A Day With No Words

by Tiffany Hammond, Kate Cosgrove (Illustrator)

Overview

An instant #1 New York Times bestselling picture book and Dolly Gray Award winner! A Day With No Words invites readers into the life of an Autism Family who communicates just as the child does, without spoken language.

The American Library Association Booklist starred review boasts, “The story is written from the boy's first-person perspective, however—a clever choice in that it gives readers a direct look into his mind and reinforces the book's crucial statement that nonverbal people have as many words and as much intelligence as anyone else. Cosgrove's art, throughout, does an amazing job of transporting readers into his perspective, employing various color tones, metaphoric imagery, and ‘camera’ angles to reflect the deep expressiveness contained in every page [...] through this book, neurotypicals' eyes will be opened, and everyone in Autistic Families will feel seen—and heard.”

A Day With No Words is a colorful and engaging picture book for young readers shares what life can look like for families who use nonverbal communication, utilizing tools to embrace their unique method of "speaking."

The story highlights the bond between mother and child and follows them on a day where they use a tablet to communicate with others.

Written by an autistic mother of two autistic sons and the creator behind the popular @Fidgets.and.Fries social media platform and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove (IG @k8cosgrove), A Day With No Words successfully normalizes communication methods outside of verbal speech and provides representation of neurodiversity and autism in a way that affirms and celebrates.

The experts are raving!

"How lucky are we to finally get Tiffany's poignant words and message into children's hands through this impactful story. Children and families can now be touched by her brilliance and learn about the often-overlooked autistics who communicate differently. The importance of A Day With No Words cannot be overstated in its potential to expose readers, young and old alike, to the beauties and barriers of living the autistic experience." — Ali Cunningham Abbott, PhD, LMHC, author of Counseling Adults with Autism: A Comprehensive Toolkit

“Through A Day with No Words, Tiffany Hammond provides us a rare window to the non-speaking world of autism. She has done so with love, compassion, and, I believe, deep understanding. And Kate Cosgrove's illustrations make it a beautiful world indeed. Bravo and thank you to both Hammond and Cosgrove for this window!” — Samantha S. Supernaw, LCSW-S, Licensed Therapist & Clinical Supervisor

“In my past 20 years as a developmental pediatrician, I have never read anything quite like A Day With No Words, a book that so eloquently, lyrically, and vividly captures the essence and beauty of an autistic mind. This book is a gift to all who read it.” — Wendy J. Ross, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrician, Associate Professor Jefferson University, Director Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity

About the Author: Tiffany Hammond (she/her) is the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey.

Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues.

Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781736949795
Publisher:	Row House Publishing
Publication date:	05/09/2023
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	5,157
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tiffany Hammond (she/her) is the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey. Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues. Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse. Tiffany was born and raised in Texas and grew up on deep dish pie and stories from her grandmother. She is a dreamer by day and a cereal killer at night. You can usually find Tiffany writing in the light of the moon or thinking about what to write in the light of the day. When she isn’t writing, she is building epic pillow forts with her two sons or going on long road trips with her family.



Kate Cosgrove is an award-winning children’s book/KidLit illustrator with rainbow hair and pencil-smudged fingers. Her favorite things are drawing, reading, and hanging out with tiny creatures like worms and toads in her probably haunted and very old house. Her debut picture book, And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle, was a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and a Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award Honors book. Kate’s second picture book, The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet, was juried into The Original Art 41st Annual Exhibition in NYC by the Society of Illustrators. It was also a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year.

Editorial Reviews

"A Day With No Words welcomes us into the world of Aidan, who has Autism and is nonverbal. Aidan delights in the world around him- from the comfort found in his mother's 'dancing' voice to the tactile joy of spinning barefoot in wet grass - and shares his experiences through the words he types on his tablet. With its vivid illustrations and storytelling that invites us to delight in simple sensory pleasures, A Day With No Words is a must for every young reader's shelf. Author Tiffany Hammond has written a beautiful, intimate book that invites us into Aidan's tender observations of the world around him."

Dr. Kate Slater

"A Day With No Words gives readers a glimpse into the daily life of a young, autistic boy who uses an assistive device to express his words and thoughts. Readers learn more about the boy’s interactions with people and his reactions to the world around him. His caring, protective mother is with him throughout the day, fostering a better understanding of how the world can be more inclusive of people like her son. The text is simple and accessible to all ages. The illustrations are calm and colorful surrounding the characters with the bright possibilities each day brings. It is truly a beautiful book that shines a light on an often misunderstood community. As a librarian who works diligently to foster community and a sense of belonging for all students, I believe this book should be part of every library collection and shared with people of all ages."

Jennifer Schlosberg

"It was so wonderful to see families like mine represented in A Day With No Words. As an Autistic self advocate and as the parent of an Autistic child it’s rare to find a book that both speaks to the experience of Autistic children in a way that is respectful and understanding of their humanity."

Celeste Peña

"A Day With No Words is the book that all kindergarten classes need. It is a love letter from a mother to a child which let's us all in on the beauty of their relationship. The story celebrates that individual worth is not based upon the ability to speak and that the spoken word is only one way to communicate. The sooner we realize that kindness and understanding trump all the better we will be as a society."

Lucy Aveling

"I want to tell her thank you for writing about and depicting Black characters in the non speaking world. Our representation in so low in books, TV, and everywhere! I want to thank her for showing people we have a place in this world. I love this book! It captures her powerful words and advocacy for her son."

William Warren

"Such a beautiful book. I'm a teacher always looking to expand my class and school library to represent our students and families more fully, and I've never seen a book like this. I wish I'd had it my entire career to share with students, families, and colleagues. I don't have a big social media presence or following but do have a lot of contacts in education and will most definitely share with them it should be required reading."

Jessie Lee

"In my past 20 years as a developmental pediatrician, I have never read anything quite like A Day With No Words, a book that so eloquently, lyrically, and vividly captures the essence and beauty of an autistic mind. This book is a gift to all who read it."

Wendy J. Ross

"A Day With No Words is so well done. Beautiful. I mostly smiled but also shed a little happy tear for how big this is for our kids and those that need this. Hundreds of thousands of people need to hear this and eventually, over the years, they will! Thank you."

Giorgena Tziavaras

A Day Without Words welcomes us into the world of Aidan, who has Autism and is nonverbal. Aidan delights in the world around him- from the comfort found in his mother's 'dancing' voice to the tactile joy of spinning barefoot in wet grass - and shares his experiences through the words he types on his tablet. With its vivid illustrations and storytelling that invites us to delight in simple sensory pleasures, A Day Without Words is a must for every young reader's shelf. Author Tiffany Hammond has written a beautiful, intimate book that invites us into Aidan's tender observations of the world around him.

A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond gives readers a glimpse into the daily life of a young, autistic boy who uses an assistive device to express his words and thoughts. Readers learn more about the boy’s interactions with people and his reactions to the world around him. His caring, protective mother is with him throughout the day, fostering a better understanding of how the world can be more inclusive of people like her son. The text is simple and accessible to all ages. The illustrations are calm and colorful surrounding the characters with the bright possibilities each day brings. It is truly a beautiful book that shines a light on an often misunderstood community. As a librarian who works diligently to foster community and a sense of belonging for all students, I believe this book should be part of every library collection and shared with people of all ages.

I want to tell her thank you for writing about and depicting Black characters in the non speaking world. Our representation in so low in books, TV, and everywhere! I want to thank her for showing people we have a place in this world. I love this book! It captures her powerful words and advocacy for her son.

Such a beautiful book. I'm a teacher always looking to expand my class and school library to represent our students and families more fully, and I've never seen a book like this. I wish I'd had it my entire career to share with students, families, and colleagues. I don't have a big social media presence or following but do have a lot of contacts in education and will most definitely share with them it should be required reading.

This is so well done. Beautiful. I mostly smiled but also shed a little happy tear for how big this is for our kids and those that need this. Hundreds of thousands of people need to hear this and eventually, over the years, they will! Thank you.

In my past 20 years as a developmental pediatrician, I have never read anything quite like A Day With No Words, a book that so eloquently, lyrically, and vividly captures the essence and beauty of an autistic mind. This book is a gift to all who read it.

From the Publisher