Author: Yvon Roy
Category: Memoir
Publisher: Titan Books
Publication date: 7 July 2020
Blurb: The award-winning graphic novel autobiography of a father, and the challenges he faces raising his autistic son.
A beautiful visual exploration of the highs and lows experienced by a parent learning how to adapt to his son’s autism. Faced with a challenging road ahead, the author uses creative flair and ingenuity in order to connect with his son, enabling him to reach his fullest potential and prepare him for the transition into adulthood.
This stunning insight into the nature of autism and the daily struggles of a parent uses humor and compassion to convey its message. This is the perfect creative outlet for anyone – from parent to teacher – looking for detailed information on the subject with a more personal touch.
Yvon Roy won the Best Biography Award from the Disability Fund and Society, as well as reciving the INSPIREO High School Students Award for the most inspiring youth book, and the Literary Award for Citizenship from the Maine Teacher’s League.
Review: I’m really conflicted by this book. As an autistic parent of an autistic child, I found this book both interesting and frustrating. The author was honest about his feelings of overwhelm and projecting to his son, and the same time doing things that many autistic do to mask, like making eye contact. Some of the strategies seemed good, and others frustrated me, especially the feeling that his child had to be ‘normal’. Then again, I’m guilty of ableist attitudes before I knew better.
It was an interesting story and, I think, an honest account from one parent’s experience, but had some issues when it comes to a modern understanding of autism. If you’re reading this, realise that it’s just one parent’s experience, it’s not a book about autism in general.
The graphic novel format of this book was fun and I enjoyed the illustrations.
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