HBO and Barnes & Noble are coming together to promote the HBO film “Temple Grandin,” a true-life story about the animal researcher and autism advocate of that name, with a live bookstore event, a microsite on autism facts and a downloadable coloring book on living with the affliction.
The bookstore event, scheduled for Jan. 25 in a Barnes & Noble store on New York City’s Upper East Side, will involve Grandin reading from and signing copies of her autobiographical books “Emergence” and “Thinking in Pictures.” She will also speak about her personal experience with autism.
Grandin was diagnosed as autistic at a young age, but managed to get a degree in animal sciences and now is a world-renowned consultant in the field, advising global corporations on food-handling processes.
The HBO biographical movie, set to premiere Feb. 6, and featuring Claire Danes in the title role, covers Grandin’s young life and educational struggle and was executive produced by a co-founder of the Autism Coalition, Emily Gerson Saines. A new movie tie-in version of “Thinking in Pictures,” first published in 1996, has already been released.
In connection with the cable release, HBO has created an online coloring book in which Grandin’s story is depicted by artists who themselves are autistic. The coloring book can be downloaded starting today and through Feb. 17 at the Barnes & Noble microsite for the event.
The site also offers other resources for autism support, a video teaser for the HBO movie, and a link to the HBO site, where visitors can share stories of their own experiences with autism in their families.
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