The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds Her Voice
September 12, 2011
Thirteen-year-old Bonker has autism, cannot speak, and yet writes poetry to express her keen intellect and sense of humor. She is quite expressive and completely aware of her surroundings (and how people react to her), as her writing reveals. Throughout her story, Bonker’s mother, Breen, tells what it’s like for Elizabeth and another child, Charles, who also has autism, to live the fullest lives they can with their condition. Engaging, heartwarming (and heartbreaking), this mother/daughter writing team completely captures the struggles and the triumphs of living, with grit and grace, beyond a diagnosis. Readers will find themselves up close and personal, getting lots of questions answered about autism in general and how this mysterious condition changes lives every day. Bonker’s courageous spirit is contagious and will leave readers hoping and praying for a cure to come soon.