It's Raining Cats and Dogs. Michael Barton

      ‘What a splendid book! It is a wonderfully clear insight into the minds of those on the autistic spectrum. I found it very helpful and very engaging and will have no hesitation in recommending it to any teacher.’

      – Paul Sanders, visiting music teacher, Bromley Youth Music Trust, UK

      ‘Many people with ASDs may not recognise instances of non-literal language and have difficulty in figuring out intended meaning… Michael clearly demonstrates this in an amusing and thought-provoking way in his book and has produced an excellent, invaluable tool to help people with ASD and anyone involved with ASD.’

      – Helen Bull, Specialist Advisor for Social & Communication

      Difficulties for Bromley Education Services, UK

      ‘Michael’s pictures are an excellent resource. I use them when I deliver training or write advice for schools as part of my advisory role within a local education authority. I always highlight the use of visual support to aid the understanding of language… I thoroughly recommend them.’

      – Jane Rowland, teacher working with students on the

      autism spectrum, Kent County Council, UK

      ‘The author superbly illustrates (in more ways than one!) the absurdities of the English language. Whilst I’d picked up many of the expressions over the years, his examples enhanced my comprehension and revealed eye-opening autistic interpretations of familiar phrases.’

      – Graduate with Asperger’s Syndrome (late diagnosis)

      ‘I have used Michael’s pictures in training sessions with mainstream staff to show just what it means to have literal understanding. People are amazed and fascinated by the memorable examples he gives… I have found them to be an invaluable and thought-provoking resource.’

      – Sue Carter, teacher of pupils on the autism spectrum

      ‘Michael’s book is a really useful tool to help young people with ASD make sense of how non-ASD people see the world. It is also invaluable for non-ASD people to understand how confusing – and sometimes scary – our words can be for those who think literally! I highly recommend this book to anyone who works or lives with ASD.’

      – Wendy Warne, Family Service Manager, Burgess Autistic Trust, UK

      WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY MICHAEL BARTON

      FOREWORD BY DELIA BARTON

      IT’S RAINING

      CATS AND DOGS

      AN AUTISM SPECTRUM GUIDE TO THE CONFUSING WORLD

      OF IDIOMS, METAPHORS AND EVERYDAY EXPRESSIONS

      Jessica Kingsley Publishers

      London and Philadelphia

      First published in 2012

      by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

      73 Collier Street

      London N1 9BE, UK

      and

      400 Market Street, Suite 400

      Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

       www.jkp.com

      Copyright © Michael Barton 2012

      Illustrations copyright © Michael Barton 2012

      Foreword copyright © Delia Barton 2012

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.

      Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.

      Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

      Barton, Michael.

      It’s raining cats and dogs : an autism spectrum guide to the confusing world of idioms, metaphors, and everyday expressions / Michael Barton ; foreword, Delia Barton ; illustrator, Michael Barton.

      p. cm.

      ISBN 978-1-84905-283-2 (alk. paper)

      1. Autism spectrum disorders--Patients--Language. 2. Autistic people-- Language. 3. English language--Idioms. 4. Metaphor. I. Title.

      RC553.A88.B373 2012

      616.85’882--dc23

      2011039514

      British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

      A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

      ISBN 978 1 84905 283 2

      eISBN 978 0 85700 588 5