Friendship

Autistic children have difficulty with emotion; thus, friendship is often a challenge for them. In A Boy Called Bat, Bat surprises his family when he asks permission for a friend to visit, the first time he has ever done so. Bat also was surprised when Israel approached him wanting to be friends. Ironically, it was the skunk kit that initiated this friendship.

Bat is so emotionally overwhelmed when Mr. Grayson tells him that he thinks Israel wants to be Bat’s friend that Bat has to put on his earmuffs to block out some stimuli. Israel had offered to be Bat’s friend before, but Bat did not understand his advances. For instance, Israel asked Bat if he wanted to outside at recess and play with him. After Bat said that he did not: “Israel stood next to the desk for a moment longer, sort of...