All the ways to be smart, for autistic kids

You might have seen the Guardian’s Australia’s Best Children’s Picture Book poll, which has been happening over the past little while (it closes at 9.30 am on Thursday 5 February – hurry up and vote!). I’ve been busily voting every day, for favourites like Kissed by the Moon by Alison Lester and John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat by Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks.  

Another one I’ve been voting for is All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys, and it just so happens that this is one of the first two picture books I’ve chosen for my new book club for young readers. It’s made the top 15 in the Guardian’s poll – Australians have got good taste!

What I love about this book, and one of the reasons I’ve chosen it for my new book club, is that it champions the idea that being smart doesn’t just look like being good at spelling and maths. For autistic kids in particular, the book shines a light on how being who they are as an autistic child, and getting involved in their special interests, makes them smart too.

There are just so many examples I’d love to include here, but I’d get done for copyright infringement! So, here’s one of my absolute favourite examples of how being yourself as an autistic person makes you smart, according to Davina: 

Finding things on all the pages ... 

sitting quiet and still for ages. 

Here’s another one, showing kids that getting into their special interests makes them smart, too:

Knowing all the planet names, 

making spacesuits that shoot flames.

And it’s not only about things you can do – it's the kind of person you are as well, as Davina explains: ‘Smart is kindness when there’s crying.’

We as parents of autistic kids know how hard it can be for them to find their place among their peers. School can be excruciating, and their self-esteem can take an absolute hammering from other kids. Books like this are so important for autistic kids – they show our kids they have value, and they’re smart and amazing exactly as they are. And, unrelated, with my children's book editor hat on, I know how tricky it is to get a rhyming text right, but they nailed it! 

I could kiss Scribble for publishing it. (I tried to get a job with them in the past, but alas, I missed out ...) I got teary reading the book again to write this blog post today. It doesn’t take much to make me cry, if I’m honest, but the book is just so beautiful. I’d love for every autistic kid to read it – every child needs to read it, really, but especially neurodivergent kids. 

In the meantime, vote for it in the Guardian’s poll. Five more books get cut at 9.30 am tomorrow morning, and then one of the final top 10 is announced as Australia’s best picture book on Friday 6 February. I’d love it to be this one! 

By the way, if you have an autistic child and you like the idea of their being part of a kids’ book club that encourages reading books they can relate to, here’s how you can get involved. If you want to buy the book for your kiddo, go to Scribble’s website or visit your local bookshop.