Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person by Cathy Wassell: A Review

I can't remember if I have ever posed that I am autistic on here even though it is all over my twitter page! Anywho as such I am always looking for good books on the subject and am huge fan of the organisation called Autistic Girls Network. so imagine my joy when I found out their CEO Cathy Wassell had written a book. It is 100% worth the hype.

Firstly I'll be honest I am slightly hesistant of brining a non autistic persons view in as sometimes books by non autistic people about autistic people are cringey at best and damn right dangerous at worst. However I am pleased to report that Cathy's book is none of these. Cathy Wassell has probably written the definitive guide for non -autistic people on understandfing autistic people.If this could be handed to neurotypicals I truly believe the world could be a better place.

I recently attended an online talk from the Autstic Girls Network and it was brilliant, Cathy was the host and honestly she brings the same degree of straight talking and fun to her writing in a way that is brilliantly reassuring.

This book is broken down into three sections all of which can be either read together or dipped into as needed. the person who lent me this book has been using it to dip into and enjoyed it immensly. In particular the myth sections and co-occuring conditions sections are brilliantly written.

There were a couple of things that gave me pause about this book mainly LGBTQIA+ issues being put in as a co-occuring condition which did throw me out briefly apart from these tiny niggles the book was brilliantly put together.

It also has a collection of very fun little cartoons some of which are hilarious. I really loved the illustrations and cartoons because they really livened up the text.

I would say this book is an excellent starting point into the world of autism,. It should stay just as that though after reading this brilliant book please surround yourself in autistic voices and hear the community. There is an excellent list of resources at the back of the book that I highly reccomend. 

Overall this book is a fantastic primer for those who either have autistic friends/family/children or work with them a lot. I really enjoyed it. 

via GIPHY