My Brother Otto and the Birthday Party

This engaging picture book shows how two little crow siblings—one of them on the autism spectrum—deal with the different sensory experiences they encounter at a friend’s birthday party.

Piper and her little brother Otto, who is on the autism spectrum, are excited to attend a birthday party for their friend Ruthie. In kid-friendly language, Piper explains the accommodations Otto and Ruthie, who is also autistic, need in order to feel safe and secure in a stimulating new environment, such as wearing headphones to keep distracting noises muffled. The book provides explanations for Otto’s differences in easy-to-understand language and highlights that Otto desires fun, comfort, and love—just like his peers.