Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

by Mary Thompson

The new girl at school tries to befriend Andy, an autistic boy who spends every recess by himself, spinning a yellow frisbee under the watchful eye of his older sister

Genres: Picture Books, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Disability, Fiction, Childrens

19 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[Kristin Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about a boy with autism named Andy. He has a sister Rosie who looks out for him in the story and he likes to play with his yellow Frisbee at recess by himself. I enjoyed the book overall and I loved how the book actually went on to explain that he does have autism and it explains some of the characteristics he exhibits in the book. It explains how he has a hard time expressing his thoughts or feelings in words, was upset with new situations causing him to scream and cry, he did not want to be touched or held, and he kept mostly to himself. The way it was worded in the book was excellent and children could easily understand. The book did not only discuss the characteristics of Andy, but also has the potential to teach children how to be a friend to everybody you meet. Sarah was a girl who tried to play and talk with Andy. Even though Andy did not talk back, she was able to accept him and she tried to be friends and play with Andy's sister as well. I gave this book five stars because the illustrations were great, it explains Andy well, and teaches a lesson to children at the ae time!

[Jordan Ledford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee is about a girl who notices a boy that is by himself playing with his frisbee. She wonders why he is all alone. She eventually makes an effort to be his friend. She has her own frisbee and tries to share with Andy, but he just quietly moves away and doesnt want to play with her.

I would recommend this book to a prek or older setting. This book has alot of words and might not keep a young group occupied. The pictures are greatly illustrated but very bright. In the back of the book is gives a great background of autism. This book gives children a good understanding of how children with autism behavior.

[Jill Westerbur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee is a wonderful childrens book about a child with an exceptionality. The story is about a boy with autism who spins a yellow frisbee around and around on the concrete at recess every day. His older sister worries that other kids may not understand him and feels uneasy when a new girl tries talking to her brother. The new girl pulls out a pink a frisbee and asks the boy to show her how to spin it but he does not answer so she says she will try again tomorrow. The boy’s sister is amazed that he is even letting the new girl get that close to him. The text is very repetitive when describing how Andy spins his frisbee. I liked this book but it was not my favorite. I gave this book a 3 star rating as it did not take my breath away or draw me in.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy name Andy who enjoy playing with his yellow frisbee everyday at recess. Andy has autism and enjoy seeing things in motion, playing with his frisbee makes him happy. One day a little girl name Sarah becomes very curious of Andy and why he always plays with his frisbee by himself. Andys sister Rosies becomes very worried of this because she does not know how Andy will react with Sarah because she knows Andy is in his own little world most of the time. Sarah believes she thinks to realize why Andy does and that he has an exceptionality. this book is very heart warming because Sarah and Andy become friends and get along together very well that it has made Rosie stop worrying about how Andy will react.

I rated this book 5 stars because I really enjoy how this book shows how kids with exceptionalities may act different from others but they are loving and can learn to engage with others as well. I think this is a great book for the classroom and for all to enjoy.

[Kirstin LaBelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy named Andy with autism. Andy's older sister Rosie, who is very protective watches over Andy and tries to make sure hes safe. Andy sits alone at reccess and spins his yellow frisbee. One day new girl comes to school and tries to speak to Andy by bringing her own frisbee. The little girl is very confused as to why Andy does what he does and wont communicate with her, but she is hopeful that he will soon.
I gave this book a 3 star rating because it does a great job of depicting the life of a kid with autism and questions that other children might have when encountering someone who has it. I think the illustrations are cute and do a good job of telling the story. They're bright and colorful and go with the theme.

[Josefina Bustos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could help children to begin to understand that children with autism sometimes function a little differently and sometimes express themselves differently. I feel it offered good insight into what kinds of situations may arise in the classroom. This book could be the start of a lesson for children that provides information on how they, as a class, can help children with autism feeling safe and comfortable in their surrounding. On the other, hand it also offers a look into how they may react during transitions and that it is okay to let the teacher handle the situation and stay calm. This book is very nicely written in a way that informs on the subject of autism and offers a look into what it means to have a special need.

[Kayleigh Muligan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee tells a story about a young boy living with autism. Andy spends every recess spinning his yellow frisbee around and around. Andy's protective older sister Rosie watches him and makes sure that he is safe. One day, a young girl brings her pink frisbee to recess in hopes that Andy will play with her and teach her how to spin it. She is confused when Andy ignores her and wont play with her so she decides that she will try again tomorrow. Andy's sister is amazed that he even let the girl sit next to him. I gave this book a 3 star rating because it did not have a wow factor. I thought that it included some great lessons that can be taught in the classroom as well as illustrations that were very creative and well thought out.

[Paxton Bleich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Andy he is a little boy who is Autistic. During recess a girl notices him and how he always plays with his frisbee alone. They become friends and he finally has someone to play frisbee with. All awhile his sister gives insight on autism and the book is written from Rosie's point of view. She explains her life living with her Autistic brother.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I thought it could have had a bit better of a storyline. Maybe including more characters. I think this is a great book to read to a class, especially if they do have a classmate that is autistic or if they are expecting a new student with autism.

[Luisa Zhuravleva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate the insight and the move to spread awareness about ASD. I have a sibling with ASD, and as a future special education teacher, I appreciate this book for shedding insight on the condition and those affected by it. There were aspects of the condition that ringed accurate, such as the repetitive behavior, being in one's world, difficulty with communication and socializing, etc. Upon consideration, to be sensitive before moving forward, I might include this book in my future classroom library to educate, spread awareness, and to let my future students know that they are heard and not alone.

[Corinne Pettry · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Andy and His Yellow Frisbee" tells the story of a boy who lives with autism. A young girl realizes that he spends all of his recess playing with a frisbee by himself and she befriends him despite his struggles. This story is incredibly easy for kids to read and even more easy to understand because it is written through the perspective of Andys older sister.

I gave this book 5 stars because learning about disabilities that kids around the students can have is so important and the lesson of treating everyone with kindness and respect is even more important.

[Andrew]

Andy and his yellow Frisbee is a fictional story about Andy, a boy with autism and his sister, Rosie, who always tries to protect him. It is from the point of view of the sister as she watches him during recess. During recess a girl tries to play with Andy and his sister starts talking to the girl about autism. The story does a good job telling its reading about autism and it puts this information in a way that most children can understand. The biggest problem I saw was the way that Rosie told the girl to basically stop playing with Andy as Rosie walks the girl away from Andy. This does not match the good message with the rest of the story and leaves the story on a rather poor ending. Due to the amount of information this story gives I would say this book is for students grades third and up.

[Grant Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy is an autistic boy who loves to play with his yellow Frisbee. His older sister always kept a watchful eye on her younger brother. Then a new girl with a pink Frisbee tries to become friends with Andy. She is confused as to why he will not play with her, but she does not get angry that he will not play. She tried to play with him and that is cool, she goes on to play with Andy's sister. The book is even informational because it teaches the basics of autism to the reader.

[Danielle Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does some really great things, but the depiction of autism is sadly outdated, as is the informational text included. Although autistic kids may seem uninterested in other people, usually they are interested and just do not have the social skills. Additionally, of course autistic people feel pain the same way that neurotypical people do - their sensory integration issues just make pain look different. So I appreciate this book, but I wish there were an updated version.

[Cynthia June Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

[not read]

Copyright 1996.
A "Social Problems" book.

Why do so many [older??] picture books feature an autistic child supervised by an older child and showing the older [NT?] child's point-of-view?

(If you are reading this and you are a librarian: withdraw this book!)

[Kelly Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. As the child has autism, my heart is already joyed to find a book that some students can relate to. As well as inform other students

[Naira Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book, because it is about a child who has autism who was helped by his sibling and his teacher.

[Josh Vaculik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story follows Andy and his yellow frisbee. Andy is a boy with sever autism, and the story is told by his very protective sister. The story follows his day to day actions and explains how the day of an autistic boy goes.

[Aubree Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is so heartwarming and is a great read. It tells a story of Andy who is a young boy with autism, everyday on the playground Andy sits by himself and spins his yellow frisbee. A new kid comes to his school, Sarah, who is unsure of why he does this. She tries to talk to him but much like other kids with autism Andy does not communicate well. He has his older sister watching because she does not know how Andy may react. Sarah soon finds a new way to communicate with Andy and Rosie is relieved to see this.

I give this book five stars because it is such an amazing and heartwarming book. I think it shows kids that just because someone has a hard time communicating does not mean you should give up trying.

[Rachel Replogle · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Andy and His Yellow Frisbee" is a realistic fiction that tells the story of Andy, a boy with Autism who keeps to himself and spins his yellow frisbee everyday. The story is centered around a new student in his class who is interested in knowing him and understanding why he does that. In the end, we see a big step of kindness from the new student as she brings her own frisbee to spin with Andy because she knows that will make him feel more comfortable. In my opinion, this book can be taken in two ways. The habits shown by Andy are sometimes seen as stereotypical of people with Autism (i.e. the obsessions and introverted nature). On the other hand, which I feel this book is truly trying to portray, is that all these characteristics are completely okay and should be accepted by society. This book has a well developed story line that is easy to understand. This book has great and appropriate illustrations that really help readers visualize the story. Most importantly, the illustrations help bring Andy's traits and habits to life, demonstrating what many children experience each day in their own ways. All in all, I think Andy's character, while simple, provides a premise for explaining to young children what Autism may look like and how to act or feel when they encounter someone with it.

[Brittany Upshaw]

The book, "Andy and His Yellow Frisbee", was a great and interesting read. I enjoyed every part of the story. The setting of the story took place on the playground during recess. The main character, Andy, who was autistic played with his yellow frisbee the whole time during recess. One thing I enjoyed most about this story is how the author, Mary Thompson, used repetition. One of the repeated phrases that occurred throughout the story was, "around and around and around", which symbolized the motion of the frisbee. I believe the characteristics of an autistic person was displayed appropriately in the story. Some of the characteristics were wanting to be alone, having an interest in just one thing, focusing hard on one task, and not really interacting with other people. Sarah, who was another main character in the story, was the new girl at school. By being the new girl Sarah was just trying to adjust to her new environment. Sarah saw that Andy enjoyed frisbees as she did so she tried to play with him. Not knowing Andy's situation, Sarah wasn't understanding why Andy didn't want to play with her, but instead of getting upset she simply stated, "some other time". Rosie, who was Andy's sister came over to where Andy and Sarah was on the playground. Sarah and Rosie actually started to play together, playing catch with Sarah's pink frisbee. As a teacher I can incorporate this story into my classroom in multiple ways. For one,I can inform my students about autism, what it is and certain characteristics one may display if they have the disability. Another point I can discuss is ways to do things without getting upset. Sarah could've easily got upset that Andy didn't want to play with her but instead she just thought maybe another time. I can ask my students' about when things don't go their way how can they handle situations without getting upset. Lastly, I love the repetition that occurred throughout the story. Repetition makes any book that much interesting to young kids. With repetition it gives children that chance to interact with the reader and vice versa, the reader may pause and let the students finish the statement. The illustrations within this book were very creative and went well with the story. As a teacher I would definitely read this book to my students!

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee is about a young boy with autism who has a special skill of spinning his frisbee. Andy seems to enjoy playing with his frisbee and keeping to himself on the playground. Andy's older sister, Rosie, is very protective and wants to make sure Andy is safe and feels comfortable. Rosie is especially concerned with the new girl, Sarah, who seems very interested in Andy and his hobby. As the older sister of a child with a disability I can definitely relate to Rosie and her concerns. I know how some children can be cruel if they do not feel they understand another child's behavior. Like Rosie, I would want to protect my sister and make sure she was always happy, and sometime I would get in the way of her making new friends. It was often very difficult for me to step back and let kids be kids and figure things out for themselves. Rosie is so happy when she sees that Andy has let Sarah play so close to him. She hopes this will mean that they will become friends in the future. Sarah's compassion towards Andy allows her to open up and make friends with him and his sister. This story shows an interesting comparison between a new student who is alone because she does not know anyone, and a student who prefers to play alone. I love that the main events of the story happen around Andy. He is always shown doing something he enjoys within his comfort zone. He is not doing anything out of the ordinary or put in situations where he would seem "different." This is definitely a story all children can connect to. The author writes, "Andy was a real puzzle to Sarah." I found this statement to be reflective of the author's views on autism, that it really is a puzzle. It is not to be figured out, but dealt with. Sarah does not try to figure out Andy, but finds a way to join him and form a friendship with him and his sister.

[Sarah Clanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Andy and His Yellow Frisbee written by Mary Thompson is about a young boy with autism. Every day at recess Andy sits on the pavement and spins his yellow frisbee while the other students play soccer and four square. A new girl comes to school one day and takes a particular interest in Andy. The new girl attempts to speak to Andy by bringing her own frisbee, and Andy's older sister carefully watches over him. The response from Andy is not what the new girl had hoped for, but she is certain that he will eventually play with her.
Theme: Be careful not to judge a person too soon, because they may have a disability that you cannot visually see.
Personal Response: Being a special education major, I work with children on the autism spectrum quite frequently. Some children like to keep to themselves and don't want any interaction, however some do want people to communicate with them but don't know how to say it. I loved this book because it showed a young girl being interested in interacting with a person with special needs and not stereotypically bullying or ignoring him because he is different.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to children ages 5-8 years old. This book has a great story, and is a great way of explaining to children what autism is, and how to approach people who are autistic. I believe reading this book to a child who has come into contact with a person with autism should read this book to better understand what people with autism experience, and how to properly communicate with them.

[Shawntale Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy and his yellow Frisbee is about a boy named Andy who has autism, who spins his yellow Frisbee in a corner of the playground at school. He wanted to be in his own little world all the time. He has a sister named Rosie who plays soccer and keeps an open eye out on him. A new girl named Sarah noticed how Andy spent his time alone at recess and would just watch him. The new girl walked over to him sits down to try to make conversation, Rosie over looks and see that and she was afraid that she was invading his space and would not understand his speech. She rushed over there and she notice that Sarah pulls out her pink Frisbee to try to get Andy to notice but he didn’t he kept spinning his yellow Frisbee around and around. Sarah thought about how it was like to be the new girl at school and everyday she kept a teddy bear in her book bag where ever she went and thought Andy spinning his yellow Frisbee around was similar.
overall i think this book was good and would recommend people to read it, it gives a scenario of what a child with autism might do.

[Jannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe that more books like this need to exist. It's a really realistic, gently-written situation; an older, protective sister looks out for her younger brother who is on the autism spectrum and prefers to play quietly by himself, spinning his frisbee on the ground during recess. Big sis is understandably wary when a new girl comes over and tries to sit with her brother and pulls out a frisbee of her own, but starts to relax when she realizes her brother isn't getting worked up over it and the girl isn't there for malicious purposes.
Reading it today, the book's illustrations and some of the verbiage and things make it feel dated. I think it could work maybe being read to 2nd graders, but it just doesn't look very appealing. It's 20 years old at this point and could use a bit of a face lift to make it more engaging while maintaining the great premise of the story.

[Diana Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an amazing read. It's about a little boy named Andy who has autism. He is different from the other kids because he stays to himself and continuously spins a yellow frisbee. A new girl, Sarah, is quite interested in Andy and wants to become friends with him. Andy's older sister is a bit skeptical and wants to protect Andy because she is aware that many people does not understand or respect his difference. This is a great book too introduce in a social justice unit. It explores a relevant difference in a very creative way.

[Amywagner]

A heartwarming illustrated children's book about Andy, a boy with autism. Like many children with autism, Andy has a fascination with objects in motion. It's Andy's special talent for spinning his frisbee combined with a new classmate's curiosity about his behavior that sets this story in motion. Rosie, the watchful and protective sister, supplies background on Andy and autism, as well as a sibling's perspective.

[Yahya Han · Rating 3 out of 5]

As author mentioned, this story introduces young readers to autism. The story was told by his sister Rosie. Even if Andy behaves different from other kids, he has a special talent for spinning stuff around. One day, a new girl Sarah wants to meet with Andy, but he likes to live in his own world. Well, I am not sure about the ending of the story was good or not. It says nothing about Andy's communication with other people, but Sarah and Rosie has met at the end of the story.

[Jamal Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has words on every other page with a picture on the other. The title on the front is going up and down and in red. On the front there's a boy playing with a yellow frisbee. On the back is a description of the book.

This book introduces the readers to autism. A girl named Sarah wanted to know why the little boy Andy just spins his frisbee all recess long. Sarah approaches him but he doesn't talk much.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a new girl, Sarah, and how she tries to connect with Andy, who just spins his yellow frisbee throughout every recess. While the story progresses, it becomes clear that his behavior is linked to his autism. On a second-third grade reading level with some explanation of autism in the back.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and thought-provoking. A great story to read to older students (3rd grade and up) and teach them about autism. I really like that the story does not have a typical happy ending, but leaves the reader with a sense of hope that one day Andy might begin to open up to new people. Definitely recommend!