Me, Myself and PDA

I’ve done several book reviews in the past but I’ve never reviewed a children’s book….until now that is! My friend Jodie Isitt, from Autism with Love, has recently published her first book. Jodie is a mum of 3 children with autism (one with PDA) and has recently braved the world of writing books for children!

Layout and look

One of the things that I liked straight away was that the Autism with Lola book isn’t garish in its use of colours. The pastel shades are perfect – enough to hold a child’s attention but not so much that it gives you a headache! It was fun to read but still packed full of information that was clear and easy to understand. The illustrations are bold and clear and the characters have good facial expressions, which really help tell the story and get across the different emotions covered. I also like the fact that there are no page numbers to ruin the look of the beautiful illustrations. The book is also a good length – ideal for bedtime reading.

About the story

I can relate to Lola, although I hid/hide my sensory stuff! Or at least try to! The characters are cute and will appeal to both boys and girls. One important point to make is whilst the book covers sensory differences/sensitivities it didn’t dwell on the fact that Lola had Autism. This is important. One thing I’ve noticed with other books of a similar nature is that they try to pack too much information into the story so that the original message is lost completely. Less is more! The characters are cute so as to engage children. There’s also a section at the back for adults needing further information and support which is wonderful to see.

About the activity book

I’ve so far resisted doing any……just about! I love how it not only relates to the story book but also expands on it. It definitely opens up discussion and allows the opportunity to elaborate further. It’s much more than a colouring book and contains many different activities and is again fairly unisex. Definitely good for exploring empathy.

About the plush

The Lola plush is adorable and silky soft to the touch. Her tags are hidden away under her clothes so they don’t spoil the look. She’s the perfect size for small hands and has very tactile ears. The plush really helps bring the story to life and her pocket is an actual working pocket! Awesome!

So all in all I highly recommend this series of books and plush for little ones. I’ve never reviewed a children’s book before but I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it! Let’s face it, I’m a big kid at heart! You can purchase the complete set, including the lovely plush bunny here and I can’t wait to read the next instalment!