But as Tally hides her true self, she starts to wonder what "normal" means after all and whether fitting in is really what matters most. I have even talked the head into a little revamp of the library so that we can display them properly! However, on the negative side, it bothered me that her mother was so dismissive of Tally's explosions, seeing them as something that the family had to endure. These could be useful for showing autism positively as well as understanding some different aspects children may experience. I guess that is proof the community is not a monolith of people who behave in the exact same way - that is exactly why it is a spectrum condition.

This book beautifully portrays the experiences of Tally, a young girl with autism, as she transitions from primary to secondary school. I also really wish we had seen more narrative about the strengths of having Autism if the ending message was that it’s okay to be different. Other children Tally’s age need to understand how hard it can be to navigate change dealing with a condition like ASD and be taught more empathy and kindness.One thing Tally had that I did not have was the knowledge that she is autistic, she knew - I wish I had known and I wish I had books like this when I was that age. Help your child develop kindness and empathy with these middle grade books that inspire compassion: whether that’s towards animals, friends, or people in very different situations to your own.

She doesn't want to not be autistic, because it's part of what makes her Tally, and I completely connect with that from my own different experiences.Are the authors saying it would have been acceptable from him if it was directed at a kid who didn't yet have a diagnosis?

Rebecca currently teaches in a primary school and lives in Dorset with her husband and three children. A fantastic read for those wanting to understand autism but in an engaging way through storytelling. I think if we had a slightly older perspective these explanations and the narrative voice around why Tally was struggling might have been able to execute her struggles in less of a confusing and unsympathetic way. this is such a good representation of what it's like to be growing up as an autistic person and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to understand more what it's like to be autistic.During my current phase of quarantine, I have been reliving the highlights from when I was twelve and thirteen, watching some of the movies that I watched back then and rereading related journal entries. It was such a pleasure to meet you both, and I really appreciated how smoothly and professionally you ran everything. I haven't charted out my visits for the summer term, but I'm sure there are several in the south) and thanks so much for being so fantastic!

It seems as though we feel compelled to share our knowledge with the other characters, from Luke to Ms Jarman to the restaurant goers. It features bullying, friendship, fitting in, staying true to yourself and showing that everyone is different in different ways, all of which are topics which affect every child as they move up to secondary school. She is a picky eater, and the spicy pepperoni on pizza makes her tongue feel invaded by an army of red ants.

She is also autistic, and after her mum Kym shared a piece of Libby’s writing online, Libby and her writing went viral.