Episode Summary
Laurie Frankel’s novel “One Two Three” features Monday, a character with autism spectrum disorder. But in Monday's world, she's accepted and gets the accommodations she needs to thrive. Autism expert Dr. Andrea Huebner and Laurie reflect on the many ways autism can manifest — and how we might create a world that more closely resembles Laurie's fiction.
Episode Notes
We talked with:
- Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of four novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, Washington where she lives with her family and makes good soup.
- Andrea Huebner, Ph.D., is a Mayo Clinic pediatric neuropsychologist and autism expert. Dr. Huebner has performed diagnostic evaluations for thousands of children with autism and is still fascinated by the uniqueness of each child’s autism experience. She is involved in advocacy aimed at prompting communities to recognize the enormous potential contributions of individuals with autism.
We talked about:
In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests discuss:
- The many faces of autism. Using Dr. Huebner’s expertise and Laurie’s characters, we reflect on the range of features that can show up in someone with autism spectrum disorder. Autism can look very different in different people, but there are common themes that can help us better understand this kind of neurodivergence.
- Seeing the strengths. Rather than pathologizing Monday's autistic characteristics, Laurie sees them as simple differences — and in some cases, as strengths. Getting to know someone with autism spectrum disorder (whether in fiction or real life) can help us better understand these differences.
- Imagining a better world. Laurie’s book is set in an inclusive community that has been set up with a universal design to accommodate people of different abilities. We consider how we could make the real world more accommodating for people of all abilities.
Can't get enough?
- Purchase the Mayo Clinic Press children’s book “My Life Beyond Autism.”
- Purchase “One Two Three.”
- Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
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- If you’ve got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu.
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