After her son, Teddy, was diagnosed with autism, Gina DeGregorio-Sonbert, MS/CCHP ’13, made it her mission to create a world in which he could be welcomed, loved, and accepted. In addition to establishing Families for Inclusion, a non-profit aimed at bringing education on neurodiversity into the classroom, DeGregorio-Sonbert authored a children’s book to help kids and parents understand autism.
Published in September 2023, Theodore Bearkins Lost His Blue Sunglasses features the first autistic, non-speaking main character in a children’s picture book series where autism is not the primary focus. Instead, the tale follows Theodore Bearkins and his friend, Crocodile Duckhands, as they search the beach for Theodore’s missing sunglasses.
“Theodore does things throughout the book that suggest he has autism, but we don’t talk about why he does these things. They’re just presented as being natural and normal,” DeGregorio-Sonbert says. DeGregorio-Sonbert drew inspiration for much of Theodore Bearkins’ behaviors from Teddy. Diagnosed with autism at the age of two, Teddy is minimally-speaking and often points to communicate. He also typically has an aide with him at school. In the story, Theodore Bearkins points to communicate and always has his friend, Crocodile Duckhands, by his side.
DeGregorio-Sonbert’s decision to subtly include autism in the story was intentional. Through her Families for Inclusion DeGregorio-Sonbert regularly visits elementary schools to teach children about autism. “Young children don’t have biases yet. The hope is that if they understand something, there’s nothing for them to be afraid of, nothing for them to make fun of, and nothing for them to tease about,” she explains. During classroom visits, DeGregorio-Sonbert utilizes picture books that feature main characters with autism. It was here that she found inspiration to write her own book.
“Every book that I’ve seen about autism is very autism-focused. It will explain what autism is and talk about how autism is a superpower. Those books are wonderful for someone like me who has a son with autism. I can read them to him and show him that he’s represented. But, in general, if you don’t have someone with autism in your life, you’re not going to pick up a book where autism is in your face like that,” she says.
While autism is not an overt focus on the story, the book does include a three-part discussion guide for parents if they want to discuss it with their child. The guide asks readers what they notice about Theodore Bearkins and why he may do certain things. It also explains how to talk to your kids about autism and ideas for activities that kids can do with friends who have autism.
A former music industry publicist, DeGregorio-Sonbert sought a career change when she enrolled in PCOM’s Master of Counseling and Clinical Health Psychology program. When she graduated in 2013, she was pregnant with her first child and second child Teddy followed soon after. After Teddy’s diagnosis, DeGregorio-Sonbert returned to PCOM to obtain her certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis.
“I really just wanted the ABA knowledge so that I can ensure that Teddy’s therapists are doing the right thing and so I can better work with him when they’re not around,” explains DeGregorio-Sonbert. “That knowledge has been life-changing. I truly think the universe knew what it was doing by having me go to school for psychology. The universe knew that I was going to have this child.”
In the future, DeGregorio-Sonbert plans to turn Theodore Bearkins into a series, with each book focusing on a different behavior of autism to help normalize it for children. “I’m not worried about my son. He’s going to be fine,” she explains. “I’m worried about everyone else in the world accepting him, understanding him, and being kind to him. My goal is to teach everybody, especially little kids, about autism so they realize that we are all different, yet all the same.”
Learn more about Families for Inclusion and Theodore Bearkins.