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Charlie Makes a Splash!
The award-winning team who brought us MY BROTHER CHARLIE presents a companion book that celebrates the power of water for those who have autism.
Like many kids on the autism spectrum, Charlie finds solace and empowerment in pools, ponds, sprinklers, visting the aquarium, and swimming in the ocean. Through his adventures and discoveries, he shows the world that even though he has autism, autism doesn't have him.
In this beautiful ode to the love between siblings Callie and Charlie, we return to the characters from our award-winning book MY BROTHER CHARLIE, who bring whimsy to everyday fun for all children, while showing readers that kids who may experience the world in different ways can help us see the wonders of swimming to your own rhythm.
Like many kids on the autism spectrum, Charlie finds solace and empowerment in pools, ponds, sprinklers, visting the aquarium, and swimming in the ocean. Through his adventures and discoveries, he shows the world that even though he has autism, autism doesn't have him.
In this beautiful ode to the love between siblings Callie and Charlie, we return to the characters from our award-winning book MY BROTHER CHARLIE, who bring whimsy to everyday fun for all children, while showing readers that kids who may experience the world in different ways can help us see the wonders of swimming to your own rhythm.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2022
40 people want to read
About the author
Holly Robinson Peete
7 books35 followersHolly Elizabeth Robinson Peete is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox TV police drama 21 Jump Street, Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Dr. Malena Ellis on the NBC/WB sitcom For Your Love. After graduating from high school, Peete entered Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She majored in psychology and French, and could speak four languages. During her time as an undergraduate, she spent a year abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. After she graduated in 1986, she considered attending graduate school and perhaps working in languages for the U.S. State Department. However, her love of acting contributed to her decision to give an acting career a chance for a few months first. Within a short time, Peete found roles on a television series and in two films, and thoughts of graduate school were left behind.
Currently, she is one of the five co-hosts of the CBS daytime talk show The Talk, which premiered on October 18, 2010. Peete's children's book, "My Brother Charlie", won her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in March of 2011
Currently, she is one of the five co-hosts of the CBS daytime talk show The Talk, which premiered on October 18, 2010. Peete's children's book, "My Brother Charlie", won her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in March of 2011
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 2, 2023
Families with children with autism will enjoy this story that puts a voice to their feelings. The rest of us, this is a much-needed story that will provide empathy and understanding about autism. Shane Evans's artwork is pretty cool too. #youarenotalone
February 7, 2023
This book was written by Holly Robinson Peete and her autistic son RJ Peete. The text of the story reflect the family's experience with RJ's autism as a child, with the character Charlie standing in for RJ.
Charlie has autism and a twin sister. Charlie is the narrator and tells the reader some of the things they might notice about him with his autism--he sees the world in special ways; loud noises can hurt; looking people in the eyes is hard; and more. While mentioning these differences, the story also celebrates that Charlie has a connection to water and water animals. He can swim better than his twin (she is still taking lessons with arm floaties), he knows all about the fish they see at the aquarium.
This is a great book celebrating Charlie and his uniqueness and looking at his twin as his foil. Charlie says, "I have autism. But autism doesn't have me."
At the end of the story, Holly Robinson Peete shares 4 pages talking of her experiences with an autistic child, discussing the lack or delay of diagnosis in some populations. She offers great advice for parents whose lives will be shaped by this difference (while specific to autsim, her advice rings pretty true for parents of kids with other learning differences or other kinds of differences)--ditching the diagnosis, taking care of your self, being sensitive to siblings, etc. RJ also shares his own page sharing his thoughts on autism, sharing what he and his sister would share from the time he was 10. While the story was cute and a great reminder to see things from other's perspectives and appreciate each other, I think parents reading those last pages may really feel seen and understood.
The illustrations are bright and colorful. There is a texture to the images which adds a nice depth to the pictures.
Charlie has autism and a twin sister. Charlie is the narrator and tells the reader some of the things they might notice about him with his autism--he sees the world in special ways; loud noises can hurt; looking people in the eyes is hard; and more. While mentioning these differences, the story also celebrates that Charlie has a connection to water and water animals. He can swim better than his twin (she is still taking lessons with arm floaties), he knows all about the fish they see at the aquarium.
This is a great book celebrating Charlie and his uniqueness and looking at his twin as his foil. Charlie says, "I have autism. But autism doesn't have me."
At the end of the story, Holly Robinson Peete shares 4 pages talking of her experiences with an autistic child, discussing the lack or delay of diagnosis in some populations. She offers great advice for parents whose lives will be shaped by this difference (while specific to autsim, her advice rings pretty true for parents of kids with other learning differences or other kinds of differences)--ditching the diagnosis, taking care of your self, being sensitive to siblings, etc. RJ also shares his own page sharing his thoughts on autism, sharing what he and his sister would share from the time he was 10. While the story was cute and a great reminder to see things from other's perspectives and appreciate each other, I think parents reading those last pages may really feel seen and understood.
The illustrations are bright and colorful. There is a texture to the images which adds a nice depth to the pictures.
September 6, 2022
"I have autism, but autism doesn't have me..."
Holly Robinson Peete, and her son RJ who is on the autistic spectrum, use these colorful, and thoughtful pages, to share a glimpse of an autistic child's world. He finds comfort, peace and solace in water -- something so many of us never think about, and yet how many of us find the sound of the ocean soothing? For Charlie it is the touch and feel of the water, the life, the fish and seals and various animals in the water, and this children's book does a beautiful job of sharing his happy place with others, all while reminding us that his twin is his friend, his peer, and they don't need to be identical... and not just because they are fraternal twins.
"my sister lets me be me."
Holly Robinson Peete, and her son RJ who is on the autistic spectrum, use these colorful, and thoughtful pages, to share a glimpse of an autistic child's world. He finds comfort, peace and solace in water -- something so many of us never think about, and yet how many of us find the sound of the ocean soothing? For Charlie it is the touch and feel of the water, the life, the fish and seals and various animals in the water, and this children's book does a beautiful job of sharing his happy place with others, all while reminding us that his twin is his friend, his peer, and they don't need to be identical... and not just because they are fraternal twins.
"my sister lets me be me."
February 23, 2022
Super cute and heartwarming book. This is a great read for children of all ages. The authors do a great job at balancing informative text with the story. I think this will definitely help children even without autism understand some differences and behaviors of children with autism. It was a great read that I will be thinking about for a long time!
September 20, 2022
Hm... This author advocates for people "suffering with debilitating life circumstances like Parkinson's disease and autism"? I think this author sees autism from a really deficit-based perspective, so...I'm not sure I like this.
February 19, 2024
A revealing story dealing with autism while growing up as told through the experiences of a child who found his niche in and around water, and how his family members were able to help him navigate through all the challenges he faced.
September 7, 2022
I love this family and how they support Charlie!
October 20, 2022
A nice picture book, that helps people understand autism.
November 26, 2022
Charlie and Carlie are twins. Charlie had autism and Carlie does not. I love how this book focuses on all the things that Charlie loves and is good at and not on his diagnosis.
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March 16, 2023Neurodivergent Content: MC is autistic (co-writer is autistic)
May 2, 2023
A young boy with autism finds his happy place in and near the water with a great family afterward about dealing with autism. Preschool and up
October 14, 2023
10/14/2023 ~ A companion book to My Brother Charlie, this time told from Charlie's point of view. This book explores his affinity to water and the way it provides a sensory haven.
October 30, 2023
What a great teaching book - it's told from the perspective of a twin with autism. Lovely, gentle explanation of some of the things that make him special and unique.
November 2, 2023
From the perspective of the neurodivergent twin. Very sweet
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March 19, 2024a child friendly exploration of autism
August 9, 2024
Told from the point of view of Charlie, a child with autism, on being different and being part of a family.
October 14, 2025
(read aloud by himself at 5yo, no words missed)
November 24, 2024
Although I enjoyed this book it doesn’t carry the same punch as ‘My Brother Charlie’.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews