In the latest of our Spectrum Life blogs we hear from the writer of a new book for autistic children. Deborah Miller is mum to an autistic daughter and wanted to create a book to help her daughter understand that being different is not something to worry about, and how it can even have its advantages. So she created the illustrated book ‘I Need Re-Wired’. We asked Debbie to tell us more about how she came to write the book…
‘I Need Re-wired’ is my first book which is very special and personal to me, not just because it’s my debut but also because I am the mother of an autistic daughter. Raising my daughter is how I got the inspiration for the story and the adorable main character, the robot Little Beep.
The book shows some of Beep’s struggles with daily tasks that other kids find so natural and take in their stride. This makes it difficult for him to fit in with his friends and feel part of the group. It also shows how he views the world slightly differently from others and the obstacles he must face every day to feel accepted. Luckily Mum is always there to explain and help him understand that being different is not a bad thing, and it can even have its advantages.
As a parent raising my daughter, I felt I was on her journey with her, and I also struggled to help her find understanding and acceptance in a world that can appear scary and overwhelming to child and parent alike. The book’s title came from one of those struggles when I was trying to explain to her that everyone is different, and we all have strengths and weaknesses. I compared the thinking processes in our brains to all being uniquely wired, which made us who we were. When she asked “if she needed re-wired”, I felt dismayed and quite sad, so I wrote this story to help show that she was perfect and her brain was perfect.
My hope for this book is to help raise autism awareness and empathy in young children and help those who are struggling to realise that they are not the only ones. I am very pleased with the reviews I have received relating to neurodiversity. They all feel that the story is ideal for raising the subject of autism with children, and even for kids who are struggling to fit in for a number of other reasons.
I’m glad Little Beep can help children in an easy and understanding way and that he can help parents to show their children that no matter how different they feel, they are unique and are who they are meant to be, and they certainly don’t need re-wired.
