This volume aims to offer hope for children with autism by shedding light on theory and practice. It also includes what is known about play with typical populations. The first part, Perspectives on Autism and Play, examines the complex problems children with autism experience in play, looking closely at the nature of the disorder in relation to play's role in childhood culture and development, as well as contemporary intervention practices. The second part, Passage to Play Culture, presents case portraits of three children with autism as they overcome obstacles to enter into the play culture of their peers. The author traces their development over ten years (from ages 5 to 16), focusing on a two-year period during which the children participated in a peer play intervention. This period marked the emergence of transformations in the chidren's social relation with peers. The text includes vignettes, dialogue, and samples of writing and drawing to bring the children's stories to life.