just seems to happen. And it happens in innocent funny ways. The way Connor tells it is both amusing and informative. For example: after one incident at school, when he was sent – yet again – to the principal’s office, he dashed immediately to his favourite blue chair. It was smooth and calming for him. Obviously he had been there enough times before to have tried all the chairs, but it was not said that way, the reader understood it from the way Jodi Carmichael had Connor tell his experience.
Here are the chapter titles:
- Mrs. Winters Does Not Like to Be Interrupted
- Girls Are Confusing
- Mr. O’Brien Does Not Believe Rules Are to Be Broken – Ever
- Smooth Things Are Calming
- Lunch Time Can Be Tricky
- A Library Voice Is Even Quieter Than an Inside Voice
- Stools Are for Standing on and Chairs Are for Sitting On
- Even Numbers Rule!
- Mrs. Rosetti Has the Best Smiley Face
- Feelings Are Confusing
- Not All People Are Dog People
- A Code Yellow Is Serious Business
- Stomach Swirls Can Be Both Good and Bad at the Same Time
- Kids Love Dog Tricks
Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) by Jodi Carmichael is a very well-written book that educates while it entertains, while the illustrations by Sarah Ackerley add a wonderful dimension. Having the opportunity to see the world from Connor’s perspective is enlightening. Both children and adults can enjoy this chapter book and learn from it.
You can find Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food (and other life lessons) listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Polilla Writes 
This sounds very good! 😀
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Yes, it really is good.
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I believe any books that teach us (in a positive way) something about how to better understand other people, especially those with a disability of any kind, are a very useful tool. I am curious to read this one as I have some limited experience with a child with Asperger’s.
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Although it is written for the younger reader I am sure you can benefit from it. Although fictional, insight is given from the perspective of the one having the syndrome.
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