This is a stunningly good read, a book about an ordinary mother’s fight to get the correct education for her autistic daughter, and her daughters fight to communicate with the world.
Virginia Green is an ordinary mother. Elizabeth is an extra ordinary girl. She is funny, intelligent, compassionate, observant, yet she struggles with one thing: communication. It’s not that she doesn’t want to, she physically can’t. She’s trying though!
Through hard work determination and sheer pig headedness, Elizabeth’s mother discovers how to teacher to communicate, through a letter board. Painstakingly long winded, however very effective.
It unlocks Elizabeth’s world.
This book is a mother’s story, interspersed with Elizabeth’s poetry, written to explain and communicate with the world. And she does it remarkably well.
In the book, Virginia Green mentions this YouTube clip, made by a non verbal autistic friend of Elizabeth’s. It is well worth watching:
Green is not afraid to tell the dark times and how hard their battle is, as well as the joyous break throughs and progress stories.
This is is a wonderfully written heart felt battle for a mother to help Elizabeth to function fully in a normal, fully inclusive and fully speaking world.
Well worth a read, even if you do not know someone with autism.
Not a day goes by
That I don’t feel a need to cry
And question why
I am trapped in here
Hearing voices all around me
But not able to break free
And join them
(Elizabeth Bonker)
