Something about Max.

One of the many ideas I have for a picture book centres around Max, a little boy I started looking after when he had just turned 3. He is now six, almost seven, and is on the autism spectrum. His first word was 'button' and at 18 months he could recite "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" word for word.

I want to write a story about him that does him justice, but is also an insight into the world of autism. Maybe too ambitious, I'm not sure. I don't know how to turn this amazing child into a twentysomething page anecdote.

I wrote this little blurb/list at least a year ago, and have got nowhere with my story. Would love some of your criticism, suggestions, ideas, praise, golden brain nuggets.

Max did not like pineapples. At the zoo, he avoided the porcupines. Every Tuesday, he would eat chicken, chips and tomato sauce for dinner. His favourite treat was gooey chocolate cake, and when he ate it he liked to shout "gooey chocolate cake" very loud. He loved the library but did not like to hear the microwave beep.

Max was not so fond of sunflowers, and sometimes when Mumma would check on him at 4:30am, Max was lying quietly awake, thinking. Max knew the names of a lot of planets and classical composers, but he wasn't sure yet how to tie his shoelaces. He like to find out how old people were and tell them how many years until they were a hundred, and how many body parts they had.

Sometimes when his little brother Leo played the piano, he covered his ears really hard with his hands. He did not like all the songs Leo knew how to play.