Friday, February 13, 2009

Book Review: Michelangelo the Diver

Dana Commandatore, author of the children's book Michelangelo the Diver, writes in the foreword that her autistic son Michelangelo constantly inspires and challenges her to help him realize his dreams. He loves the ocean and wants to be a scuba diver when he grows up.

The book is about dreams, not about autism; but the underlying message that we all have the potential to realize our dreams is particularly relevant to families with autistic children, who must contend with social pressures that can make it hard to keep dreaming.

With bright and cheerful illustrations by Damian Elwes, the book describes a young boy's dreams of being a diver frolicking with the ocean's creatures and his discovery that dreams sometimes can come true. It is just the right length for a bedtime story, and the theme is one that can inspire both children and their parents to dream of beautiful and amazing things.