THE ASPERKID'S (SECRET) BOOK OF SOCIAL RULES, 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Cook, herself autistic, offers tips for neurodiverse readers.

Incorporating candid personal anecdotes, the author examines how common autistic tendencies—among them perfectionism, difficulty giving and receiving criticism, and a lack of tact—can inadvertently cause neurotypical peers to form negative impressions. To mitigate social gaffes, she thoroughly explains the rationale behind such social subtleties as white lies, reflective listening, and how to helpfully frame critiques, among others. Each chapter, introduced by a black-and-white cartoon illustration and a list of main points, accessibly breaks abstract concepts into actionable behaviors. Charts and sample dialogues demonstrate such skills as distinguishing between insensitive and tactful responses to awkward questions. Practice sessions in the form of short, comic strip–style vignettes invite readers to apply these skills by spotting strengths and weaknesses in characters’ interactions. Importantly, though the author doesn’t sugarcoat the negative effects of social blunders, she encourages readers to be gentle with themselves. Unfortunately, generalizations occasionally mar her advice. For instance, she discourages befriending popular, attractive, and charismatic people, claiming that they would find readers disposable—a rigid presumption that contradicts her encouragement of flexible thinking. However, readers will appreciate her logical approaches to curbing catastrophic thinking, defusing meltdowns, recognizing trustworthy friends, engaging in self-advocacy, and more. While readers may not need—or agree with—every tip, the wide variety of topics ensures that they’ll find useful strategies for almost any challenge. There is some racial diversity in the illustrated figures.

An earnest, well-mapped guide to neurotypical customs.