Have YOU read these to your child?

The Book Review’s 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books for 2011, in alphabetical order, are: “Along a Long Road,” written and illustrated by Frank Viva (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers); “A Ball for Daisy,” written and illustrated by Chris Raschka (Schwartz & Wade); “Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Saint Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures,” written by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Pamela Dalton (Chronicle Books); “Grandpa Green,” written and illustrated by Lane Smith (Roaring Brook Press); “Ice,” written and illustrated by Arthur Geisert (Enchanted Lion Books); “I Want My Hat Back,” written and illustrated by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press); “Me … Jane,” written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers); “Migrant,” written by Maxine Trottier, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (Groundwood Books); “A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis,” written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Dial); and “A New Year’s Reunion,” written by Yu Li-Qiong, illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang (Candlewick Press). Next year, The New York Times Best Illustrated awards will celebrate its 60th anniversary.

There is no better language learning that reading to and with your child.

The best predictor of school outcome is how much a child reads and is read to at HOME.

What better time to teach social skills to children with ASD than at Christmas!

Santa would so approve. 

            I believe that all children with autism want to please their parents, teachers, friends, speech therapist, and yes, Santa. I believe they don’t always know how. In fact, I know they don’t know how to make the right social choices. Many people without ASD don’t make good social choices either.

          Christmas is a perfect time to make comparison lists of right vs. wrong, good compared to bad, and in Santa terms, between naughty and nice. Start making your lists of naughty and nice things to do for the holidays and compare them. Talk about them. Do the nice ones – together.

          Acts of “niceness” at Christmas

encourage good social choices year round.

I just returned from the American Speech/Language Hearing Association National Convention in San Diego. I attended many wonderful sessions on autism/ASD/Aspergers syndrome. I worked in the exhibit hall and enjoyed the city with my husband.

Be sure to catch my Autism Spectrum Blogs on ADVANCE for the Speech Language Pathologist. The ASHA blogs are being posted at least twice a week. Lots of great information and tips for SLPs and parents.

I have also posted three collages On the Road with Humpty Dumpy. Mr. Humpty had so much fun at ASHA and of course, he’s always the center of attention.

The picture at the top is of several of my ASHA name badges. I’ve been attending since the 1980′s.

Honoring all Veterans today. On this panel, 04E – Line 3 of The Wall in Washington D.C. is the name of LCPL – E3 Marine Corp – Larry Dean Borschel, from my hometown of Iowa Falls, IA, who gave his last full measure of devotion in South Vietnam on Dec. 9, 1965. The Vet. is John Roberts from PA who made the encased flag for friends whose names are etched next to Larry’s. The letter is from a class of sixth-grade students from Omaha, NE. I corresponded with them. My family was recently there. My Humpty Dumpty was there also and left the only American flag he has ever left on his travels. Today, 11-11-11 is a day of rememberance, rededication, and honor.

I would like to announce, my soon to be launched, children’s book

Bayo the Boo Cow

from Ink and Quill Publisher, Henderson, NV

Bayo means to find joy in Nigerian.

Boo ~ Boo ~ Boo, Bayo could not say “Moo.”

Parents and Teachers – you will be thrilled to find a barn load of oral motor exercises at the end of Bayo to practice with your chilren for developmental articulation skills. 

These exercises are written by Kathie Harrington, M.A., CCC, SLP

Kathie has years of experience working with children with speech and language disorders as well as developmental milestones.  Let Kathie and Bayo show you and your child fun and empowering strategies for speech development that can be successful individually or in a classroom environment.

Bayo the Boo Cow will be available shortly.

E-mail me for pre-orders and I’ll give you a “cowabunga” of great deal.

kathieh2@cox.net

Be sure to check out and “Like” me on my new Facebook   page, KATHIE HARRINGTON’S AMAZING AUTISM PAGE.

This is another new way of presenting information and inspiration to the autism/ASD community.

Share with your family and friends.

After all – life is AMAZING!

I am not the original author or artist of this picture alphabet nor do I know who the author is. If you know, let me know.

(to Dolly Parton’s Jolene Lyrics)

Irene, Irene, Irene, Irene,

I’m begging of you please don’t slam our land

Irene, Irene, Irene, Irene,

Please don’t slam it just because you can.

Your destruction is beyond compare

With wind and rain you just don’t care

With a flaming eye of storming surge

You bring your rampage with a curse

Take it on back out to sea

We don’t want you or your misery.

Irene, Irene, Irene, Irene,

I’m begging of you please don’t slam our land

Irene, Irene, Irene, Irene,

Please don’t slam it just because you can.

By Kathie Harrington

@ Kathiesworld.com

Have a fantastic school year and plant a Learning Seed

To Craig and Mary Sathoff

by Art Sathoff

Memorial Day 2011

He was a giant man but
Full of humor, soft of heart.
She was a quiet woman
Iron-willed, doing her part.

They were Christians and parents
Role models and workers, too.
They put down roots deep and strong
Lived lives both honest and true.

Family dinners on Sunday,
Playing cards with family friends,
Teaching us to chase our dreams,
Before the fading daylight ends.

Rummage sales, antiques, auctions
Backyard hoops, lawn darts, croquet
Simple things and common folk
Remembered on Memorial Day

Mother Mary and C.E.,
Not forgotten and not gone
Carried with me every day,
In my heart you come along.