|
 There's
a Boy in Here: Emerging from the Bonds of Autism
Reviewed by
Jackie Igafo-Te'o
Written by
Judy and Sean Barron
Another family
with an autistic child loaned me this book when my son,
Michael, was first diagnosed with Autism. It is a great book
written by both mother and son allowing you to see both
perspectives. The boy (as an adult) explains why he did things
and how he couldn't help but do things over and over again
without reason. For instance, he would activate the garage
door and run to the second story or to various other points in
the house to see the door lower/raise from different angles.
This book is very emotionally charged and ends with the boy as
a man holding down a job and living in his own apartment. It
gave me some hope when I thought that there was no hope left.
This book is
an update of the original which is now out of print. If every
parent of a newly diagnosed child would read this I believe
that they'd feel a lot more confident about the future.
Editorial
Reviews
From School Library Journal
YA-- Autism is generally considered incurable, but Sean
Barron and his mother have proven that it can be overcome.
This fascinating story tells how the boy, who seemed normal at
birth, became increasingly uncontrollable with bouts of
repetitive activities and no method of communication. Despite
recommendations that he be institutionalized, his parents
insisted that he go to public school and, eventually, he was
able to change his behavior himself. This story is told in the
dual voices of both mother and son. The insights that the
young man now has into his behavior and what he remembers from
his experiences are riveting. A fast-paced and engrossing
book. Review by Dorothy Addison, Woodlawn School,
Fairfax County, VA.
From Library Journal
This is the compelling and unique story of the Barrons'
long and often painful fight to "reach" their autistic son and
help him live a normal life. Judy Barron narrates most of the
story, giving an in-depth account of son Sean's early years,
his behavioral problems, and the terrible inadequacies of the
medical field in providing care for him. Sean provides an
extremely interesting counterpoint to his mother's stories.
His explanations for various behaviors (e.g., repeating the
same action over and over, which he claims gave him a sense of
security) is often different from how his parents interpreted
them. This interesting book for the general reader provides
insight into the world of the autistic child. Highly
recommended. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/91.
Review by Jennifer Langlois, Missouri Western State Coll.
Lib., St. Joseph.
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