All in a Day's Quirks

A Regular Guy: Growing Up With Autism by Laura Shumaker


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great read...I couldn't put this book down!  The author's writing style is conversational and mirrors many of my own thoughts, fears, emotions.  She accurately portrays how autism impacts the WHOLE family, in wonderful and heartbreaking ways. She empathetically characterizes the exhaustive effort, confusion and disappointments for a mother, father, siblings, and extended family of a special needs child.

This book is an excellent choice for a special needs teacher, therapist, family member or family friend of an autistic child.  It offers honest insight into the daily disruptions and quirks of autism.  Without too much drama or sadness, she uses personal stories to illustrate life for and with an autistic - at home, school and the surrounding community.  She also includes a copious dose of funny anecdotes, "Autism-isms" that had me cracking up. As a parent of a son on the spectrum, finding humor in the midst of chaos is indispensible for sanity.

I wouldn't recommend this for a newly diagnosed family.  Save it for a year until your head stops spinning so crazily and you secure routines and therapies.  It's not a "how to", therapy, program or methodology book.  It's an honest delightful story of a family's struggle and triumphs with the puzzle of autism.

I "get it"...this book may help others to "get it" too.

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