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Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum Editor: Stephen Shore; Foreword by: Temple Grandin
Contributing Authors: Kassiane Sibley, Stephen M. Shore, Roger N. Meyer, Phil Schwarz, Liane Holliday Willey
(September 2004)

Book Review by Ronda Schelvan, M.S.Ed.
Shore, S. (2004). Ask and tell: Self-advocacy and disclosure for people on the autism spectrum. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

In a world where people are often misunderstood and discriminated against, knowing when, how and with whom to share a diagnosis of autism or Asperger Syndrome is an important key to self-determination. For the multitudes of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this is a long-awaited book. Editor, Stephen Shore, has done an amazing job of compiling six separate accounts of various aspects of self-advocacy. The author of each chapter shares a personal perspective and aspect of disclosure. The chapters give an honest, straight forward account of the significance of being self-confidant, knowing what is important to share and how to share it, plus ways to become a strong self-advocate. For example, Shore's chapter on "Using the IEP" provides effective information on skills that all educators should encourage their students to develop. This book is unique in that it says that advocacy and disclosure should begin at a young age.

According to Kassiane Sibley, author of a chapter, "Ideally, advocacy teaching starts as soon as a family knows a child is on the spectrum" (p. 59). Easy-to-implement strategies to meet this goal are offered for individuals across the lifespan.

Ask and Tell is perhaps the best book on ASD published in 2004. It is written in an easy-to-read format which flows from topic to topic in a clear, concise manner. Also included are visual examples of worksheets, letter writing samples, and reference lists.

Ask and Tell is a must-read book by people on the spectrum, their families, school and community professionals and anyone seeking a better understanding of what it means to have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ask and Tell is a "must read", which leaves the reader with a feeling of empowerment.