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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Mingo County Public Library at Delbarton | 921 BONKER B | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
She looked into my eyes and blinked hers slowly and deliberately, like a stroke victim, to show me that although she couldn't speak, she understood what I was saying to her. I stroked her hair softly. 'I know you're in there, honey,' I told her. 'We'll get you out.'"
Despite the horror of seeing fifteen-month-old Elizabeth slip away into autism, her mother knew that her bright little girl was still in there. When Elizabeth eventually learned to communicate, first by using a letterboard and later by typing, the poetry she wrote became proof of a glorious, life-affirming victory for this young girl and her family.
I Am in Here is the spiritual journey of a mother and daughter who refuse to give up hope, who celebrate their victories, and who keep trying to move forward despite the obstacles. Although she cannot speak, Elizabeth writes poetry that shines a light on the inner world of autism and the world around us. That poetry and her mother's stirring storytelling combine in this inspirational book to proclaim that there is always a reason to take the next step forward--with hope.
Author Notes
Elizabeth M. Bonker is a teen with autism who cannot speak but who writes deeply revealing poetry, which was featured on PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly .
Virginia G. Breen is the mother of three children, two of whom are profoundly affected by autism. She has spread Elizabeth's message of hope on television with PBS, Fox News, and The 700 Club , and through a TEDMED talk at the Kennedy Center.
Visit www.iaminherebook.com for more.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
This is the story of both Bonker, as she progresses from a young child with no communication skills to a 13-year-old who can write sentences and poetry, and her mother, Breen, on her journey to seek help for her daughter. Breen recounts how she hired the best therapists for Bonker and eventually took her to Soma Mukhopadhyay, developer of the Rapid Prompting Method and mother of autistic writer Tito Mukhopadhyay (Beyond the Silence), who taught Bonker to use a communication device. Breen constantly bargained with her school district to keep her daughter in an inclusive setting. She connected with doctors and other mothers of autistic children and learned of new methods of behavioral therapies and biomedical interventions. Though the book is written mostly in Breen's voice, the text is peppered with Bonker's poems and her descriptions of them. Though Bonker can't speak, she can convey what is in her mind and heart. VERDICT Recommended for anyone who likes an inspirational story, although parents of autistic children should exercise caution before trying some of the biomedical interventions the book describes.-Terry Lamperski, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| 1 Hope: The Quiet Miracle of "How People" | p. 13 |
| 2 Autism: We All Fight a Battle | p. 21 |
| 3 Preschool: Buried Treasures | p. 31 |
| 4 Wall Street and Autism: Living in Two Worlds | p. 41 |
| 5 Poetry: On Her Own Terms | p. 65 |
| 6 Elementary School: Looking for Ability, Not Disability | p. 75 |
| 7 Community: A Little Help from My Friends | p. 91 |
| 8 Nature: Listening to Trees in Harvard Yard | p. 107 |
| 9 Hopes and Dreams: Relentless Parenting | p. 119 |
| 10 Middle School: Be Flexible | p. 137 |
| 11 Families: We All Have Our Stories | p. 149 |
| 12 Suffering: A View from Tibet | p. 161 |
| 13 God: Learning Each Other | p. 175 |
| 14 Healing: A Wing and a Prayer | p. 193 |
| 15 Joy: The Secret of How | p. 209 |
| Epilogue | p. 227 |
| "How People" Gallery | p. 235 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 241 |
| Notes | p. 243 |
