First published 2011
Nuala Gardner chronicles her family's real battle to get proper diagnosis and treatment for her autistic son Dale. As a midwife and nurse, Nuala notices early signs that Dale is different. He doesn't speak when expected, avoids eye contact, makes repetitive movements, walks on tiptoes, and regurgitates food. Dale lives in sullen silence, unable to process language or connect with others, prone to sudden tantrums without apparent cause. Other parents judge him as spoiled while Nuala fights educators to keep him in mainstream school. She learns to teach Dale through his obsessions with Mickey Mouse, trains, and TV characters. When she discovers Dale communicates naturally with dogs, everything changes. Henry, a Golden Retriever puppy named after Dale's favorite cartoon character, enters their lives. Dale opens up first to Henry, then gradually to his family. The dog becomes his faithful companion, and when Henry ages, a second puppy joins them. Dale's world expands as he joins scouts, participates in activities, overcomes bullying, and makes friends who never know he's autistic.
Genres: family-life, medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-adversity
316 pages · Paperback · Kns ediciones S.C
Content warnings: ableism, mental-illness