The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic

Siena Castellon

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Mar 19, 2020 - Young Adult Nonfiction - 256 pages

Moonbeam Children's Book Awards - Silver Medal Winner
Nautilus Silver Book Award Winner
Purple Dragonfly Book Awards - First Place

"Never be ashamed of being different: it is this difference that makes you extraordinary and unique."

This essential go-to guide gives you all the advice and tools you'll need to help you flourish and achieve what you want in life. From the answers to everyday questions such as 'Am I using appropriate body language?' and 'Did I say the wrong thing?', through to discussing the importance of understanding your emotions, award-winning neurodiversity campaigner Siena Castellon uses her own experiences to provide you with the skills to overcome any challenge. She shares authentic advice for looking after your physical and mental health, as well as how to cope with anxiety and sensory overloads

With practical tips on friendships, dating, body image, consent and appearance, as well as how to survive school and bullying, The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide gives you the power to embrace who you are, reminding you that even during the toughest of teen moments, you are never alone.

Contents

• Foreword by Temple Grandin: 13
• Acknowledgments: 15
• 1 About Me: 17
• 2 The Invisible Autistic Girl: 21
• 3 Embracing Who You Are: 27
• 4 The Importance of Being Yourself: 45
• 5 Managing Your Sensory Sensitivities and Sensory Overloads: 58
• 6 Taking Care of Your Body: 73
• 7 Understanding Your Emotions and Looking After Your Mental Health: 87
• 8 Finding Your Fashion Style: 109
• 9 Socializing and Making Friends: 118
• 10 Crushes and Dating: 132
• 11 Gender Identity Androgyny Gender Fluidity and Transgender Girls: 144
• 12 How to Survive School: 155
• 13 Bullying: 183
• 14 Cooccurring Conditions: 205
• 15 Navigating the Perils of Social Media and the Internet: 220
• 16 Celebrating Neurodiversity: 238
• Where to Find More Information: 241
• Recommended Reading: 248
• Index: 250

About the author

Siena Castellon is a 17-year-old internationally recognised and multi-award-winning autism advocate and anti-bullying campaigner who is on the autism spectrum. She has won a BBC Radio 1 Teen Hero Award, Observer New Radical Award and the British Citizen Youth Award and is affiliated with the UCL Centre for Research in Autism and Education. She lives in London with her parents and her pet dog Rico.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic
• Author: Siena Castellon
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2020
• ISBN: 1787751848, 9781787751842
• Length: 256 pages
• Subjects: Education / Special Education / General; Education / Special Education / Learning Disabilities; Juvenile Nonfiction / Health & Daily Living / General; Juvenile Nonfiction / Health & Daily Living / Physical Impairments; Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Topics / Dating & Relationships; Self-Help / General; Social Science / Women's Studies; Young Adult Nonfiction / Disabilities; Young Adult Nonfiction / Girls & Women; Young Adult Nonfiction / Social Topics / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance