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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
So I actually read this book and the second installment months ago but haven’t reviewed them because they were…complicated.
This fiction series about a young autistic girl who is beginning middle school. The story alternates between a 3rd person limited narration of events and 1st person journal entries reflecting on the events & inner world of the main character. These books were written by Libby Scott, an actual autistic young girl, and Rebecca Westover, an allistic (not autistic) adult author with some experience working in special education. I’ll include a link to an interview with the authors at the end of this review.
What I loved about this book is how authentic and real and raw the sections written by Scott were. Her insight & experiences are so accurate and vital. I think that so many people should read the writing of autistic people to better understand, include, and support autistic people so they can thrive.
What I hated about this book was that Westover wrote her chapters in a way that indicated lack of support in a child’s home life is normal and okay when they child is autistic because of how difficult that child’s existence must be for their family. It is an unfortunate reality, so I’m not specifically upset about the plot. It was more how the allistic author presented this as basically “tough shit” and part of life because maybe the autistic kid should be less autistic. Normalizing this is incredibly dangerous.
It doesn’t have to be this way (nor should it!! Especially in a book marketed to kids and their families…ESPECIALLY in a book that’s touted as being written by a 10yr old autistic girl. There’s an important power dynamic to consider here when the co-author is an allistic adult who’s taught disabled people and who is a published author herself.).
Anyway, even within the text of the book, the same author showed what is possible when an autistic person is first left to flounder then supported & given agency in school and their friendships. The fact that the author did not extrapolate this to the main character’s home life was a dangerous and harmful choice. So many autistic kids are going to read this, identify with Tally (main character), and find no recourse for the ways they’re being treated at home. Worse, they’re going to feel it’s normal to only find refuge in school or in relationships. The first place an autistic child should feel affirmed and loved is at home. It does things to a kid to not have that with the people who are supposed to love them most. It colors their understanding of what love and compassion are.
If I could take Scott’s chapters out and make them their own book alongside the chapters where Westover got it right, I absolutely would. But reinforcing the idea that autistic children are a burden on their families is irresponsible. I am not exaggerating when I say Westover’s artistic choices carry abusive if not deadly consequences for autistic children.
Link to interview, with my note that this book really reads like an imbalanced power dynamic between an autistic child and an allistic adult used to manipulating one https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/qa-can-you-see-me-authors-libby-scott-and-rebecca-westcott
This fiction series about a young autistic girl who is beginning middle school. The story alternates between a 3rd person limited narration of events and 1st person journal entries reflecting on the events & inner world of the main character. These books were written by Libby Scott, an actual autistic young girl, and Rebecca Westover, an allistic (not autistic) adult author with some experience working in special education. I’ll include a link to an interview with the authors at the end of this review.
What I loved about this book is how authentic and real and raw the sections written by Scott were. Her insight & experiences are so accurate and vital. I think that so many people should read the writing of autistic people to better understand, include, and support autistic people so they can thrive.
What I hated about this book was that Westover wrote her chapters in a way that indicated lack of support in a child’s home life is normal and okay when they child is autistic because of how difficult that child’s existence must be for their family. It is an unfortunate reality, so I’m not specifically upset about the plot. It was more how the allistic author presented this as basically “tough shit” and part of life because maybe the autistic kid should be less autistic. Normalizing this is incredibly dangerous.
It doesn’t have to be this way (nor should it!! Especially in a book marketed to kids and their families…ESPECIALLY in a book that’s touted as being written by a 10yr old autistic girl. There’s an important power dynamic to consider here when the co-author is an allistic adult who’s taught disabled people and who is a published author herself.).
Anyway, even within the text of the book, the same author showed what is possible when an autistic person is first left to flounder then supported & given agency in school and their friendships. The fact that the author did not extrapolate this to the main character’s home life was a dangerous and harmful choice. So many autistic kids are going to read this, identify with Tally (main character), and find no recourse for the ways they’re being treated at home. Worse, they’re going to feel it’s normal to only find refuge in school or in relationships. The first place an autistic child should feel affirmed and loved is at home. It does things to a kid to not have that with the people who are supposed to love them most. It colors their understanding of what love and compassion are.
If I could take Scott’s chapters out and make them their own book alongside the chapters where Westover got it right, I absolutely would. But reinforcing the idea that autistic children are a burden on their families is irresponsible. I am not exaggerating when I say Westover’s artistic choices carry abusive if not deadly consequences for autistic children.
Link to interview, with my note that this book really reads like an imbalanced power dynamic between an autistic child and an allistic adult used to manipulating one https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/qa-can-you-see-me-authors-libby-scott-and-rebecca-westcott
Not what I normally read. But since I myself have autism I taught I’d give it a try. I found the book a bit slow going, that however might be my fault.3.5
This was a fantastic middle-grade y/a! A coming of age story about a young girl named Tally, who transitions from primary to secondary school. She wants to "fit in", she wants to be "normal" but being autistic is a real life roadblock and she faces challenges. This book was co-written by an 11-year-old with autism which is beautiful. The book includes REAL diary entries from the writer about her autism and it's just brilliant.
I loved listening to this on audio! It was an eye-opening novel for me, as I now have a 7-year-old with ASD and I always wonder what life will throw at her as she grows older, my forever superhero!
I loved the character of Tally. Bullying, friendship, and fitting in is this book in a nutshell. It's sad to sit back and read but as time progresses it switches gears. She learns to self-advocate and embrace herself. Cue the tears, i definitely shed some of those.
I highly recommend this book whether you know anyone on the spectrum or not. I also hope it is in schools! Tally changed me. ❤
I loved listening to this on audio! It was an eye-opening novel for me, as I now have a 7-year-old with ASD and I always wonder what life will throw at her as she grows older, my forever superhero!
I loved the character of Tally. Bullying, friendship, and fitting in is this book in a nutshell. It's sad to sit back and read but as time progresses it switches gears. She learns to self-advocate and embrace herself. Cue the tears, i definitely shed some of those.
I highly recommend this book whether you know anyone on the spectrum or not. I also hope it is in schools! Tally changed me. ❤
I think this is a great middle grade read that can help students understand better what life could be like living as someone with autism (and it is cowritten by a young girl with autism who the main characters is based on). I like that it explains certain characteristics in relatable terms for readers and provides strategies for how to make situations more comfortable for all people. We will be using it in a 4th/5th grade book club, and I think it will lead to some great discussions.
While I think this is a decent choice to help middle schoolers better understand autism, the book itself was flawed in many places and Tally was an unreliable narrator (intentionally so but all the same it irked). A quick enough read and co-written by a middle schooler with autism.
Grades 4 and up.
Grades 4 and up.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Despite a few problematic passages, I think this book would be very helpful for the younger Autistic reader
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Some books grip you, others don't. Some take me for ever to read and some I can plough through in a couple of evenings.
This book I put in my amazon wish list and I published it on the Acts of Kindness UK group on Facebook, if you haven't seen it go and have a look, there's lots of loveliness out there in a world of such uncertainty at the moment. I received it in the post from someone I know (but not very well) and it was lovely to receive it.
The story is written from the perspective of Tally (Natalia) an 11 year old with Autism who is about to start secondary school. It includes diary entries written by Libby Scott who is also autistic and sheds a real light into what it is like living with the condition.
The story goes through the every day life of an autistic child, the things they face, the emotions and anxiety that goes through their heads constantly. This is put across as Tally' experiences, that no one likes her, that she's different from everyone else, that her sister hates her for not being normal, but you soon realise that Tally hasn't explained her autism to anyone other than her best friend Layla. Other children make fun of her, calling her "Weirdo Adams" and are genuinely cruel to her.
Tally's family take in a neighbours dog, who only has three legs and Tally soon realises that the dog is not aggressive as she has been told but that he is scared of his new surroundings and the people he is now with. Tally soon starts to talk to the dog as her only friend and their friendship grows.
At school after a while Tally starts to trust one teacher and things slowly start to get better. After one big incident when she thinks her friends have finally deserted her, she starts to see that she's not so different after all. everyone has their anxieties, everyone is scared of something and people deal with these things in different ways.
This book is aimed at the young adult reader and if you know someone who is autistic it is well worth the read. I'd recommend it for good readers aged ten and above. It is very well written and the diary entries really add to the overall power of the book. It gives a good insight into the lives of an autistic child another family and what every day life is like.
This book I put in my amazon wish list and I published it on the Acts of Kindness UK group on Facebook, if you haven't seen it go and have a look, there's lots of loveliness out there in a world of such uncertainty at the moment. I received it in the post from someone I know (but not very well) and it was lovely to receive it.
The story is written from the perspective of Tally (Natalia) an 11 year old with Autism who is about to start secondary school. It includes diary entries written by Libby Scott who is also autistic and sheds a real light into what it is like living with the condition.
The story goes through the every day life of an autistic child, the things they face, the emotions and anxiety that goes through their heads constantly. This is put across as Tally' experiences, that no one likes her, that she's different from everyone else, that her sister hates her for not being normal, but you soon realise that Tally hasn't explained her autism to anyone other than her best friend Layla. Other children make fun of her, calling her "Weirdo Adams" and are genuinely cruel to her.
Tally's family take in a neighbours dog, who only has three legs and Tally soon realises that the dog is not aggressive as she has been told but that he is scared of his new surroundings and the people he is now with. Tally soon starts to talk to the dog as her only friend and their friendship grows.
At school after a while Tally starts to trust one teacher and things slowly start to get better. After one big incident when she thinks her friends have finally deserted her, she starts to see that she's not so different after all. everyone has their anxieties, everyone is scared of something and people deal with these things in different ways.
This book is aimed at the young adult reader and if you know someone who is autistic it is well worth the read. I'd recommend it for good readers aged ten and above. It is very well written and the diary entries really add to the overall power of the book. It gives a good insight into the lives of an autistic child another family and what every day life is like.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes