Library's review
Dale was a little boy with autism, locked in his own world - until Henry the golden retriever puppy entered his life. This is the heart-warming story of how Henry turned round Dale's life and helped his sister Amy, who also has autism.
Publication
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd (2007), Hardcover, 352 pages
User reviews
LibraryThing member jayde1599
Synopsis: When Nuala and Jamie struggled to enter their son Dale's world of autism, they looked for help. They sought professionals, schools, and intensive therapy - but nothing connected to Dale as well as a golden retriever named Henry. Dale was able to bond with Henry and communicate to and
Pros and Cons: As a relative and special education teacher for students with autism, I am always critical when I read a book saying someone/something has "unlocked" the mystery of autism. It is not that easy. Nuala writes about the struggles: the tantrums, the frustration, the drive to advocate for her child. I appreciated that she was honest and that the Dale was not "cured" when Henry came into the picture. She discussed the emotional toll that her life had on her. The chaos of living with someone with autism is also felt.
This is a success story in that Dale eventually was able to communicate with people, make friends, and be mainstreamed in school. It took a lot of hard work from Nuala & Jamie, Dale, his team, and a special dog. The bond between Henry and Dale is clearly displayed throughout the book. Included in the book are some of Dales words on his life, a few photos and some artwork that Dale drew. Highly recommended.
The only thing that bothered me was that the book could have used some editing.
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through Henry. With the dog's help, Dale soon began to thrive and come back into his parent's world. Pros and Cons: As a relative and special education teacher for students with autism, I am always critical when I read a book saying someone/something has "unlocked" the mystery of autism. It is not that easy. Nuala writes about the struggles: the tantrums, the frustration, the drive to advocate for her child. I appreciated that she was honest and that the Dale was not "cured" when Henry came into the picture. She discussed the emotional toll that her life had on her. The chaos of living with someone with autism is also felt.
This is a success story in that Dale eventually was able to communicate with people, make friends, and be mainstreamed in school. It took a lot of hard work from Nuala & Jamie, Dale, his team, and a special dog. The bond between Henry and Dale is clearly displayed throughout the book. Included in the book are some of Dales words on his life, a few photos and some artwork that Dale drew. Highly recommended.
The only thing that bothered me was that the book could have used some editing.
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LibraryThing member Peggy72
Wow! Whenever I see a kid having a screaming tantrum now its going to make me think twice. Autism and its many offshoots is a complex and exhausting disorder that can be hard to diagnose correctly. This books helps you understand it a little better as well as offering, in this particular case, an
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amazingly unexpected solution. Make sure you have plenty of tissues on hand when reading this. Very moving.... Show Less
LibraryThing member LadyBlossom
Not exactly what I expected, but then again few animal stories are! Goes on a bit, would have been better had it been 200 pages shorter.
LibraryThing member Neale
an inspirational story about never giving up and the power of pets
LibraryThing member paperdust
I would highly reccommend this book to anyone who knows, or teaches, children with cognitive learning disabilities. This is the memoir of one mother's plight to bring up her autistic child; the social prejudices she faced not just from strangers but from people within the industry; and how dear
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Henry played a pivotal role in helping to bring her son back. I had a good cry in parts. Agreed the book could've been shortened. This is a topic rarely broached; it is a condition that is difficult to diagnose and some people chose to live in denial. Thank you Nuala for so bravely and honestly sharing Henry and Dale's world with us. xxx Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
A beautifully written book about an amazing dog and an autistic boy. The ending was sooooo sad - I cried and cried.
LibraryThing member PhilipJHunt
This is a lovely true story about how parents and a dog unlocked the world of an autistic boy. The mother is the first person narrator and it's as much her story as the others. An easy, human and uplifting read.
LibraryThing member ElizabethCromb
A very moving telling of a mother's efforts to break into her autistic son's world but also to get all the help she could for him. Even to getting a dog, which became the path through the fog to connect him to the world.
LibraryThing member c_why
Details of coping with fairly severe autism are very well detailed - to those uninitiated to this incredibly difficult job - NO this mother is NOT EXAGGERATING. The family's results are quite amazing with their children. It was exhausting to merely sit in a chair & read all that this Scottish
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SUPERMOM did to successfully "normalize" her children. The book could have used a good chunk of editing, or better still a ghost writer. Show Less