I Am in Here

I Am in Here

by Elizabeth M. Bonker & Virginia G. Breen

In I Am in Here, Virginia Breen writes the story of her daughter, Elizabeth, who has severe autism that has left her literally speechless. She does, however, write using a "writing board," which allows Elizabeth to type out, letter by letter, her feelings through poetry. 

It was inspiring to read this book about a mother who never gives up on her daughter. I like how she describes the difference between people who see their struggles as problems, and people who see them as opportunities: 

I have come to see the world as divided into "Why People" and "How People." Why People cannot be at peace until they answer the question of why suffering has befallen them. They look backward and ask, "Why me?" How People, on the other hand, ask, "How can I move forward?" Having been dealt their hand in life, their focus shifts to how they can find whatever healing and wholeness is possible. -Virginia Breen, 18-19

She sees her daughter Elizabeth as being a "How Person," someone who keeps going even when things get tough. 

This book shed a lot of light on the inner world of autism for me. While I did know that people with autism could have very high IQ's, I did not know that such complex and beautiful thoughts  could be expressed through poetry the way that Elizabeth writes. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about autism, or anyone who works with autistic children.

This book is now available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About the authors:

Elizabeth M. Bonker is a thirteen-year-old young lady with autism who cannot yet speak but who writes deeply revealing poetry, which was featured on PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. She excels in school with an educational aide.

Virginia G. Breen is the mother of three beautiful children, two of whom are profoundly affected by autism. Besides working to heal her children, Virginia is a venture capitalist investing in high-tech companies, and she sits on both corporate and nonprofit boards. She studied computer science at Harvard, business at Columbia, and philosophy in Singapore. 

Elizabeth and Virginia live in northern New Jersey.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."