Play and Imagination in Children With Autism

Based on award-winning research, this volume offers new hope for children with autism by shedding light on theory and practice. It goes beyond the usual autism literature by including what is known about play with typical populations. The author traces the development of three children with autism (from ages 5 to 16) over a ten-year period. Focusing on two critical years during which the children participated in a peer play intervention, this book documents the emergence of remarkable transformations in the children's social relations with peers and symbolic activity. The text includes vignettes, dialogue, and samples of writing and drawing to bring the children's stories to life.