Can You See Me?: A powerful story of autism, empathy and kindness

Product Information

This book is in good condition, it has been read and may have some minor imperfections such as a creased spine, small marks and signs of wear and tear to cover and pages, but it contains no major stain or significant damage and is in good all-round condition. We need more characters like Tally in the media because maybe some of the less stereotypical demographics in our community might be able to get better access to help and diagnosis at an age where the support is crucial for learning how to navigate the world. And if there are people in careers like teaching who get more understanding of Autistic students through media like this that is even better - because you can see that the kindness of a teacher like Mrs Jarman in this novel can be a like a life float in a nightmare environment like school. Nell, her older sister, has given her lots of warnings about how she must control her urges and learn to cope. She expects her 11 year old friends to have expert knowledge and the skills and ability of a psychologist.

During my current phase of quarantine, I have been reliving the highlights from when I was twelve and thirteen, watching some of the movies that I watched back then and rereading related journal entries. I would say that about 90% of the protagonist's behaviours are recognisable in my daughter - Some parts made me laugh, others made me cry. She is continually losing it when her family members tell her to do anything, like hurry up and get ready for school, and then blaming them because they KNOW that if they tell her to do something, she is unable to do it.

While the ending also had a positive message about it being okay to be different - I don’t feel like there was enough resolution of some of the things that happen in the story to justify this message. So apparently, she does have some control over her behavior, which makes her look like a spoiled brat. Are the authors saying it would have been acceptable from him if it was directed at a kid who didn't yet have a diagnosis? I wouldn't have even rated this two stars, if I didn't think it was good to feature diverse characters in children's literature! I found it quite an emotional read, enjoyable and I’ve already recommended it to a friend as I know that she will enjoy it as much as I did.

However, she manages to have remarkable insight into her own emotional state, coming up with all the excuses why SHE can't behave a certain way, yet is utterly unforgiving of others, expecting perfection from them. New people, new routines, bells, shouting, clusters and communes of people, and whole realms of expectations. When they are going to the fair Tally's dad asks her to come with him, but this means Tally feels stressed and can't follow the request even though she wants to go to the fair. This book should be very encouraging and helpful to kids who relate to Tally's situations at home and at school, and it is a great tool to help build understanding and empathy among family members, friends, and classmates of children with autism.These could be useful for showing autism positively as well as understanding some different aspects children may experience. However, I deeply identify with Tally's high sensitivity to stimulation and agitation over it, her obsessive-compulsive tendencies, some of her tics, and her constant stress over trying to find some way to appear at least semi-normal, or at least normal enough to fly under the radar. There is a scene where Tally and her sister are walking to school, and Tally stops to rescue a worm from the sidewalk, and her sister is upset because they will be late.

I will never be a normal person, and my brain will always be different from the average, but I am no longer afflicted with such horrible behavioral and mental issues that I wish I could die. However, we are now a little further down the road and I suppose I am more accepting and more than ready to understand my daughter in any way I can. It’s really important to point out to neurotypical readers that Tally is not a universal representation of how Autism presents itself.Tally's diary entries give an authentic insight into one girl's perspective of being autistic, and smashing a host of common assumptions and stereotypes about autism as we see Tally’s potent sense of humour and her deep empathy. I highly recommend this book for autistic youngsters, their family and any one who wants to gain a better understanding of autism. The diary entries mainly focus on charting her anxiety levels and explaining terms and concepts related to autism, often breaking them down into pros and cons. Diagnosis (I prefer recognition ;-) ) has been an absolute game-changer for my life, and I wish I had known earlier! I know some people found Tally really frustrating but I think it is so important for Autistic kids to have this representation and be able to see that someone else has experienced what they do.