Autism children's book

Good morning! 

As students across the city flock back to school this month, the time of book sales, library cards, and required reading exercises returns. For bookworms like me, September was always an exciting time to rifle through my class’s book collection, peruse the library shelves, and bring home new books to read with my parents. 

Many adults can still recall their favourite children’s book, or name one that was crucial in forming their understanding of a complex topic, whether it was a children’s bible, kids’ science guide, or a picture book about animals, colours or history. 

For children in Ottawa, a new book will soon be available in their libraries, online, and maybe in their classrooms — one that tells a story about a little boy whose brain is a bit different, but special nonetheless, and about the importance of working together despite our differences.

It’s written by a local first-time author, a mother-of-three from Kanata who wanted to tell a story about her son. I sat down with her to learn about her family and why she was inspired to pen a children’s book about her creative, funny, social, affectionate, “busy” child who happens to be autistic. 

Let’s get to it!

— Sarah MacFarlane-Youngdale, Ottawa Lookout senior editor

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WEATHER

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Tuesday: 18 🌡️ 6 | 🌧️

Wednesday: 23 🌡️ 12 | 🌤️

By Sarah MacFarlane-Youngdale. Read the story online here.

From the moment he was born, Eli Freitas brought joy, humour, curiosity and love to his family, and now, at age eight, he continues to do so — but the journey hasn’t been a smooth one.

Now, Eli’s story is making its way into the community through the pages of a new book, published by his mother, that aims to promote understanding, curiosity and a sense of belonging for kids who are just a little bit different.

Beginning at an early age, Eli was smart and unique in his own way, said his mother, Thais Freitas; although he was delayed in some milestones, he amazed her in other ways.

“He didn't show any interest in crawling and talking,” Freitas told the Ottawa Lookout. “He was very smart in a funny way because he had this big wooden spoon, and instead of crawling, he would use the spoon to bring things close to him. 

“I just thought, how genius. Take your time, kid.” 

At the time, as an only child herself and a first-time mom, Freitas said she thought he’d hit milestones in his own time. Looking back, she says the delays were signs of his future diagnosis.

He didn’t begin walking until age two. At four, Eli began displaying aggressive behaviour and having meltdowns in daycare, so Freitas and her husband began to look deeper. That’s when Eli was diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

Freitas and her husband had moved from Brazil to Canada in 2015 and lived in Vancouver, B.C., where Eli was born, for seven years before relocating to Quebec. They were living near Montreal when Eli began school and received his diagnosis.

“We got a special permission for him to attend an international school there in English because it was his first language, but the school was…Very traumatizing,” said Freitas.

By then, Eli had begun taking medication, which was a lengthy and troubling process of trial-and-error until they found the right dosage, and Freitas said the side effects made his behaviour less manageable in some ways. 

The family also couldn’t access many of the school and community supports that Eli needed in English. 

Often, Eli was sent home from school – sometimes for weeks at a time – or only allowed in class for a few hours each day.

“There was no adaptation [from the school]... nothing,” she said. “It was very lonely and very sad.”

By then, the family had welcomed another son, and Freitas learned that she was unexpectedly pregnant with their third child.

“At that point, we just thought: it’s not working, we were having all these problems…Let’s cut our losses and move to Ottawa.”

They had been to Ottawa for sightseeing and loved the city. Freitas began researching school boards and the support systems in place for neurodivergent children, and soon, the family moved to Ottawa’s west end and enrolled Eli, then six years old, in school with the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board.

“They were extremely welcoming to [Eli], and it was the best experience ever. It changed from water to wine,” she said. “It was so amazing.

“We had rented a house for one year, to try and see how things would go, and then we ended up buying a house across the street because we liked it all so much.”

Now, all three children attend the same school, where Eli, now eight, thrives with the support and encouragement of the school and community. 

Reflecting on the whole experience, Freitas said she began to feel that although they were in a better environment now, her family had already witnessed firsthand the gaps in society’s understanding and acceptance of children who are neurodivergent.

“When I found out he had autism, I needed to learn more about it, and I noticed that the children's books about it were focused a lot on the problems that the kids had, just the challenges, and not all the good things,” she said. 

So she took matters into her own hands.

Freitas is a writer by trade; she is a communications strategist and creative writer, and soon, she began working on a children’s book inspired by her son.

“I wanted to write a book that helped people see the whole kid,” she said. “He has meltdowns, he has sensory sensitivities, things like that.

“But he is also an amazing boy. His memory is fantastic, he’s really funny,” she continued. “He has a great sense of humor, and he's very affectionate, and I wanted to translate that in a book.”

Her children’s book, “My Busy Builder Brain”, tells the story of Sam — a book version of Eli — and his experience with autism. It’s inspired by Eli’s love of construction sites and vehicles and describes his brain as a “busy construction site” that is always creating, moving, and building. 

“I started looking at him and thinking, ‘Oh wow, his brain's like a construction site because it can get busy and overwhelming and loud, but there's always cool things being built and created because he's very creative and very imaginative,” she said.

“I thought that would be a good way to explain autism to kids, because many of them have a hyper focus on construction vehicles, like Eli.”

Freitas worked directly with an illustrator to ensure the images in the book represent Eli and his family — including his siblings and the family dog —and has now self-published.

Now, she’s working on getting the book into people’s hands and onto local bookshelves. 

She gave copies to her children’s teachers, who read the book to the class and recommended that parents read it to their children. 

“Eli was so proud that he had a book about himself and everybody. He picks up the book and reads for [his little sister],” said Freitas, “and says, ‘Look, that’s me. I’m Sam.” 

The book is available on Amazon.ca and through major distributors like Barnes and Noble. The Ottawa Public Library also has a copy, which will be available in a few weeks, and Ottawa residents will be able to request that their local branch get copies for distribution. 

It can also be ordered from Indigo stores, and Freitas is currently contacting local bookstores that might be interested in having the book in-store. She also has a website and social media pages where she shares updates about where the book is available. 

“My Busy Builder Brain” has helped Eli’s classmates understand him and his habits better, said Freitas, but it’s also helped Eli to see himself represented in a book — and in a positive light, rather than just as a diagnosis or challenge.

“His teachers are really good at seeing the good things in him, and they encourage that, like his memory thing,” said Freitas. “He's formed a group at school, and at recess, they go picking up garbage around the school, and he says he's helping the earth. 

“He has kids following him around doing that, he’s made friends….He's very sociable.”

She now has plans for more books to come, including “My Brother Sam”, which will address the experience of children who have neurodivergent children.

“When you have an autistic kid and neurotypical kids, it can be challenging because they love each other and they get along, but they have a hard time understanding why the autistic kid gets more attention and why they behave as they do.” 

Another idea for a future book will follow Eli’s relationship with the family's Boston Terrier, Chica; the two have been close friends since Eli was born, and he takes careful care of her. Freitas said she hopes to tell a story about that special relationship in a future book, too.

Freitas has also found a community here among other mothers of neurodivergent children and immigrant moms, and she said the children are growing up in a community where she hopes to be “forever”.

Ultimately, she hopes that the book can help children, parents, teachers, and anybody who picks it up to understand the neurodivergent people around them — not just for their differences, but for their similarities, and learn about the strengths that the “different brains” bring to the world.

Since learning more about the signs of neurodivergence through Eli, Freitas herself has been diagnosed with autism, and has since learned about all the ways that autism and neurodivergence can present. 

“I didn't line up my toy cars [like Eli], but I would line up all my plushies, and I still have a hyper focus in writing. Good guess. So I space out completely when I start writing,” she said. “I had many problems as a child because people would say, ‘Oh, she's just being dramatic, she's just weird, she doesn't engage with people.’ But now I know.”

She noted that she often hears people say that “everybody has autism now”, as more and more children and adults alike are being diagnosed. But, Freitas argues, “people were always autistic; it’s just now, more people are noticing.”

Her favourite page in the book shows an illustration of four children, including “Sam”, and shares how their brains all work differently — Sam’s with construction sites, and the others with music, stories, or other skills, and that these differences can build a bigger, brighter future. 

Seeing acceptance grow around Eli was all Freitas wanted, and she sees it improve every day. As more of his friends, classmates and teachers read the book, Eli becomes less of an outsider and feels more like the vital and cherished friend, student, brother and son that he is.

“When the teacher read it aloud, the kids were saying, ‘So that's why Eli does those things… It helps other children understand why they're wearing earmuffs, or lines up his trucks,” she said. 

Another page shows Eli sitting with his family — Chica included — as they assure him that he is perfect and special, and that his autism is a “superpower”.

“I wanted to show that the family — our family — saying that he is the way he is because he has autism, but it's okay,” she said. “His brain builds amazing things in its own way. That’s what matters.”

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76 per cent

That’s how often OC Transpo buses were on time in August. During the same time last year, it was at 73 per cent. [CBC]

🚘 Several OC Transpo park and ride lots have been at less than 50 per cent capacity this month as public servants return to the office and post-secondary students head to school. Many are in the Barrhaven and Kanata areas. Read more. [CTV]

👩‍🚒 Hundreds gathered in Ottawa to pay their respects to the firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty for the National Firefighters Memorial Day. On Sunday, 141 more names were officially added and honoured during the sombre ceremony. Read more. [CTV]

🅿️ It’s been one year since paid parking was implemented in Westboro and Wellington West, a move that is still seen as controversial by many. More than 14,000 parking tickets have been issued in the area since last September. Read more. [Kitchissippi Times]

🏗️ Work is moving forward on Lansdowne 2.0, and the City of Ottawa has released new photos documenting its progress. The new arena and Great Lawn are scheduled for completion in July 2028. Read more. [CBC]

🚎 OC Transpo plans to run parallel bus service along the O-Train route in Orléans once the East Extension opens to riders, but it will be at least next spring before major changes are made to bus routes in the area. Read more. [CTV]

💦 Over two months after Bay Ward was impacted by severe Canada Day flooding, residents are calling for more government support to pay for the damage. Total Communication Environment, a non-profit that provides residential and other support to adults with multiple disabilities and special communication needs, reported extensive damage. Read more. [Kitchissippi Times]

🚙 Commuters can expect more traffic headaches this fall with several highway lane closures planned as construction work continues on the LRT extension to Ottawa’s east and west ends. Read more. [Ottawa Citizen]

👩‍⚖️ Crown prosecutors are now reviewing the evidence in the case of an Ottawa teen who was fatally injured at a western Quebec ski hill earlier this year. The 13-year-old was on a school trip with friends when she was injured and died four days later. Read more. [CBC]

🪧 The University of Ottawa’s teaching professors’ association announced on Friday that its members voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of a strike. Read more. [CTV]

👮🏼‍♀️ Ottawa police are investigating after a man was shot early Saturday morning. According to a statement from police, officers located a man in his 20s in life-threatening condition on Bank Street near Heron Road just after 4:30 a.m. Read more. [CTV]

Introduction to Yoga Therapy | 950 Gladstone Ave. | Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. | Learn more about how yoga therapy can promote health and well-being with teachers from the PranaShanti Yoga Centre in this introductory course to the training program | Registration $250

CityFolk Music Festival | RA Centre | Sept. 16-20 | Enjoy one of Ottawa’s biggest musical events of the season with headliners Alice Cooper, Alabama Shakes, Cameron Witcomb, Third Eye Blind, and Of Monsters and Men | Tickets $65+

Patios, Pints and Pups | Broadhead Brewery, Trim Road | Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. | Bring your pup to the patio for discounted pints until 9 p.m. | Free entry with food and beverage purchase

Taproom Trivia | Stray Dog Brewing Company, Lacolle Way | Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. | Bring your smartest friends out for trivia night, featuring prizes, laughs, and food | Free to play

Richmond Fair | Richmond Fairgrounds | Sept. 17-20 | Enjoy a weekend of livestock shows, midway, agriculture, food, and entertainment, including a demolition derby and parade | Tickets $16+

Hintonburg Night Market | Urban Art Collective, Somerset St. W | Sept. 17, 4-9 p.m. | Enjoy local art, vintage, handmade goods, food, drinks, music, and more before summer ends | Free entry

Coffee & Crochet | Café Bon Vivant, Russell | Sept. 17, 6-9 p.m. | Come out for an evening of crafting and bring your own projects with your neighbours over coffee and tea | Free

Live-Matched Singles Game Night, ages 30-45 | D’Arcy McGee’s, Sparks Street | Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. | Come together with other singles your age through a secret RSVP and matching game in a relaxed, social atmosphere | Registration required, tickets $40

Gloucester Night Market | Earl Armstrong Arena, Ogilvie Rd. | Sept. 18, 5-9 p.m. | Come out for music, lights, local artisans and vendors, all with local businesses and neighbours | Free entry

Learn to Swing Dance | St. Joseph’s Parish, 174 Wilbrod St. | Sept. 18 at 7:45 p.m. | Try out swing dancing with the Ottawa Swing Dance Society, no experience or partner necessary | Tickets $15

Annual Applefest FUNdraiser | Stittsville Village Square Park | Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Enjoy 30 exclusive vendors, prize draws, live music, and all things apple | Free admission

Cozy Harvest Holistic Healing Fair | Nepean Sportsplex | Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Come out and join together with readers, makers, and healers, and enjoy crystals, natural products and small businesses to welcome the harvest season | Free admission

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By Charlie Senack. Originally published June 23, 2026.

For as long as anyone can remember, Lowertown has been bearing the brunt of some of Ottawa’s most prevalent social service issues. Discarded needles and naloxone kits litter the streets next to shopping carts, which carry the most vulnerable and personal belongings. Three shelters call the neighbourhood home, providing beds for those who have nowhere else to go. 

Currently, upwards of 270 people rest their heads at the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter on Murray Street on any given night.

Now, the organization says it wants to reimagine its emergency shelter on King Edward Avenue into a place where people are no longer warehoused in crisis, but provided long-term stability with a health-focused and supportive housing facility.

Read the story.

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Every year in the late summer, hot air balloons fill the skies over the National Capital Region for the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival (FGM).