I got this ex-library hardcover, subtitled "The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism," from a local thrift shop's by-the-pound section, a great bargain for books. I was glad of another release copy.

This is a fascinating book indeed, in a question-and-answer format that offers explanations of various types of autistic-spectrum behaviors and also offers suggestions for coping with them. And there are some delightful little comments on behaviors that aren't limited to autistic people, such as this nicely snarky line: "Making sounds with your mouth isn't the same thing as communication, right?" That's in response to the question "should we listen to every single word you say," but whether in context or out of it, I loved its reminder that a lot of human talk is more "soothing noises" than overt communication.

Strewn among the Q&A are little anecdotes and vignettes, and the book concludes with the touching story "I'm Right Here".

[Compare to the manga With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, which features in-depth looks at a Japanese family's life with their autistic son.]

I left this book in the Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

Released for:

** 2025 Never Judge a Book By Its Cover challenge. **