This book is written by a mother who shares her “bitter sweet” experiences of teaching her autistic son at home. She uses a common sense approach combined with acute perception, to reveal deep insights into her son’s educational progress. She admits there are no quick fixes to dealing with his complex difficulties. Her long-term commitment to repetitive sensory exercises that develop new “acceptable” patterns of behaviour, manages to balance care and the need for educational progress through self critical evaluation.

Some of her techniques could be replicated and others adapted for other children with similar difficulties. This is an optimistic book that will be thought-provoking for any parent or professional working with children with autism or Asperger syndrome. Olga Holland offers memorable descriptions of these children as looking “at the world with one eye sad and the other full of hope”.

Angie Rutter

Specialist teacher, communication and interaction team, Buckinghamshire