As students across the country head back to school this semester is different and is forcing families to make big adjustments especially for children with special needs.
However, a Minnesota mother of four has made it her mission to help. Three of her children have autism and she authored children’s book, “Cameron Goes to School,” that shares the journey of her daughter as she heads to Kindergarten.
The book is now being used across the country to help ease students on the autism spectrum fears and calm their anxieties.
“Children with special needs during this down time since Covid-19 happened did not get a lot of the services they normally get, so a lot of us who have children with special needs saw a regression,” said Sheletta Brundidge, author of Cameron Goes to School.”
Brundidge, an autism advocate saw a need in communities across the nation that could help thousands of families. She was inspired by her 7-year-old daughter, Cameron’s personal journey.
“My daughter was coming home from the library with books with no little black girls on them,” Brundidge said. “And so one day she said mommy I want white skin like all my friends. And I said what? And so I looked around and she was reading this book and everybody was white and they had blonde hair.”
Brundidge took the time with her daughter to create the book.
“When I looked around, I realized we’ve got all these books about autism for adults, but nobody is educating children,” Brundidge explained. “One of the things that really concerned her was her friends. A lot of her friends because at the time she couldn’t talk they thought she was mean and so they would try to talk to her, try to be her friend. She was socially awkward because she had anxiety related to her autism.”
Brundidge initially ordered 1,000 books, but the demand kept growing.
“Then I started getting direct messages on Facebook and Twitter from teachers across the country who say we are using your book,” Brundidge said.
One of those teachers was Laura Denham.
“One of my students who is a 3rd grader kept pointing to Cameron on the front of the book and calling her by his sisters name because I’m not sure that he frequently sees books with children who look like him,” Denham a Paraprofessional at Kaywood Elementary School said.
That’s one of the many reasons Brundidge is advocating this book. She says it can help bridge a gap during these unprecedented times.
“This book is not only a love letter to black girls with autism, but it also educates their classmates.”
The book can be found on Amazon, Walmart and Barnes and Noble. Click here for pricing.