Ball! Ball! Ball!

Book excerpt: Acclaimed writer and illustrator Kelley Donner's debut picture book Ball! Ball! Ball! is about an autistic boy and a mother's love. Tom, a young autistic boy, is fascinated with all things round and enthusiastically points out any object he can find that looks like a ball. From peas to balloons, Tom learns that "balls" can be smooth, squishy, pop, and even have different temperatures. A delightfully uplifting sensory story, Ball! Ball! ball! shows that even love can come in the shape of a ball. Kelley Donner has worked as an educator for over 20 years in various settings across the US, Germany, and the UK. She currently works full time as a writer/illustrator and is a mother to three sons. As an advocate for children with special needs and autism, she believes strongly that all children need representation in children's literature, especially picture books. This is why she began the A Little Donnerwetter Books - Happy Heads Mental Health Series. Each book tells the story of one fictitious child with special needs and/or autism and his or her individual challenges and triumphs. Ball! Ball! Ball! is about Tom, a young boy with autism who speaks only a few words and has a fascination for round objects. It is a book about sensory awareness and self-discovery. This is Tom's story.