Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Sensory: Life on the Spectrum

This is an anthology of comics written and drawn by actually autistic people. As late diagnosed autistic person it means so much to me, to be able to feel represented in a book and hearing people talk about experiences I've had for my entire life was something I didn't know I needed. What's more is that the artists in this anthology are diverse, there are women of color, trans people, queer people and they all get to tell their experiences.

This book is needed in spaces for kids as well as adults so that we know we're not alone in this world.

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teachreadrepeat's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I have never read a graphic novel/nonfiction comic anthology before, but this was an incredible option to be my first. The spectrum (no pun intended) of perspectives, emotions, advice, and stories that make up all the different life experiences of these 40 Autistic creators was truly remarkable.

Let's talk about the artwork first, I've never seen so many different styles in one collection before. I found some art styles that blew me away and had stunning graphics/coloring, while others weren't my cup of tea but were still accompanied by unique and important stories. I was compelled from start to finish by the bite-sized narratives presented by each artist. I was reassured to know that I was already aware of many things that are significant to the Autistic community, but I was also pleased to learn about more areas with which I was less familiar.

That being said, let's discuss the representation next. All I want to do is send wild applause and hugs (if so desired) to each contributor, but especially Bex Ollerton (or @SCHNUMN). I am not Autistic myself, but I do have ADHD and Trichotillomania. Those disorders will never qualify me to speak on behalf of another community or to assume I fully understand the full scope of what an Autistic person may go through on a daily basis. Even so, there were still several comics throughout this anthology that directly aligned with my own experiences which made me feel both seen and comforted.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the range of emotion and viewpoints represented. There were plenty of comics dedicated to the struggles that come with navigating the social world as an Autistic person, but some of my favorites were ones that highlighted more than just the hard parts. "Tips For Autistic Adult Life" by T Catt and "Autistic Joy" by Taylor Reynolds stood out among the rest for me. The artwork combined with the positivity + practical advice in those two left a strong impact on me.

I would highly recommend this graphic novel, especially to teachers, healthcare workers, mental health practitioners, and anyone who is a member of the Autistic community.

Note: The 2 reasons I didn't rate this the full 5 stars: 1) there were some comics with artwork very much outside of my preference, which is to be expected and not at all shocking with 40 different styles present, and 2) reading this as an e-arc was very difficult due to some font sizes, a physical would've been much better for this medium. I will be looking to add a physical copy to my classroom library when this comes out!

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curiousmadra's review

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.0

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this intriguing multi stories online comic. It really is interesting to hear everyone’s experience and how they go through day to day life as someone on the spectrum. I found it mindblown that “Aspergers “ was named after a Nazi psychologist like woah dude, that’s crazy! The comic artists really illustrated their stories well, they all had their own art styles which is quite unique! It was nice to understand what everyone went through with involving positive vibes. I’m surprised also that our next door neighbour English had 22% of employees on the spectrum which yeah it’s pretty small like I feel that society really needs to be pushed harder into employing people on the spectrum. It’s just so disgraceful how some workplaces are still backwards with putting talented people with ASD in the corner!

You guys should take a read at this book like you can learn a thing or two with ASD!

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skudiklier's review

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hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

I loved this book! It covers all kinds of things, and is at times informative, relatable, disheartening, and funny. I found this anthology really enjoyable to read, and also noted down a few things to remember; I learned a few things about myself while reading :) I'd definitely recommend this to any autistic friends, but also people who want to learn more about autism and how varied it can be!

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