The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       July 15, 2019

 

Author  Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9781943147618
Publisher:         The Innovation Press
Release Date:   March 2019  

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Children come in all shapes and sizes, so do their minds, therefor it really is a case of one size does not fit all and in Temple Grandin’s cases, no size seemed to fit her at all.

As a little child she hated anything that itched, did not speak until she was three and simply could not bear BIG SQUEEZY HUGS. Temple was very different, so different that when it was time to start school it was not a very great time for her. Other children teased her and made her very sad and unhappy.

They did not understand that Temple was a very special little girl with a mind that saw things, the same things they saw, very differently. One days she had had enough and threw a book at another child. She was not allowed to go back to school so her Mother sent her to spend some time with her Aunt on the farm.

While she was there, she discovered that being different was not really so different after all, that she did have a very good mind and that her mind loved things that were scientific. She saw things in pictures instead of words. She understood what cows and sheep and other farm animals were all about and learned from them. Temple was Autistic.

Temple eventually went on to University where she earned three degrees in Science, one of which is a PhD in animal science and has gone on to improve the life of farm animals, especially cows, when they are being transported. She now travels the world talking and lecturing on both autism and compassionate treatment of farm animals, all because of her life experiences which motivated her to become an amazing, barrier breaking, innovative Scientist.

This big, bold book on the life of Dr Temple Grandin is the perfect book for all children who are struggling to cope with either being autistic, or trying to understand children who are on the autism spectrum.

Set out in easy to read and understand rhyming text, with cartoon style characters created by Daniel Rieley, concluding with an encouraging letter from Temple Grandin, a time line of her achievements and an adults or older reader synopsis of her life story, makes this a perfect book for not just children living in the world of autism, but all children as they too learn about different people and life’s many challenges.