Customer Reviews

All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book help explain aspergers syndrome to my friend's child who has it. It help him to understand the syndrome better.

This photographic presentation was a gentle way to explain Asperger's to grandparents, siblings and others. I think the pictures take the pressure off the harsh information while still allowing the information to be given. I've ordered 3 copies for others! I love it!

This book is my new coffee table book - what a great way to introduce family and friends to my son's new diagnosis. My son like's the connection between himself and our family pets and helps him discuss this condition. You won't be disappointed if you own this book.

This is a really good description of the Asperger Child, illustrated with sweet pictures of cats. Soon after getting my cat three years ago, I declared that he, like my son, also had Asperger's Syndrome. Wish I'd thought to write the book - this author has captured the essence of Asperger's and it is more about the Asperger Child than about cats. It would be a very good way to explain the difficult but also the wonderful qualities that the Asperger Child possesses, to someone new to the diagnosis.

As another reviewer on the US boards noted, autism is NOT a mental disorder; it is a neurobiological, neurosensory condition that affects sensory input, processing and integration. It also affects language to varying degrees. Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is the spectrum partner to autism and is considered by many to be a higher functioning form of autism. I want to thank that reviewer for that; I've banged on the different drum for years saying that as well. Although I didn't care for this book, I would heartily recommend all Kathy Hoopman's other books about young people on the a/A continuum, especially HAZE and LISA & THE LACE MAKER.

To its credit, this book does make it clear that people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum are not deliberately "misbehaving" or stepping out of the line of rigid social conformity. People on the spectrum have sensory issues to contend with and many behaviors from neurotypical (NT) counterparts can be extremely bewildering. It does provide good explanations for a/A related behavior in the captions. For those who feel this book helped open the door to acceptance and understanding, then that is to the good.

That having been said, I thought this book was a disappointment. I honestly believed it would show parallels between cats and people on the a/A spectrum at best, humorous parody at worst. Instead of being more "in-depth," or even remotely humorous or even showing people in full, it merely showcases of pictures of cats engaged in feline behaviors with captions about how cat behavior is similar to Asperger's in humans. What turned me off was the obvious altering of some pictures to prove some point. I thought that looked bizarre and that rather ruined the book for me.

At first, I just wondered why cats appear in this book because I wasn't quite sure what cats had to do with Asperger Syndrome. But, on second thought, Kathy Hoopmann might help parents with AS kids increase their understanding. Even adults with AS are sure to see what AS is like because she illustrated AS not only by words but pictures! We can't put down this book just because it's for kids only!
If possible, I'd have liked her to explain in advance why she associated cats with AS.