Temple Grandin

 Temple Grandin

How the girl who loved cows embraced autism and changed the world.

Montgomery, S. (2012). Temple Grandin: How the Girl who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

ISBN 978-0-547-44315-7

Summary:

When Temple Grandin was born, her parents knew she was different. Years later she was diagnosed with autism. Temple’s doctor recommended institutionalizing her, but her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead. Today, Dr. Temple Grandin, a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University, is an autism advocate and her world-changing career revolutionized the livestock industry. This compelling biography and Temple's personal photos take us inside her extraordinary mind and open the door to a broader understanding of autism. (Montgomery, n.d.)

Analysis:

Sy Montgomery explores the world of autism through the fascinating life of Temple Grandin and her life-long commitment to animal advocacy. Pictures and illustrations throughout the book show a life of dedicated service through challenges. Temple Grandin succeeds due to her own personal drive as well as help from mentors who see her through her quirkiness and her diagnosis. Her sense of humor and unique way of seeing the world make her a formidable force and a loveable character. Learning what autism means in her mind, and seeing her figure out the world through that lens was eye-opening to me. She sees the world in pictures and has to decode meaning from that. This book is wonderfully written, an interesting learning adventure, and a beautiful story of triumph.

Reviews:

"A well written, admiring and thought-provoking portrait."--Kirkus   

"Montgomery's book not only tells the powerful story of one amazing woman's life journey, but also has potential to help readers understand autistic people and animals."--Horn Book   

"It isn't easy to describe how the mind of someone with autism works, but Montgomery's biography effectively breaks the disorder down for a younger audience while introducing the extraordinary life of activist Temple Grandin."--Booklist   

"Lively, well-worded narrative...For librarians who struggle to find well-written biographies of women, this is a must-buy."--School Library Journal, starred review —

Awards:

ALSC 2013 Notable Children’s Book

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.