Liam and I discovered a great, new children's book. It's called Cooper and the Big Apple by Camille Cohn and illustrated by Riley Cohn. (Written by a mother, and illustrated by her daughter.) Liam started looking at the pictures first, because to him, that is super important. He LOVED them! He loved how the main character Cooper, was a grey kitty, just like his Sweetie.
To say he was excited to dig in and read this story, is an understatement. I was busy making dinner and birthday gifts for his great mimi, so I had to make him wait. He assured me, it was worth the wait, after we finally settled down to read about Cooper.
As I said, Cooper the cat is the main character. He and his best friend Jennifer live in a small Texas town. Jennifer tells Cooper they are about to embark on a journey to “The Big Apple.” When they make it to New York city, Cooper is confused that there really isn't a “big apple.” As the story progresses, Cooper becomes more confused because of his literal thinking. Liam said, “Mama! Cooper is like me! He's literal. Is that why they say, “All Cats have Aspergers?” He made me giggle.
As the story goes on, Cooper goes for a ride on the Subway, but is disappointed to find out that it wasn't a restaurant but a means of transportation. When he and Jennifer go to Queens to see some friends, Cooper thinks he's going to meet a real queen! China Town confused him too. He was afraid he would break something if the town was made of china. Cooper got excited though when Jennifer said they were going to Katz Deli. He finally thought this was a perfect place for him. Liam gives Cooper and the Big Apple, “TWO THUMBS WAY UP!”
The book is perfect for children of all ages. It will help explain to them how uniquely children on the autism spectrum view the world. It's great for kids on the spectrum as well, because it shows them that doing new things is okay, and they might actually enjoy it. Cooper and the Big Apple can also teach autistic children to embrace colloquial speech and common phrases.
To join Cooper and Jennifer on their exciting journey, and to read more, head to Amazon for your copy of Cooper and the Big Apple. The Kindle version retails for $7.99 and the hard cover book is $14.28. You can also find them on Facebook , or you can follow Camille on Twitter.
