Synopses & Reviews
Conceived of, written, and designed for children on the autism spectrum,
Point to Happy combines a picture book and a pointer to create a breakthrough in reaching children who communicate best through pictures. Ingenious in its simplicity, it was created by a grandmother, Miriam Smith, and mother, Afton Fraser, for Ms Fraser's son, a young boy on the autism spectrum.
Point to happy. Point to sad. Point to hug. Give me a hug. The parent reads, the child points. It turns reading into a joyful, shared experience. Dozens of friendly photographs are compelling to look at and easy to understand. The text is clear and direct. By pointing to the pictures in the book--moods, activities, everyday objects, the rituals of going to bed and getting ready in the morning--children will learn to convey their wants and needs, their experiences and, most importantly, their feelings.
The simple device of the pointer, with its soft, molded hand on a wand--safety-tested and 100 percent nontoxic and PVC-and phthalate-free--begs to be held and used. And using it--the motor task of holding and pointing, again and again--is an effective tool to help a child focus.
About the Author
Toni Giannone, who consulted on the book, is a Communication Disorders Specialist CCC/SLP, and founder of The Speech Academy.
Afton Fraser, daughter of Miriam Smith, is a writer, actress, and mother of three, one of whom has autism. She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Miriam Smith, a consultant at CUNY Media Relations and former magazine writer and designer, is a doting grandmother of seven. She lives in Northport, New York.
Margo Smithwick, daughter of Miriam and sister of Afton, is a professional photographer.