Adroa’s New Home is a compassionate children’s book that explores belonging, autism awareness, emotional safety, family support, and inclusion through the story of Adroa’s transition into a new home environment.
PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK
This resource helps children and caregivers better understand neurodiversity, empathy, emotional wellbeing, and supportive relationships. It encourages inclusive thinking while helping adults facilitate respectful conversations about belonging, sensory needs, care, and understanding differences.
USING THIS RESOURCE AS LEARNING TOOL
Read the story slowly and allow time for discussion and reflection throughout the reading experience.
Pause throughout the story to discuss emotions, routines, belonging, change, and family support.
Facilitate respectful conversations around autism, neurodiversity, sensory experiences, and different ways children may experience the world.
Encourage learners to identify examples of kindness, patience, empathy, and emotional support shown by the characters.
Reinforce learning through drawing, storytelling, journaling, reflection, or classroom discussion activities.
Revisit the story regularly to strengthen empathy, inclusion, emotional literacy, and values-based learning.
Adroa’s New Home by Paul H. Sutherland, with illustrations by Vicki Venter, is a heartfelt story about acceptance and inclusivity. It thoughtfully addresses the challenges children who are seen as “different” may face, while offering supportive ways to respond with care. The illustrations are outstanding and beautifully complement the message.
“Adroa’s New Home is a comprehensive story of a child on the autism spectrum who encounters big life changes. The author did an excellent representation of all the senses and emotions Adroa and his family experienced. This gives the reader the opportunity to discover that children with autism have the same senses, feelings and fears as others.”
– Leandrie Bekker, educational therapist
“Every child’s story deserves to be heard. In this book the author does an excellent job of describing Adroa’s journey of transition from losing his parents to staying with his grandparents on a farm. Although he is silent throughout the story, the illustrations and how the author brings to life his voice is amazing. As a reader, I could identify with the theme of family, love, happiness and care.”
– Prof Nokhanyo Mdzanga, Nelson Mandela University
“Absolutely beautiful story which raises awareness about neurodivergence, autism in particular. This is an AMAZING book to help deepen your understanding about autistic children/people, and how to go about helping them thrive.”