Always: A Parent's Message to Their Autistic Child

by Michelle Schwab, Jennifer Singer (Illustrator)

The author has captured the joys and the obstacles of loving an autistic child. Through poems, she has shown some of the thoughts parents may have with their children throughout the day and highlighted the challenges often faced. Despite these challenges, unconditional love will ALWAYS prevail.

25 pages, Paperback

Published August 20, 2023

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something resembling every child here; for that I am grateful and it is something to bear in mind. The thought being, children need to be seen as individuals and loved for who they are.

However, these words encapsulate the additional difficulties children encounter negotiating their way in a world ordered by Autism. The poetic stanzas capture those elements and challenges Autism presents and speak across several situations to fashion a positive approach.

The words that resonate most strikingly are those of an everlasting love.
Always, is a wonderful title and our love for our children should be unconditional, enduring and without limits.

To care for an Autistic child demands patience and often exposes imperfect parenting skills. But this book isn’t about the formula to be better equipped or knowledgable but to adopt the measures that make it possible to overcome tantrums, upsets and misunderstandings.

Consistency, with a desire to learn and grow, all packaged up in a spirit of love. Where kindness and laughter abound and the journey is shared in respect and secure relationships.

Hopefully the book will inspire and inform. Bringing confidence that in our interactions with our children we can learn together and share their success.

I am grateful to the publishers for an ARC via NetGalley.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 071 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Great book for parents of autistic kids as well as for those of us who are trying to better understand how they react or function.

Great rhyming and I particularly loved how it ends with an I love you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thankful to NetGalley for the ARC and to let us read this wonderful book. As a mom of an autistic 4 year old this book really touched my heart. I really enjoyed this heartwarming story about their love for an autistic child in their life. I really connected with this book and the feelings and daily emotions that the author describes. I loved this book so much. I loved how much she shows the many ways we love our children and help them through everyday life. I highly recommend this book to all parents, family and caregivers for anyone who has a child on the autism spectrum. It would make a wonderful gift as well.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book features rhyming text and cartoon-style illustrations, and it describes different aspects of the autism experience and what it's like to be a parent of a child with autism. The repeated refrain emphasizes a parent's love for their autistic child, and the pages describe different scenarios. Most of them are generally applicable, although others refer to more specific experiences, depending on the child's abilities. Parents can easily skip over pages that aren't relevant.

The book gets very repetitive, and it felt too long to me. This is likely to bore children, whether they're on the spectrum or not, and is mainly a book for parents. There's no story here, and the rhymes don't always flow well for a read-aloud. This will mainly appeal to parents looking for common ground and support as they deal with common challenges for autism families, and the focus on the parents' experiences made the book feel a bit patronizing at times. If someone is primarily looking for a book to share with their child, they will be better off choosing something else.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[˖ ࣪ ‹ seri ; ⁺ ⸝⸝ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🦭 ꒰ 메모 ꒱ ۪ ݁ 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬

such a loving perspective of a parent having sons/daughters who are autistic. thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for letting me review this one ! 🤍

truly an amazing book to read to children and also as an awareness. my niece, who’s very dear to me, has autism as well and i just teared up when i read this 🥹 i believe that more people should have an understanding on what they are going through and how they perceive life and all things around and also why they react the way they do to certain things.

this book isn’t much of the informative type of book, but i hope it will get people to do their own research about the matter for a better understanding.

God Bless everyone ! 🙏🏻

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold onto your heartstrings, young dreamweavers! Always: A Parent’s Message to Their Autistic Child isn’t your average bedtime story—it’s a cosmic hug wrapped in stardust. Picture this: poems like fireflies, flitting between love and challenge. Michelle Schwab? She’s the wizard behind the curtain, pulling heartstrings like a rockstar guitarist. And the kids? Oh, honey, they’re the constellations—each one a universe waiting to be explored. This book? It’s a treasure chest of ‘I see you’ and ‘You’re enough.’ So, grab your empathy goggles and dive in. Because when the world feels like a thunderstorm, these poems are the rainbow that follows. 🌟📚❤️

[Farah G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book written in rhyming text, which does a really good job of explaining some of the challenges faced by the children of autistic parents, as well as children with autism themselves. It provides a comprehensive overview of the day to day challenges that they must deal with.

The book is written with kindness and empathy, and throughout its pages, the message of a parent's unconditional love for their child is reiterated in a way that is really heartwarming. Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Always: A Parent’s Message to Their Autistic Child, Michelle Schwab paints a heartfelt canvas of love and resilience. Through delicate poems, she whispers the unspoken thoughts that dance between parents and their autistic children. It’s like catching fireflies in a jar—each flicker of emotion captured with tenderness. As a parent who’s navigated the labyrinth of unconditional love, this book resonated deep within my soul. It’s not just a collection of verses; it’s a lullaby sung by moonlight, soothing hearts and bridging the gaps.