Hello! I'm Alora, a Summer Intern at WGVU. Summer is in full swing and the WGVU Education Team has been all over West Michigan passing out Collecting Summer Memories Kits and Michigan Learning Channel Summer Activity Books, tabling events, and making pet rocks! Our theme this year is “Collecting Summer Memories”, inspired by the new PBS KIDS show Carl the Collector. This show features Carl, an autistic raccoon, and all of his friends in Fuzzytown. As an educator, one of the things that I love about this show is the wide variety of themes that are addressed in a way that doesn’t single anyone out. It shows how everyone has different ways of problem solving which fits their needs, while highlighting the creativity and strengths of each character.
It is so important to provide book choices that offer a wide variety of experiences which reflect the students within our classroom. Created by Professor Robert Rozema at Grand Valley State University, the Autistic Representation Database (ARD) is a great resource to find books. As a new ELA teacher, I have found this to be a fantastic time-saving tool that helps me discover books that feature autistic characters and/or are written by autistic authors.
The purpose of this database is to serve as a resource with all of the books which fit the set criteria, so it isn’t necessarily a curated resource in which specific books are recommended, like this blog post. However, ARD provides parents and teachers with the opportunity to browse and choose age-appropriate books for their child/student that reflect the values or themes they are seeking. I would always recommend previewing the books before reading with kids.
Below are 10 books that feature characters with autism and other differences while exploring similar themes to Carl the Collector! Pair the books with matching episodes to help teach children important SEL skills through conversation and self-reflections.
In this book, beautifully adorned by award-winning illustrator Rafael Lopez, we explore what makes each of us different. It encourages us to just ask questions of one another so that we can learn more about our friends! Author and US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor draws from her own childhood experiences to create not only a sweet story, but a context in which to have conversations with your students or children, as each page features questions you can ask as you read. Pair with the Carl the Collector episode “The Puffball Collection”, about Lotta entering a music competition! It explores how asking questions can help us better understand others and how to help in difficult situations. These stories together can help us learn how asking questions in different contexts and when we are confused is important for learning and understanding others! | |
Jasper and the Magpie by Dan Mayfield One of Carl the Collecter’s special interests is collecting things. From remotes to puffballs, he finds joy in seeing all the different variations of an object come together in one collection! Jasper, in Dan Mayfield’s children’s book Jasper and the Magpie, loves the way the sun reflects off shiny things. This book, with calming illustrations by Alex Merry, explores all the different interests and hobbies others might have, which could be something you never even thought about before! | |
Pablo: Goodnight Pablo (Pablo Series, Book One) Struggles falling asleep is something that we all experience, for different reasons. In this book, which is a part of a series, Pablo and his friends don’t want to go to sleep because they are afraid they will disappear. Together, his friends help him solve this problem and get a good night's rest. Each Pablo book is written by an autistic author and is based on the television series, which is also written and directed by creators who are autistic! This book is a great companion to the Carl the Collector episode “The Bottle Cap Collection”, which you can use to cozy up in the evening. These are great pieces of media to facilitate a discussion about what we can do when we cannot sleep and problem-solving! | |
A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond Follow a day in the life of Aiden, an autistic boy who communicates without verbal speech with his mother. This book by Tiffany Hammond shares different ways that families talk with one another, highlighting the relationship between Aiden and his mother and how they use a tablet to communicate. It features engaging high contrast illustrations by Kate Cosgrove that beautifully show the bright world that Aiden and his mother perceive, sense, and live in. Pair with the Carl the Collector episode “Rhythm Blues” to further explore all of the different ways that people communicate and express themselves. In this episode, we learn about ways that people might like to interact with music. Each may be different from others but we can still have a great time, even if we play a little bit differently! | |
Bitsy Bat, School Star by Kaz Windness In this adorable book by author-illustrator Kaz Windness, we follow Bitsy Bat on her first day of school! Bitsy is ready for school and excited to make friends, but when she gets there she realizes that everyone else does things a little differently. She wants to fit in, but seems to do everything wrong! Eventually, readers realize that there is no wrong, just that each person is different. Bitsy brings stars to school so that everyone can share something that makes them special and so that she can show appreciation for all her new friends. This book would be great to pair with “The Gratitude Collection”, a Carl the Collector episode about showing appreciation for friends, family, and community members, highlighting what makes each person unique. Afterwards, children can share what makes them unique and what they appreciate about others by making their own stars! | |
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla In this heartwarming story by Sally J. Pla, readers learn about how two brothers navigate bad days differently. We see how they end up helping each other out and different ways that people manage disappointing days. Inspired by her own family, Pla’s story shows how every kid has different needs that we can all work together to meet. Ken Min’s illustrations are simple yet convey strong emotions and family relationships! Pair this book with “The Fake Mustache Collection”, a Carl the Collector episode that explores the relationship between Nico and Arugula. In this episode, the twin sisters are always mistaken for one another which causes conflict. Use these stories to learn about navigating sibling conflicts and noticing how each person is different! | |
The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee Sometimes our feelings can seem so big that they can seem hard to manage. This can sometimes lead to feeling like we need to suppress our emotions. However, in Britney Winn Lee’s tale, we meet a boy who shows us that being in touch with our emotions and sharing with others can lead to deep connections and friendships. This book features beautiful illustrations and colorful abstractions which represent different feelings by artist Jacob Souva, which breathes life into the story. Throughout the Carl the Collector series, themes of regulating emotions and social emotional learning are recurring. Carl practices pausing, taking deep breaths, and communicating with others. After reading and watching, children can practice thinking about their own feelings by drawing them out, taking deep breaths, trying a form of meditation, or talking with a loved one. | |
Follow Wesley as he retreats into a world of his own creation! Written by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, this book shows us the joy of using your imagination to create new worlds. Wesley always felt different from the others in his cookie-cutter town, so he created Weslandia with its own crops, language, traditions, and foods. However, when he decides to share this land with those around him, something changes! No longer is he the one who sticks out, but rather the one that brings everyone else together. Explore another imaginary world in the Carl the Collector episode “The Stick Collection” where Carl and his friends create a new land made of sticks! Both Weslandia and “The Stick Collection” show the joy of sharing your creativity with others and using your imagination. Afterwards, you can go out in the backyard and design a world of your own together! | |
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold is the first in a series which follows Bixby Alexander Tam, also known as Bat! In Bat’s debut, he is having a great day when his mother brings home a rescue skunk. The plan is to foster until they can bring the skunk to a sanctuary, however Bat knows that he and the skunk belong together! This is a great book for older children who are reading chapter books and love animals. Pair this book with the Carl the Collector episode “Twin Sister Hamster Sitters Incorporated", in which Arugula and Nico become pet-sitters! These are great conversation starters for responsibility, how much care and work goes into taking care of an animal, and creating a bond. | |
Wild Child is a beautifully illustrated gift book perfect for any upper elementary child interested in the world around them. Written by young conservationist Dara McAnulty, winner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize for his memoir Diary of a Young Naturalist, this book helps children explore their environment using all five senses. It includes sections that dive deep into natural phenomena and each chapter ends with an activity to do together! Pair with any Carl the Collector episode to get more ideas for activities and engage with a show inspired by nature. One thing I love about Carl the Collector is that it shows how each person engages with and senses the world around them differently. Sometimes this leads to amazing talents, other times it can lead to hardships or feeling overwhelmed, but always the characters celebrate and understand those differences rather than trying to erase or fix them. | |
"Read Along with Carl the Collector" Book Recommendations & Activities Sheet | View & Download Here | |
Carl the Collector
Check out Carl the Collector, PBS Kids’ newest tv show, on the PBS Kids app for free! Each episode is thoughtfully written with hand drawn animations, creating a calming and educational experience for children. Not only are the episodes great, but there are games and activities based on the show created by PBS KIDS as well!
Fuzzytown Freestyle | PBS Kids Games
Carl the Collector Activities Collection | PBS KIDS for Parents