This book was written as a passion project to honor my son, Archie, an autistic child who was diagnosed right before his third birthday. My husband and I had little to no experience with the autism spectrum and felt overwhelmed, scared, and uneducated. All we were sure of was that we would not let Archie’s diagnosis define him; it would simply give us more insight into who he is and how he works. We sought support and learned more about autistic children.

We have been blessed with a “village” of people to walk alongside us in this journey and support us in meeting Archie’s needs. The encouragement and love our son has received has been overwhelming. As he advances into elementary school age, I find it in my heart to do my best to educate other kids on the subject and how to be a friend to an autistic child. Being on the autism spectrum is just a part of his story, but I want kids and adults to understand him and others like him. I want them to know how to interact with people on the autism spectrum, learn why they might do certain things, and, most importantly, treat them with kindness and love. As you sit with your child and read this book, I hope some of your questions are answered and you feel confident guiding your child in social situations at school, the playground, church, birthday parties, or even the grocery store.