Claire LaZebnik

Chloe already has someone in mind: Ethan Fields, a sweet, movie obsessed boy from Ivy’s special needs class. Chloe would like to ignore Ethan’s brother, David, but she can’t - Ivy and Ethan aren’t comfortable going out on their own so Chloe and David have to tag along. Soon Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan form a quirky and wholly lovable circle. And as the group bonds over frozen yogurt dates and movie nights, Chloe is forced to confront her own romantic choices - and the realisation that it’s okay to be a different kind of normal. An unforgettable story about autism, sisterhood, and first love that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Sophie Kinsella, and Sarah Dessen. New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things Julie Buxbaum raved: “I couldn’t put it down.”

A groundbreaking, long overdue book that explains how to identify your autistic child's strengths and abilities and then use them as a tool for social communication, improved learning, and overall growth. The strengths of children and young adults diagnosed with ASD are commonly overlooked, even by trained professionals. Outdated attitudes, lack of sufficient training and an overreliance on standardised testing works against recognising their capabilities. Focusing on the importance of motivation strategies, Hidden Strengths shows you how to build on every autistic child's interests and strengths. Through real-life stories of individuals whose innate abilities blossomed once they were acknowledged, this book dispels unhelpful stereotypes and will help you unlock your child's potential. It also aims to educate the wider community in how to support, accept and embrace the gifts autistic individuals offer. 'Will help both parents and teachers find and develop a child's unique skills in memory, music, math, art, and attention to details. Development of these skills can lead to both a more rewarding life and possible careers' Temple Grandin, PhD, New York Times bestselling author

A groundbreaking exploration of the ways in which the intelligence and abilities of children and young adults with autism are often overlooked and misjudged, with tried-and-true interventions that can be used to help them reach their full potential. Our limited and often biased view of what's considered "normal" often prevents us from recognizing the gifts and brilliance of those who don't fit a specific mold. Too often we don't explore and take advantage of the far-reaching gifts and potential of those diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum or neurodiverse. Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel has had vast experience researching Autism Spectrum Disorders--ASD--and working with autistic people of all ages. She has repeatedly witnessed firsthand evidence of great intelligence that hasn't yet been nurtured or realized. In Hidden Brilliance, Dr. Koegel and writer Claire LaZebnik explore the ways in which the brilliance and talents of children and young adults diagnosed with ASD are commonly overlooked or misjudged, even by trained professionals. This book isn't about changing people, but about bringing out their best, by focusing on and nurturing their strengths. The authors examine the forces at play--including outdated attitudes, a lack of sufficient training, and an overreliance on standardized testing--that complicate and confuse the effort to see the remarkable capabilities of these kids. The authors argue that behaviors often described as disruptive or interfering are actually brilliant attempts at communication and point the reader toward interventions that can encourage people to effectively communicate their needs and thoughts. Hidden Brilliance helps us see how and why parents--who often feel alone in their ability to see past their children's struggles to the incredible capabilities underneath --are often dismissed or ignored. Now in paperback, Hidden Brilliance explains ways to identify your child's strengths and abilities and then use them as a tool for social communication, improved learning, and overall growth. While no one can predict a child's future, a positive and supportive attitude combined with the right goals and interventions that consider the child's strengths can lead to extraordinary growth and connection. Warm and hopeful, Hidden Brilliance opens the door to a new way of looking at people diagnosed with ASD--those who deserve to have their brilliance shine brightly for all to see.

Ethan, from Ivy's class, seems like the perfect match. It's unfortunate that his older brother, David, is one of Chloe's least favourite people, but Chloe can deal, especially when she realises that David is just as devoted to Ethan as she is to Ivy. Uncommonly honest and refreshingly funny, this is a story about sisterhood, autism, and first love. Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan, who form a quirky and lovable circle, will steal readers' hearts and remind us all that it's okay to be a different kind of normal.

This contemporary twist on Jane Austen's Emma features the signature wit and swoon-worthy romance of beloved author Claire LaZebnik's other fan favorites Epic Fail, The Trouble with Flirting, and The Last Best Kiss. Ellie Withers is definitely not spoiled, so she wishes that George Nussbaum would stop implying that she is. It's not her fault that her stepfather became a TV star and now they live in a big house and people fawn over her wherever she goes. She doesn't even like being fawned over. Fortunately, her two closest friends understand her a lot better than George: Heather Smith loved her before she even knew who Ellie's stepfather was, and handsome Aaron Marquand has a father who's just as famous. With Aaron back in town and very much in her life, Ellie feels like things are just fine--or would be if her mother hadn't hired George to tutor her. George has a habit of making Ellie feel a little less sure of herself, a little less on top of the world, a little less right about everything. It's almost like he wants her to be a better person than she is. When Ellie's plans for her family, her friends, and even her love life don't turn out the way she imagined, she begins to wonder if maybe she could stand to learn a thing or two after all . . . and whether it's possible--or even likely--that the perfect person to teach her is the last person she'd expect.

Jane Austen comes to modern-day Los Angeles in Claire LaZebnik's imaginative take on Persuasion, where seventeen-year-old Anna Eliot finds out whether there's such a thing as a second chance when it comes to first love. Fans of Polly Shulman, Maureen Johnson, Elizabeth Eulberg, Stephanie Perkins, and, of course, Jane Austen will love this irresistibly funny and romantic contemporary tale. Anna is tired of worrying about what other people think. After all, that was how she lost the only guy she ever really liked, Finn Westbrook. Now, three years after she broke his heart, the one who got away is back in her life-and he wants nothing to do with her. Anna keeps trying to persuade herself that she doesn't care about Finn either, but even though they've both changed since they first met, deep down she knows he's the guy for her. Now if only she can get him to believe that, too ...

A fully revised and updated edition of the definitive guide to reducing symptoms of autism spectrum disorder Since Overcoming Autism was first published nearly a decade ago, many theories about autism have fallen by the wayside. But the interventions described in this book have been shown to be the best approach to improving the development and quality of life of children with autism. Together, Lynn Kern Koegel, the nationally recognized head of the Autism Research Center at the University of California, and Claire LaZebnik, a professional writer and the mother of a child with autism, have updated their classic guide with today's cutting-edge research. This revised edition has also been expanded to clarify the importance of community support to affected families and the effect of societal acceptance on a child's life. Still the only book on autism coauthored by professional in the field and a parent with first-hand experience, Overcoming Autism is as warm and nurturing as it is authoritative.

Franny's supposed to be working this summer, not flirting. But you can't blame her when guys like Alex and Harry are around... Franny Pearson never dreamed she'd be attending the prestigious Mansfield Summer Theater Program. And she's not, exactly. She's working for her aunt, the resident costume designer. But sewing her fingers to the bone does give her an opportunity to spend time with her crush, Alex Braverman. If only he were as taken with the girl hemming his trousers as he is with his new leading lady. When Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt, shows more than a friendly interest in Franny, she figures it can't hurt to have a little fun. But as their breezy romance grows more complicated, can Franny keep pretending that Harry is just a carefree fling? And why is Alex suddenly giving her those deep, meaningful looks? In this charming tale of mixed messages and romantic near-misses, one thing is clear: Flirting might be more trouble than Franny ever expected.

A charmingly hilarious and deeply insightful novel about the importance and impossibility of making peace with our family. Despite her name, Keats Sedlak is the sanest person in her large, nutty family of brilliant eccentrics. Her parents, both brainy academics, are barely capable of looking after themselves, let alone anyone else, and her two uber-intelligent siblings live on their own planets. At least she can count on one person in her life, her devoted boyfriend Tom. Down-to-earth and loving, he's the one thing that's kept Keats grounded for the last decade. But when Keats's mother makes a surprise announcement, the entire family is sent into a tailspin. For the first time, Keats can't pick up the pieces by herself. Now she must reevaluate everything she's ever assumed about herself and her family--and make the biggest decision of her life.

Will Elise's love life be an epic win or an epic fail? At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school-not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects. As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list. When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Rickie left home a long time ago - so how is it that at the age of twenty-five, she's back living with her parents, sleeping in the same bedroom she grew up in? At least one thing has changed since high school: she now has a very sweet but frequently challenging son named Noah, who attends the same tony private LA school she herself went to back in the day. Rickie fit in fine when she was a student, but now her youth and tattoos make her stand out from all the blond Stepford moms who are desperate to know why someone so young - and so unmarried - has a kid in first grade. Already on the defensive, Rickie goes into full mother-tigress mode when her small and unathletic son tells her that the gym teacher is out to get him. She storms the principal's office, only to discover that Andrew Fulton, the coach, is no dumb jock. As his friendship with Rickie develops, she finds herself questioning her assumptions - about motherhood, being a grownup, and falling in love.

The first comprehensive guide to helping teens with autism--from the acclaimed authors of Overcoming Autism With an estimated half a million Americans under twenty-six on the autism spectrum, this book offers the reassurance, solace, and practical solutions that so many people are searching for. Following up on their work in Overcoming Autism, which offered advice for teaching young children on the spectrum, Lynn Koegel and Claire LaZebnik now present strategies for working with teens and young adults living with this complex condition. Addressing universal parental concerns, from first crushes and a changing body to how to succeed in college and beyond, Growing Up on the Spectrum is a beacon of hope and wisdom for parents, therapists, and educators alike.