From: Nelle Frances
Dear Reader,

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

You're on this website because you're continually looking for ways to help your child/family live with/deal with Asperger's Syndrome.

You're looking for something to make a difference - something that works.

You're not looking for a cure; you know Autism can't be cured. You've tried lots of things and you'll continue to try anything: new treatments,new therapies, new strategies,

in your quest to help your child towards becoming an independent adult who
self-manages their behaviour. I know the hours you spend searching,
I know what you're feeling, because I've been there.
I'm the mother of an Asperger Child too.

BEHAVIOUR

I'm also a Special Needs Educator (Primary and High School) who grew to be extremely frustrated and fed up with the lack of resources on the market that "told it like it is" - from an Asperger point of view. The group of children I was working with at the time (some ASD, some ADHD, and some undiagnosed) didn't have anything in the fiction genre to read that described life from their perspective - lots of stories describing how they SHOULD behave, and other stories that pass judgement on 'good' and 'bad' behaviour. But what if behaviour choices were based on sensory sensitivities, or inability to read facial expressions, or failure to recognise a literal meaning, or being unable to change track quickly as is so often true for our Asperger children?

Extract from my books

"He heard the hum, hum, humming of the fluorescent lights.""Her eyebrows were pulled together and she had creases in her forehead. Ben thought she looked like her hair was too tight for her head."

" 'Ben, come and sit…where I can keep an eye on you!' said Mrs. Greenwood. Ben kept looking at his shoulder, to see if Mrs. Greenwoods eye was there."

I was also aware that some of my Teacher colleagues had little or no understanding of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Those that did know could list the characteristics, but had trouble transferring that knowledge into everyday situations and scenarios. After reading my books countless Teachers have commented, "I didn't know..." or "I didn't realise…"

YOUR CHILD WILL MAKE A CONNECTION

These books won't cure Autism, and initially you might think "They're just books - what difference can they really make?" But when your child reads them, and excitedly talks to you about "that boy in the books!" and whispers to you "I think he has Asperger's Syndrome, Mum!" you'll see the connection your child has made with the character Ben. And when they come home after a 'bad' day at school and grab their 'Ben and His Helmet' books to read you'll know they are looking for solutions as they navigate social skills, facial expressions, literal meanings, school routines and change.

"Yes, thought Ben, it all makes sense now…"

ABOUT THE STORIES

In the Ben and His Helmet series of books Ben's magic helmet helps him unravel the mystery of social skills, facial expressions, literal meanings, school routines and change, by offering sound advice and helpful solutions.

"When you don't understand something Mrs. Greenwood has told you to do, you should put your hand up and ask her to explain," his helmet stated clearly.

Ben, His Helmet and the Too Tight Hair (A4 format) introduces Ben's character and his magic helmet. We get to know Ben, and the way he interprets his world.

"Ben knows it used to belong to aliens, because Mum said 'What's that alien-looking object near the back fence?'"

Ben, His Helmet and the Crashing Cymbals (A4 format) tells the story of Ben going to a music lesson, being overloaded from the noise, and finding a way to successfully overcome this challenging situation.

"…when the cymbals crashed, Ben got a fright! Soon it was too noisy for him and he…covered his ears with his hands."

"I can tell all the clanging and clashing upsets you and I think I've got a solution…Ben felt much better now!"

Ben, His Helmet and Hats Off! (A4 format) is about Ben attending Assembly/Parade and the sensory minefield that it can be. Once again his helmet comes to the rescue.

"...he found he heard a lot more at this Assembly than he ever had before….it was the best Assembly ever."

Ben, His Helmet and Bees in Your Bonnet (A5 format). Ben is a little older and has a new Teacher. This story is about Ben finding an enjoyable way to take part in Sports Day. The book also includes a range of puzzle pages e.g. crossword, word search and number block, that children love to solve.

“What do you think? Will those things help you feel more relaxed about Sports Day?” asked Mr. Pellum.
“Yes, I think it will help….” replied Ben uncertainly.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THESE BOOKS

Two things will happen when you and your child read these books.

1. The first thing is that because the power of the written word is mighty,
your child will make a connection with Ben. He/she will think to themselves "That's how I feel!" or "That's what I think!", and they'll really be able to identify with Ben's sensory sensitivities.

Never before have they read a book where the character acts/thinks like they do. With that connection comes the idea that they could try those problem-solving strategies too. With that idea comes the first move towards self-assessment "How am I feeling?" and the natural progression towards self-management "Perhaps I need 'time out'".2. The second thing that will happen is that
the parent/teacher/carer reading the story to your child will at last realise the cumulative effect of EVERYTHING that occurs in your child's life, and how it can often be overwhelming. E.g. It's not the smell of the glue-pots that sends your child into overload, and therefore meltdown; rather it's

the burnt toast in the morning

  + a change in the expected timetable at school

   + not understanding a literal meaning

    + misinterpreting a facial expression

     + not understanding instructions

     + the smell of the glue-pots

= overload

= meltdown.

This realisation brings empathy, and empathy brings a desire to help. This flows on to being able to better anticipate your child's ability to cope with stimuli (verbal, physical, tactile) and monitor your child's sensory environment. This means that some tantrums/meltdowns and potentially explosive situations can be prevented. The one Asperger characteristic I've been looking to minimise/manage/change is the tantrums! I can live with everything else; in fact I can see the benefits of most of the other characteristics and the different way of thinking. But I can do without the tantrums!Also, as a bonus, other children will gain an empathy for your son/daughter, without identifying them specifically! Asperger's Syndrome isn't 'named' in the books, Ben simply portrays the characteristics. So these books are perfect for the child who hasn't been diagnosed, or the ones who don't know of their diagnosis. This means the Ben & His Helmet series are suitable for children with ASD, Autism, ADHD and PDDNOS, who share some characteristics.I've also found these books enormously useful for grandparents and aunts/uncles, who sometimes have great difficulty understanding my Asperger child's behaviour. This seems to be an obstacle faced by most families living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Testimonial
"We have just received and already read your books.
They are wonderful; we learned so much. Thankyou. Keep up the good work!"

Grandparents of 9 year old Trudy.

BENEFITS OF A SERIES

That's why I've written a SERIES of books. I will (eventually!) cover all the major situations our children have difficulty with:- music lessons, Assembly/Parade, Sport's Day, Substitute Teachers, swimming lessons, and so on until Ben's transition to High School. We've already experienced all those important stages in our son's life (he's 14 now) so your Asperger child will reap the benefit of hindsight. In fact that's where the ideas for my stories come from - my son says to me "Mum, you MUST write a story about Sport's Day!" and it's on his insistence that I keep writing until Ben makes the transition to High School, which to date has been the most important transition of his life.Another benefit of having a series of books is that the child can make a real connection with Ben's character- he becomes familiar, safe. The repetition of some of the text means there's a certain predictability; for struggling-readers there comes a confidence when they "know that part".Each story deals with:-School routinesSocial skillsFacial expressionsLiteral meaningsTransition and changeSensory issues

and so each instalment or book offers a chance to consolidate and build on your ASD child's progression towards self-management, while at the same time reinforcing classroom practice and procedures.

Don't forget to have a look at my Strategies & Links pages for some great advice!

MY GUARANTEE TO YOU

I'm confident that my Ben & His Helmet books will have a positive impact on your child. That's why I offer this guarantee:

If your Asperger child doesn't make a connection to Ben's character and start verbalizing about their feelings,

OR

If the parent/grandparent/teacher/carer of your ASD child doesn't gain an insight/empathy of Autistic Spectrum Disorder,

then you can have a full refund. Simply email me and I'll send your money back.

I don't wish to have the books returned; instead I'd like you to donate them to your nearest local school, so that others can take advantage of the unique results the Ben & His Helmet stories are producing.

MY OFFER TO YOU

The most economical way to purchase is the set of 4 Ben & His Helmet books for the price of $67.99, with free shipping. That means the price per book is less than $17.00! You can even personalize the books with an inscription from me! Simply email me with your chosen wording after placing your order.For a limited time the books also come with a set of 5 Blackline Master Activity Worksheets, which are reproducible and able to be photocopied. They include:- Maths Activity, Handwriting Activity, Creative Thinking Activity, Comprehension Activity and Color-In Activity. The fastest way to order is to click here. You’ll be taken to a Paypal order form, where you can be guaranteed of the total security of ordering and paying online. Your details and your email address are completely confidential, used only by me, to respond to you, my valued client.

The books will be posted by me today, and will take 7-10 days to arrive.

OR

You may send your cheque with an order form by mail.Regards,        P.S. If you’d like to make a positive difference to your ASD child’s behaviour, and reduce tantrums and meltdowns, order these books today. For a limited time they come complete with a set of 5 reproducible Blackline Master Worksheets.

I know they will be invaluable in helping your Asperger child move towards self-management of their behaviour.