Professor Luengo's Children's Autism Book among First in Spanish

SF STATE NEWS -- And although her most recent publication may not be considered scholarly — it’'s a children's book — it carries important messages that she hopes will help children and adults alike gain a greater understanding of the facts and the misconceptions surrounding autism. It's also deeply personal. “Lucas tiene superpoderes” (Ediciones DeFǎbula S.C.P), released in Spain, was inspired by Luengo’s 11-year-old son Niklas, who is autistic, and her 9-year-old daughter Milena, who is not. Translated, the title means “Lucas has superpowers.” The book targets readers ages 6 to 10, and Luengo believes it is the first of its kind about autism written in Spanish for that age group. “The spectrum of autism is so broad, it’s huge,” she said. “You have people who aren’t able to talk, who aren’t able to make decisions, who are unable to read or write. Then on the other hand, you have people who are scientists, who are writing novels, who can speak 10 languages.”