Paws

Paws, written by Kate Foster (Walker Books Australia) Paperback $13.99 ISBN 978 1 760652685

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Kate Foster is a literary agent and children’s author who writes about friends, family, and dogs. She originally hails from the south east of England and now lives on the sunny Gold Coast. What makes Paws special is the fact that it is based upon Kate’s own real-life experiences. You see, Kate’s family adopted a spoodle who bonded with her youngest autistic son. This special friendship comforted her son and helped him to feel safe and calm. Paws is an authentic read.

More than anything 11-year-old Alex wants a friend before he goes to high school. But it’s so confusing when you need to learn about human interaction and emotion, so Alex has devised a plan. He thinks that by winning a trophy at the PAWS dog show and representing his school in running, this will give him a friend. He is sure with his best friend Kevin, a cockapoo, by his side his plan can’t fail. But being autistic means Alex often feels alone and things don’t always go to plan. 

Kate Foster’s voice in Paws is genuine, believable and heartbreakingly honest as to what it is like to function in the world as a neurotypical person. I startle and scream, leaping up from the chair and running to the bedroom, my ears buzzing as the air whooshes past. This story is important for developing empathy and understanding about autism. You can feel the raw honesty. I particularly like how the reader learns not only what it feels like to be autistic but how it frustrates and confuses those closest to Alex, especially his mum and brother. We also learn about the important role a dog can play in providing comfort and friendship to humans. Kevin always seems to know when Alex needs doggy kisses as he can read his body language.  The part in the story about the dog show is captivating to read and leaves smiles all round. The ending is not only uplifting but shows how Alex has grown as a person and navigated the tricky world of friendship.

Paws  is a perfect read for Years 5-8. It captures a reader’s heart with its endearing characters, both human and furry. Making friends is often not as easy as it seems and being autistic can make it seem virtually impossible. This is an important book for any bookshelf that is well written and totally engaging.

The Thing About Oliver

The Thing About Oliver by Deborah Kelly (Wombat Books) PB RRP $14.99         ISBN: 9781925563818

Reviewed by Claire Stuckey

Tilly and her Mum live in a country town where they both work hard to support Oliver. Oliver has autism and needs lots of special care. For a twelve-year-old girl the pressure seems immense as we share one of Oliver's many episodes in the opening chapter. Tilly has her own special interests; she immerses herself in the study, and care of marine life. Her room is locked although not soundproof. She seeks refuge when she can with her aquarium fish.  

After detailing their regular routine all based on Oliver's care, Tilly narrates the story in a very matter of fact way. We soon realise her childhood, schooling and future, have already been adversely impacted by the lack of outside support. Even the regular therapy sessions require long drives so there is no free or social time for this young girl.

 Tilly is shocked when her mum announces that she has lost her job and they need to move once more however this time to the coast in Queensland where they can be near the water to live with Tilly's aunt Janine. Faced with so much disruption, both Tilly and her mum are on high alert to monitor Oliver's reactions.  Although she must leave her beloved fish and aquarium behind, Tilly is excited about being so close to the water and finally learning to swim. Aunt Janine works hard to help and provides much needed support to both mother and daughter.  Tilly finally breaks when Oliver destroys her precious aqua diary. Despite her ongoing dedication to Oliver's wellbeing, Tilly explodes, a reasonable reaction to years of tension. Faced with Oliver's disappearance, it is Tilly who convinces the police to change their search methods to find the lost runaway child who is unable to speak.

The thing about Oliver is a no-holds-barred story about the real situation families face when they have a special needs child. Oliver's episodes, their triggers, impact and calming techniques are documented with clarity.  In this story mother and daughter have developed the strong and structured routine to support Oliver every day, and night. With the financial, personal and emotional stress they face, the move required to survive means even more impact on their already delicate relationship with each other and Oliver.

I read this book in one sitting. It is a valuable, well-written Australian story that shares how autism can and does affect families of all types. It highlights the additional needs of families that struggle financially and those living in rural areas away from support services. Told from a child's perspective, the story resonates emotionally providing much needed insight into life with a special -needs sibling. 

Although this book pulls no punches, it is a story that resonates with strength and love. It has positive outcomes. With Aunt Janine's support and love, Tilly achieves her own goals of learning to swim and a future by the water.  Her mum finds a job, providing a financially secure future and Oliver finds new support in regular therapy sessions in and out of the water. Recommended age is 9 to 12 years.

In Hades by Goldie Alexander (Celapene Press) PBK RRP $16.95   ISBN 978-0-9750742-6-8
E-book ISBN 978-0-9750742-5-1

Reviewed by David Campbell

Homer’s Odyssey might seem an odd choice as the basis for a story written for young adults, but if that classic poem were to be described as the original ‘road movie’ then what Goldie Alexander has achieved with her verse novel In Hades suddenly begins to make a lot of sense. Over the years there have been many famous road movies, from our own Mad Max and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, to the likes of Hollywood’s Easy Rider, Thelma and Louise, Rain Man, and Little Miss Sunshine.

That’s a fairly mixed bag, but the common thread throughout is the journey undertaken by the central characters, a journey of discovery and self-revelation. Alexander has explored the complex notion of redemption though the adventures of Kai, a 17-year-old boy who, in a daring plot-twist, dies at the very beginning of the story when he crashes a stolen car. Kai’s younger brother Rod, who is autistic, is also killed in the crash, and it is Kai’s search for Rod in Hades that leads him to encounter all manner of monsters and physical challenges that have to be overcome.

But In Hades is not just a gripping adventure tale, it’s also a love story, for Kai meets up with the anorexic Bilby-G, and their journey together becomes one of mutual self-discovery.

This is an ambitious project, and one of the keys to its success is the poetry, for Alexander has effectively managed the difficult feat of marrying the action (and the romance) to the rhythms and cadences of the verse. The book is not one poem, but 49 of them, each with its own distinctive structure and voice. So we begin with the dramatically brief opening (The Accident), which scatters words on the page as we might imagine the shattered wreckage of the car strewn across the road, and then moves to the more tightly structured, yet still confused, second poem (After!), in which Kai comes to the realisation that he is dead.

Bilby-G arrives on the scene in poem 15 (Meeting Bilby-G), but before then we have learnt something of Kai’s troubled background, most of his problems arising after his step-father walks out (he doesn’t know his biological father) and takes up with another woman who rejects the two boys. Kai’s experiences during this time will resonate with quite a few young people and provide a useful basis for discussion, the poem titles alone striking a chord…for example Sleeping Out, Street Kids, and No Fixed Address.

The rest of the book follows Kai and Bilby-G as they are, in a sense, reborn, rediscovering the people they were before their lives went downhill. We learn what brought Bilby-G to this point, and begin to see the degree of guilt that haunts both of them and the truth that has to be faced, best summed up by an old man they meet along the way who tells them that they must seek forgiveness and then forgive themselves if they are to find peace. The physical challenges they encounter, which include a dangerous sea voyage involving whirlpools, sea nymphs (shades of Ulysses and the Sirens) and, finally, a one-eyed monster, provide the means to this end.

The book operates on several levels. Firstly, there’s the “What happens next?” element of the story itself, finding out who (and what) Kai and Bilby-G meet, and how they react. Then there’s the background, the events that led up to their deaths and the sort of people they were…there’s ample material for debate in the way they interacted with their families and the understanding they eventually come to about that. And finally there’s the poetry itself, with the multitude of formats providing the stimulus for discussion about the use of language and poetic structure to enhance the ancient art of story-telling.

This last, for me, is the most interesting, but that won’t be the case for everyone. Responses to poetry are, naturally, very subjective, and the challenge for those unfamiliar with the genre will be to come to some understanding of what the writer is trying to do. That doesn’t mean universal agreement, of course, and there are certainly some sections that I would have tackled differently, but that is where verse can add an extra dimension to the tale being told. There is considerable value, and much to be learned, in teasing out the various techniques employed and looking at possible alternatives. This not only enhances appreciation, but prompts readers to take an interest in having a go for themselves.

The inventive use of language is a powerful instrument, and I recommend In Hades as something out of the ordinary that should provide an excellent source of stimulating material for a variety of young adult readers.

You can purchase this book through www.celapenepress.com.au www.celapenepress.com.au

Waiting for Hugo

Waiting for Hugo by Amanda Niland, illustrated by Claire Richards (Windy Hollow Books)
HC RRP $ 25.95
ISBN 9781922081216
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Amanda Niland has chosen an interesting subject for her book. Delicately handled and presented, this book shows that being different isn’t always a bad thing.

Hugo is four. But he knows that the neighbour’s wall has 392 bricks; that the trolley bay holds 52 trolleys, and the store’s refrigerator holds 487 bottles of milk. Hugo loves to count.

But it’s hard for his sister to wait while Hugo finishes counting. Nothing can make him hurry. So she waits and waits. She wishes he didn’t count all the time.

In rainbow watercolour illustrations and pen, and in carefully chosen text, we view the two sides of Autism Spectrum Disorder: the gifted side that belongs to Hugo, and the view of his behaviour by his sister, who loves Hugo dearly, but finds understanding his habits difficult. This is a title that should be found in all libraries and schools. It reflects on how some children are different and it’s this difference that makes them unique.

The Hidden Diffability: Discovering Aspergers

The Hidden Diffability: Discovering Aspergers by Lyndel Kennedy, foreword by Dr Richard Eisenmajer (Blasck Publishing)

RRP  $10 e-book; PB $39.95

ISBN 978-0-9873505-0-3 (ebk) and 978-0-9873505-1-0 (PB)

Available at www.amazon.com/dp/BOO92DL4ME Dymocks, Readings

www.hiddendiffability.com

Reviewed by Hazel Edwards

Reading Ambassador www.hazeledwards.com

A timely book, in different formats too.

This is one of the first e-books I have read on my iPad. I also gave a print copy to my psychologist friend who counsels many families and another to a busy mother of students in the age range of these families. In either the electronic or print format, this book is a valuable resource for continuing reference.

It is also very accessible reading, which is why this collection is significant. It deals with the real questions which families face and contains strategies for everyday practicalities relating to diagnosis, finding an appropriate school, applying for funding support and the final question, of educating non-Aspie families too.

The ‘Hidden Diffability’ title appealed to me, as did the emphasis upon the positive aspects of Asperger Syndrome. Fifteen families are interviewed but these are representative of much more research behind this book.

The strength of this Autism Spectrum collection is in the range of viewpoints, logical structure, excellent editing and cover, but also in having real experiences to share. Vocabulary and terms are explained. No-one wants to insult or alienate by inadvertently using ‘a label’ which others find offensive. I’ve learnt it’s okay to say ‘Aspie’, but it’s even better to talk about ‘diffabilities’.

Author Lyndel Kennedy is to be commended. Two more books are planned in the series and will cover Aspergers at School and Everyday Aspergers. Lyndel also maintains the website of the Aspergers Syndrome Support Network www.assnvic.org.au and is a parent support group facilitator. She is a writer, researcher, editor, webmaster (mistress) and mother of three. www.hiddendiffability.com is where she publishes Asperger-related information.

I’m glad I went to the launch. Lyndel is also a ‘Hazelnut’, a self-named group of writing mentorees who have helped each other in the process of getting their important books written and published. All were at the launch.

The Language of Cat and Other Poems

The Language of Cat and Other Poems by Rachel Rooney, illustrations by Ellie Jenkins (Walker Books)

RRP $15.95

ISBN 9781847801678

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Every now and then I ask myself, ‘how did this outstanding book find me?’ The poetry comes from an English woman trained as a special needs teacher who currently works with children with Autistic Spectrum Condition. She also does workshops for West Sussex’s Gifted and Talented programme. In November 2011The Language of Cats was long listed for the Carnegie Medal. The book contains 54 poems and has illustrations in pen and ink.

 

This is a brilliant compilation of poems in changing poetical styles, from sonnets to rhyming verse and written for children of no specific age group through to readers of any age. They are sometimes edgy, are always inventive, and more than frequently moving and profound. They could be enigmas, riddles or mind-benders, but every single one is thought-provoking.

Moved, I felt the need to contact Rachel Rooney. She was generous enough to tell me a little about her work. When I asked her how she learned to use words in this way; what experiences in her life brought about this skill, she replied frankly.

‘I didn’t start writing until I was 40, although I loved writing as a child. Initially I wrote very light-hearted stuff for children’s anthologies but after some fairly heavy life events in my mid forties, I felt the urge to write more questioning, fibrous stuff. The collection The Language of the Cat combines some earlier work with the latter writings.

‘I think I don’t specifically write for children these days, I write “with the child in mind”. So I hope that the concerns I’m addressing are as relevant to adults as they are to older children; questions about identity, desire, independence, etc. And I try to use references that don’t alienate either audience. These days I only write if there’s something I want to say or work out in my own head. Therefore I’m a slow worker!

‘I think I made a conscious effort to try a variety of styles as a way of cutting my teeth and learning the craft, although I do lean towards form and patterns in my work. How did I learn this? I’m not sure, other than reading and looking closely at poets I admired, i.e., Carol Ann Duffy’s poems for older children.’

I want to know if her work with autistic children shaped her view of the world and her writing in any way.

‘There are a number of poems in the collection that are influenced by my teaching of autistic children such as Tornado and The Trouble Is to name a few. Also I tap into my mildly autistic nature when I write – focused, attention to detail, the feeling of being “other/outsider”.’  I then query the possibility of new work.

‘I have a picture book, A Patch of Black, coming out in September. It’s pretty much a poem about fear of the unknown and was inspired by the same earlier mentioned life events. I’d love to write a follow-up poetry collection. At the moment I’m too busy teaching. I’m hoping that will change fairly soon.’

For something impressive, different and unforgettable, read Rachel Rooney.

I’m Here

I’m Here written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (Simon and Schuster)

HB RRP $19.99

ISBN 978-141699649-1

Reviewed by Peta Biggin

A little boy plays alone in a schoolyard while the rest of his classmates play in the distance – they are there, he is here.  But soon a little girl joins the little boy, returning his paper airplane and making a new friend.

I’m Here was created to reach out and appreciate those children in the autism spectrum, as well as anyone who is different.  As a parent of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, I was immediately drawn to this book.

It is a truly lovely story that gives voice to a child who is unable to bridge the gap between himself and those around him; and encourages others to make that first connection. While the behaviour of the young boy in the story is reminiscent of Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is open enough that any child who feels shy or on the outer could relate.  It also shows the importance of making the first move with kids who are shy or isolated and, maybe, make a new friend.

There is a lot of subtlety to the story and it is wonderfully complemented with Peter H. Reynolds’ delicate illustrations. There is lots of white space on each page and this represented pictorially to me the tendency of many autistic and Asperger’s kids to shut out the world around them (I don’t know if this was the intention).

I’m Here would be a great book to read in a classroom setting as there would be so much for kids to learn, discuss and relate to. It is a beautiful book that I would certainly recommend.

Peter H. Reynolds is an author and illustrator of children’s books and the Founder of the educational media company FableVision. He has illustrated Someday and Little Boy both written by Alison McGhee.  He is also the creative mind behind the bestselling picture books The Dot and Ish.