Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do you know about autism? How might people with autism navigate the world differently?

Teaching Suggestion: Catherine’s brother David has autism, and much of the book centers on her relationship with him. Building students’ understanding of this topic can help them fully access the book. Identifying complexities in autism and avoiding stereotypes is key. Discussing our society’s preoccupation with appearances and expectations that drives conflicts for Catherine, David, and Jason can guide students to see opportunities for new ways to view the world, ways filled with more compassion and acceptance. The Spectrum article emphasizes skills autism brings people, which can highlight the positive.

• This resource from the CDC explains facts about autism.
• “Finding Strengths in Autism” from Spectrum explores ways autism can bring a number of strengths.

2. What are some ways we communicate beyond words?

Teaching Suggestion: The resources here can illuminate specific different ways people communicate. It could be helpful to ask students to journal and study the resources and then add to their journals before discussing.