I Am In Here - The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak

Elizabeth Bonker is a 13-year-old girl who cannot speak, but is able to express her inner-most thoughts and feelings through the poetry she writes. Her poems reveal her struggle living with Autism, how it affects her daily life and the lives of those around her. She also writes a lot about nature, her spirituality, and how she would change the world. She’s a young girl who can’t speak, but has hopes, dreams and aspirations just as any other teenager would. Her mother, Virginia Breen, writes about their journey Elizabeth’s diagnosis, therapies, and her “relentless parenting” which she describes as “being driven by a love beyond our control.” Elizabeth’s poems are featured throughout the book.

I chose I Am In Here – The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds Her Voice because I have a 15-year-old non-verbal daughter with Autism. Written from a mother’s point of view, I could easily relate to so many of the challenges, the endless search for the right doctors, therapies and treatments, the constant worry if you’re doing enough or making the best decisions, the heartbreak of watching your child struggle, the isolation that comes with being a parent of a child with a disability, and the small victories which are more like true miracles when they happen.

I would suggest this book to anyone interested in learning more about Autism, but also to anyone moved by the power, strength, and tenacity of the human spirit. It was a truly inspiring book about a mother’s love and her sheer determination to give her daughter the best possible life. Check it out at the CUTPL circulation desk and let me know what you think.

April is Autism Awareness/acceptance Month. Be kind to one another.