Mumpreneur and author Nikki Saunders can speak of her inspirational personal journey of identifying that Autistic children were under-represented in the book shops she visited for her son and how she created a book and TV series ‘Ready Eddie Go!‘ to fill that gap, helping other parents in her position. Nikki also worked with Paloma Faith last month, creating a charity Christmas single to raising awareness of how to create sensory-friendly festivities.
‘Ready Eddie Go‘ is a series of children’s books by author Nikki Saunders, which takes the young reader through day-to-day experiences that an autistic child may find challenging and provides gentle and supportive strategies to help them find ways of coping, which all children can benefit from. With new experiences such as ‘Eddie’s First Haircut’ to ‘The Birthday Party’ and ‘Painting’ each book uses clear structure as well as visuals to help readers understand the story and identify strategies that may help when they face similar experiences to Eddie.
The books were created by Nikki to support her eldest son, Tyler, when he was diagnosed with sensory processing differences, hypermobility, and autism at the age of three. As Tyler grew older, he began asking questions about how he perceived the world differently from his peers. Nikki searched bookstores for vibrant, positive books about autism but found nothing. This lack of representation ignited her mission to do better for her son and all children facing similar experiences. She decided to write a book herself, creating a character named Eddie, modelled after Tyler. Eddie became a symbol of representation and understanding for Tyler, offering him comfort and connection.
Inspired by Tyler’s reaction to Eddie, Nikki’s efforts grew beyond books, to bring Ready, Eddie Go! to life on screen with SKY Kids. The show, based on Nikki’s family experiences, follows Eddie as he navigates different social situations with the support of a narrator, voiced by Jodie Whittaker. The series not only promotes autism awareness but also serves as an authentic representation of autistic characters.
Nikki ensured Ready, Eddie Go! was inclusive, assembling a diverse team of autistic writers, voice actors, and animators. Each episode features Eddie tackling a new environment or challenge, with the guidance of his narrator, offering a gentle reminder of the importance of support for children with neurodivergent needs. In addition to the show, Nikki has created interactive workbooks designed to accompany the episodes, each guiding children through social situations with compassion and support.
Through her books, her show, and her mission, Nikki Saunders continues to inspire and create, ensuring every child feels represented, understood, and celebrated.
Eddie’s New Haircut
It’s time for a haircut! How will you travel to the hairdressers or might they visit you at home? What tools might they use? Enjoy the fun, interactive pages to help you learn what to expect and how you might be feeling. It can take lots of practice and that’s okay!
Painting
Let’s get creative with Eddie! In this workbook you can practice your shapes, mark making and ziggy zaggy lines! You can have a go at making a mistake and then turn it into something amazing! Just like Eddie did when he spilt a little bit of orange paint! Everyone’s art is unique, different and special!
The Birthday Party
It’s party time! Each birthday party is very different. With different themes, decorations and games, you can learn lots about the party you may be going to! Explore what to do if it feels too noisy and some of the emotions you might feel. Design your ideal cake too!
Dressing Up
Some people love to dress up, others may not and that is okay! In this book we learn what dressing up means and why some people might want to dress up. You can practice designing your own costume or even make one for Eddie, Nina or Akil!
Boardgame
Learn about winning and losing with Eddie! This book helps us learn about friendship and what it feels like to wait for your turn. You may have different emotions when winning or losing in a game. Practice some of your own lucky tricks and what you can do to help you feel calm too.