The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind, from Reycraft Books, Builds Understanding and Empathy for Autism
The picture book brings together two very different young boys who find common ground over a unique—and joyful—activity.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY, TKTKTKTK—Leading children’s trade publisher Reycraft Books is pleased to present The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind, a new picture book about a friendship that forms between two boys, one of whom has autism. Written by first-time author Fiona Carswell, illustrated by Yu Rong, and published on May 14, 2024, the book highlights the differences between the boys—how they look, how they communicate, and what each of them likes to do during a trip to the beach. But it also shows them bonding over an activity the boy with autism seems to love more than anything: Sticking his tongue out and licking the wind.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Fiona Carswell is the mother of two boys—one autistic and the other neurotypical—and lives in East Lothian, Scotland. By day, she is a publicist in the Arts & Books sector, promoting (other people’s) books, literary prizes, book festivals, cultural projects, venues and events. In her spare time, Fiona writes occasionally for the Scottish press—mainly the Scotsman—and enjoys flying the flag for Autism Awareness Week each year, giving readers a glimpse into a world they may know very little about and which can be as hilarious as it is challenging, as life-affirming as it is sometimes heartbreaking, and as brilliantly, heartburstingly bananas as it can be serious, overwhelming and utterly terrifying. The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind is Fiona's first book.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Yu Rong is an acclaimed British-Chinese children’s picture book illustrator. She studied Chinese Painting and Contemporary Art Design at Nanjing Normal University’s Art College and Communication and Design from London’s Royal College of Art, where she studied under Quentin Blake. In recent years, she has been working with several Chinese publishers and has worked with leading Chinese authors, including the Hans Christian Andersen award winner Cao Wenxuan and Andersen award nominee Qin Wenjun. She has received several prestigious international and national illustration awards. Yu Rong’s artwork combines traditional hand paper cuts with drawing. Yu Rong lives in the countryside of Cambridge, England, with her husband, Donkey, her three children, Caterpillar, Chilli Pepper, and Bean, and their German Pointer, Captain Sniff.
Carswell explained that the story was fueled by her own experiences and observations. “I am mum to two boys, the elder autistic and the younger neurotypical,” she said. “As they’ve gotten older, it has become obvious that the rhythm of our lives—and specifically of their relationship—is unique. There is a sense of complete acceptance and peace that comes with growing up with a neurodivergent sibling and a deep, innate understanding that everybody is different.”
Carswell added that she wanted the book to help build understanding of autism and the people who have it. “What I’d really like people to know is that if you’ve met one autistic person, then you’ve met one autistic person!” she said. “Just in the same way that we don’t expect neurotypical human beings to act in the same ways as each other, feel the same feelings, enjoy the same things, or struggle with the same anxieties and fears, the same is true for the autistic community. The only way to learn about an autistic person is to get to know them, just as you would anybody else.” The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind includes an Author’s Note that explains what autism is and provides resources for readers to learn more about it.
Carswell also expressed enthusiasm and appreciation for Rong’s visual contributions to the book. “Yu Rong was an absolutely fabulous choice of illustrator,” she said. “It’s a deeply personal book, and Yu Rong understood and respected that. I was so grateful to be working with her.”
As for the actual act of licking the wind, Carswell said she could speak about that from personal experience, as well. “I did try licking the wind, and I quite liked it—the dry cold on my tongue, the slight tingle as the breeze hit my teeth, and the saltiness of the coastal winds,” she said. “Some people we know have found it exhilarating and refreshing, whereas others are happy to leave the breezes to us! But you never know until you try.”
ABOUT REYCRAFT BOOKS: Reycraft Books partners with award-winning and up-and-coming authors and illustrators, primarily from underrepresented communities, to provide high-quality books that delight, inform, and honor the voice and vision of all children. Founded in 2019, the imprint publishes authentic stories—engaging picture books, chapter books, middle grade books, graphic novels, and more—that build knowledge, perspective, and connection, meeting the diverse needs of children, families, and educators.