Local Dad Sets Out to Spread Autism Awareness One School at a Time

By Kami-Leigh Agard

On Monday, November 4, first and second graders at Waterside Children’s Studio School were served a special treat with book readings by local dad and children’s book author, Rich Pontieri. Not only did Pontieri read from his recently published children’s books, “Has Anyone Seen My Friend?” and “Mikey and Busty: Best Friends Forever,” the day was made even more special as the students also got to make their own sock puppets. For Pontieri, with these schoolbook readings and sock puppet activities, his dual goal is to raise autism awareness and anti-school bullying, not just in Rockaway, but beyond. Plus, leverage his campaign for National Autism Sock Puppet Day for Autism Awareness Month in April. And he’s making it happen—one school at a time.

Pontieri is a devoted father of two daughters, Tessa, age 21 and Mackenzie, 27, and a 14-year-old son, Mikey, who is on the autism spectrum and the namesake of Pontieri’s second children’s book, “Mikey and Busty: Best Friends Forever.” The born-and-bred Rockaway dad recently joined Rockaway Beach Autism Families’ board of directors, and his wife, Sarah Kenny, serves on the board of Rockaway W.I.S.H.

The newly minted children’s book author already has three books under his belt, all available for purchase on Amazon. “Has Anyone Seen My Friend?” is the first installation of Pontieri’s “sock” book series that humorously narrates how “Pete the sock” loses his mate in the laundry and goes on an adventure to find him. “Mikey and Busty: Best Friends Forever,” is the kickoff to another book series inspired by the adventures of Pontieri’s real-life autistic son, Mikey, and his dog, Busty, colorfully illustrated by local artist, Madeline Noone, who is also on the autism spectrum. And just in time for the holidays, “Has Anyone Seen My Christmas Stocking?” is a heartwarming story about the escapades of a family of Christmas stockings.

For Pontieri, reading his books and creating sock puppets with Waterside’s students was a plan longtime in the making, and the genesis of many more school visits to come.

“When my first ‘sock’ book, ‘Has Anyone Seen My Friend?’ came out in August 2023, I wondered how, through my books, I could spread the message of autism awareness and anti-bullying among youth. Then it hit me! If only I could get in the schools and read my books with students,” he said.

So, this past spring, determined and resolute, Pontieri leaped into unknown waters and applied for the NYC Department of Education (DOE) school vendor’s license.

“I had from April into the whole summer to get into the DOE system. It takes at least two months for the application to be approved as a NYC DOE schools vendor. And with counsel and assistance from friends and family, I had the whole summer to put my plan in motion. And going to Waterside was a dream come true.

“I had so much fun with Waterside’s students. The teachers and assistant principal were so supportive. The book was projected on a screen in the classroom, so the students followed in real time as I’m reading and turning the pages. This was my first time and thankfully the teachers gave me pointers. For example, prompting me to pause after I read a few pages to then ask students questions like: ‘Sally the sock is lost. Where do you think Sally is?’

“The kids interacted and answered questions as I was reading the story. Then we read, ‘Mikey & Busty,’ and ended the morning creating sock puppets. The students were amazing. They made their own creations with socks of varying colors, and I went to each table, helping them put on eyes, feathers and other decorations. We had such a blast! When I go to other schools, I’ll know how to make it even better,” Pontieri said.

He shared that he’s already working with other local schools and facilities to plan upcoming dates for book readings and sock puppet activities, including ABA Tree.

For “National Autism Sock Puppet Day,” slated to happen in April for Autism Awareness Month, Pontieri said his ultimate goal is to get a sock company to sponsor the campaign, in which students’ sock designs would be mass-produced and sold in support of autism awareness.

He said, “For ‘National Autism Sock Puppet Day,’ there’ll be a contest in which the top three voted student sock puppet submissions will be selected for mass production, then marketed and sold in celebration of Autism Awareness Month. So, not only will this catapult students’ creativity and passion to enter their sock puppet creations but boost the message of autism awareness.”

As for what inspired him to start writing children’s books, Pontieri shared, “I was in construction for over 16 years. And because of my wife’s job, she travels a lot, so, I became a stay-at-home dad for the kids. It’s not that I wrote all the time, but I had ideas that I jotted down. Then about 10 years later, one day I was doing the laundry and everyone’s missing a sock. And I thought to myself, I’ll write a children’s book about a sock missing its mate in the wash, and he embarks on this adventure, searching throughout the whole house looking for his mate. It’s like a ‘Toy Story’ movie kind of book, where he talks to clothing or shoes to find out if they’ve seen the missing sock, and the book’s storyline evolves from there.

“Then I decided to write a book about Mikey and what he goes through in life, like other children with autism diagnoses. From there, I knew that for the book series, we needed to have an artist living in a similar world like Mikey’s.”

Pontieri went on to commission local Madeline Noone, who is on the autism spectrum, to illustrate the “Mikey & Busty,” book, and is now actively looking for other autistic artists to illustrate his upcoming books.

“What a great day reading my books and making sock puppets with the children at Waterside school. Not to mention that one of the students was my second-grade teacher, Ms. Dwyer’s great-great grandson!

“With each school visit, it starts at the grassroots, showing no matter the disability, our children could do anything they put their hearts and minds to. Thank you so much Waterside, and countless others who’ve mentored me on this journey,” Pontieri said.

If you’d like Pontieri to read his books and lead a sock puppet activity at your school, email: rich.pontieri@yahoo.com. For his books, all three: “Has Anyone Seen My Friend?” “Mikey and Busty: Best Friends Forever” and “Has Anyone Seen My Christmas Stocking?” can be purchased on Amazon. Also, meet him at the Belle Harbor Club Holiday Boutique’s authors’ table happening on Friday, December 6, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (533 Beach 126th Street).