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Chomp Press Pull: stories of a sensory self
★★★★★ “Parsons' writing hits right to the core, conjuring smells of grandma's kitchen and summoning the feeling of scratchy shag carpet on a hot summer's day.” Jocelyn Mackenzie, Recording Artist, Righteous Babe Records
Growing up in a time when sensory dysregulation wasn’t in our vocabulary felt like a daily obstacle course—the victory being not throwing up in the backseat of a hot Buick station wagon, or the pure freedom to dance one’s heart out in the wood paneled family room of 1985 while The Cars told you to “Shake it Up.”
A romp through popular culture of the 1980s, Chomp Press Pull untangles the irritation, bliss, and reality of feeling many things—on your skin and in your nostrils. Think of it like a sticker album: scratch-and-sniff memories, glittering moments of euphoria, and real-life baubles you can almost hold.
Do you crave cool air, a tension-free neck, hairless arms, and the quiet hum of home? If so, this collection of peppermint and dirt-flavored essays might just feel like a release.
Growing up in a time when sensory dysregulation wasn’t in our vocabulary felt like a daily obstacle course—the victory being not throwing up in the backseat of a hot Buick station wagon, or the pure freedom to dance one’s heart out in the wood paneled family room of 1985 while The Cars told you to “Shake it Up.”
A romp through popular culture of the 1980s, Chomp Press Pull untangles the irritation, bliss, and reality of feeling many things—on your skin and in your nostrils. Think of it like a sticker album: scratch-and-sniff memories, glittering moments of euphoria, and real-life baubles you can almost hold.
Do you crave cool air, a tension-free neck, hairless arms, and the quiet hum of home? If so, this collection of peppermint and dirt-flavored essays might just feel like a release.
250 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2025
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 26, 2025
I fell in love with Elaina Battista-Parsons’s writing upon reading the first paragraph of Italian Bones in the Snow. Then came Heart and Salt, and I can attest to the possibility of falling in love all over again. Having just finished her latest memoir, the fantastically titled Chomp Press Pull, I don’t know how much further I can fall, but I’ve somehow done it. Her tone, style, subject matter, honesty, sense of humor, courage, heart and soul – it’s all up my alley and vibes with my chakras in ways that are emotionally and viscerally satisfying. And it’s this vibing and viscera and chakra-ing that she addresses head on in Chomp and how when things click it feels oh so good, and when things don’t, it’s really pretty bad. To her credit, however, not one iota self-pity exists in this woman, even when life tosses lemons (yummy!) at her.
Having pre-dated the now more standard pathways to mental health categorization, Elaina knows she would very likely have been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder if she were she a tween now. Instead she refers to herself as a “sensory kid” which makes it easy and comfortable to relate to her. And relate I do. Even if you might be one of those people who *isn’t* hypersensitive to smells or sounds or textures (you are blessed), there is so much to enjoy in Chomp. Elaina is masterful at taking you back in time to the trappings of the 1980s, but even as someone who is a dozen years older than her, our experiences overlap significantly. I believe any appreciative reader will be whooshed back to childhood and teen years, too, even if scratch n sniff stickers were not a totem of your youth. The memories of her extended family and cooking smells and innocent sexual discoveries will send you back to yours, too, and it is a touching, joyful ride.
Her pithy life truths had me nodding vehemently. To wit, like me, Elaina was never successful at mustering the courage to execute a back handspring. She writes “I couldn’t bring myself to make the literal leap backwards,” and here’s the gem: “If you think a lot, this move isn’t for you.” If someone had told me that at age twelve, I might have just said, “ok, I’m out,” and enjoyed middle school a lot more.
Sometimes it seemed we shared a father. About tearing out fetishized, overly-perfumed magazine images she writes, “I’d tape it on my bedroom wall, despite my Dad’s insistence that the paint would peel and I’d destroy everything they worked hard for over the years.”
And you know you’re reading the words of soul mate who expresses herself this way: “Dennis DeYoung of Styx has a voice like my favorite macaroni and cheese.” SWOON. Chomp is like a compulsively propulsive ultra-human scientific case study. Thank you, Elaina Battista-Parsons, once again, for the time travel, the companionship, and the late-in-life knowledge that I am also a “sensory kid.”
(I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
Having pre-dated the now more standard pathways to mental health categorization, Elaina knows she would very likely have been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder if she were she a tween now. Instead she refers to herself as a “sensory kid” which makes it easy and comfortable to relate to her. And relate I do. Even if you might be one of those people who *isn’t* hypersensitive to smells or sounds or textures (you are blessed), there is so much to enjoy in Chomp. Elaina is masterful at taking you back in time to the trappings of the 1980s, but even as someone who is a dozen years older than her, our experiences overlap significantly. I believe any appreciative reader will be whooshed back to childhood and teen years, too, even if scratch n sniff stickers were not a totem of your youth. The memories of her extended family and cooking smells and innocent sexual discoveries will send you back to yours, too, and it is a touching, joyful ride.
Her pithy life truths had me nodding vehemently. To wit, like me, Elaina was never successful at mustering the courage to execute a back handspring. She writes “I couldn’t bring myself to make the literal leap backwards,” and here’s the gem: “If you think a lot, this move isn’t for you.” If someone had told me that at age twelve, I might have just said, “ok, I’m out,” and enjoyed middle school a lot more.
Sometimes it seemed we shared a father. About tearing out fetishized, overly-perfumed magazine images she writes, “I’d tape it on my bedroom wall, despite my Dad’s insistence that the paint would peel and I’d destroy everything they worked hard for over the years.”
And you know you’re reading the words of soul mate who expresses herself this way: “Dennis DeYoung of Styx has a voice like my favorite macaroni and cheese.” SWOON. Chomp is like a compulsively propulsive ultra-human scientific case study. Thank you, Elaina Battista-Parsons, once again, for the time travel, the companionship, and the late-in-life knowledge that I am also a “sensory kid.”
(I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
March 2, 2025
I didn't know much about sensory disorders before I started reading this book...and I feel that I've gained a lot of understanding about these matters 250 pages later. I found myself googling some particular aspect of every chapter as I made my way through the book. I read the chapters first as a person who doesn't necessarily struggle the way the author does with aromas, sounds, lights and more...and after a little research...I went back and read the pages again. It was like I was looking at a hidden world that I never appreciated. I applaud the author for her vulnerability and honesty about the thousand little things that rarely ever occur to me...but now I realize are unavoidable for others who experience these sensations. Do you want to learn? Do you want to feel a certain Gen X nostalgia as you do? Then grab this work and turn the pages. Do what I did and read up on the challenges she talks about page after page. You'll feel a certain comfort as you do...and if you're like me...where the smells and sights and sounds of the various Jersey boardwalks were always source of joy and excitement...you might also learn about how those same sensory experiences might not have been universally the same for some of your friends. This was an excellent book and I'm really happy I had the opportunity to find it and experience it fully.
March 25, 2025
Spoilers: Sensory dysregulation can be a very difficult condition to live with. The body has trouble processing and interpreting sensory information from the environment leading to unusual or uncomfortable responses. It can lead to oversensitivity or under sensitivity to stimuli and difficulty distinguishing different sensory inputs. The person with it could respond by having emotional meltdowns, anxiety attacks, motor coordination problems, and often avoiding certain environments or activities. It is caused by Neurological disorders such as Autism, sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, trauma, and early life experiences. Occupational therapy, environmental modifications, sensory integration activities, and medication can be used to treat it.
As with many neurological and psychological conditions, it is something that causes people to view the world differently but can be controlled or diminished if too overwhelming. Unfortunately, this was not always the case as Elaina Battista-Parsons reveals in her amusing and moving memoir, Chomp Press Pull. When she grew up in the 80’s, her condition was barely understood or treated. Battista-Parsons’s book is rich in personal experiences and sensory detail from someone who had to look at the world in her own way.
The Introduction gives us a compelling glimpse of what it's like for someone to live their daily life with such a condition. In 1995, Battista-Parsons sat in her classroom, sweated, and shifted uncomfortably because of the class’s heater. Despite her objections, the teacher wouldn't let her leave the room or open the window in January so she had to endure this miserable time in class growing ever more uncomfortable and barely paying attention to the dull lecture on Jack London.
When she was very young long before she was diagnosed, Battista-Parsons used a variety of means to deal with the sensory complications like chewing and biting on anything whether it was edible or not, pressing down hard on things such as crayons to paper, and pulling on objects like hair and string. She also had various comfort objects to hold and take comfort in their texture. Chief among them was a Mork doll from the sitcom, Mork and Mindy. Battista-Parsons carried Mork around so often that she referred to him as “(her) husband.”
Since Battista-Parsons spent much of her childhood in the 80’s, the book refers to many of the trends of the era. She describes banana clips on big hair, Swatch watches and neon bright colors, going to the mall, dancing to music videos like “So Emotional,” “Control,” and “Rhythm of the Night,” and scented merchandise. A delightful chapter is devoted to that favorite fad of many 80’s girls: scratch and sniff stickers. Battista-Parsons loved and collected them, probably because they gave off a nice smell that isn't too overpowering for her. Among her favorites were plump strawberry, pizza slice, and two bananas. This chapter showed that despite her sensory difficulties, Battista-Parsons was able to find delight in things despite or even maybe because of these issues.
Because of her awareness of senses, Battista-Parsons associated senses with certain times and places. She had a love for apartments and sometimes stayed overnight at her grandmother's. The taste and smell of tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, braciola, and olive oil filled those days and reminded her of her grandmother's apartment and other small spaces. Small apartments and sheds gave her a sense of coziness that still resonates within her.
Battista-Parsons’ sensory dysregulation gave her the ability to focus on and be aware of people and things that others are not. While Christmas can be a fun time of togetherness, it was also a draining time. Her very large and noisy family’s voices were exuberant but cacophonous. The Christmas music was present and merged with the voices of her family. This is a reminder that not everyone processes events and places in the same way and although they might be having a good time, they can also feel anxious and overwhelmed. It takes great understanding, acceptance, and accommodation to live with such a condition for the person who has it and those who are near it.
As with many young people, Battista-Parsons explored the concept of sexuality, something that her body, particularly her senses, made her very aware of. She cites Billy Idol’s music video for “Cradle of Love” with its beautiful alluring female protagonist for introducing her to the concept of sex. She recognized the power that the girl had in the video over a male onlooker and that a female body can spark certain feelings and turn people on. The sight of “Cradle of Love” and other videos became gateways into Battista-Parsons ' understanding of sex which culminated in various dates and losing her virginity at 19.
The book is a cornucopia of associating senses with past interests and experiences. She associated linoleum floors and Hela Young reciting lottery numbers on television with her family room. Her father’s green tree air freshener made her nauseous and though he told her that she would be fine, he took her to the nearby hardware store where sawdust and cedar wood were a reliever from the artificial plastic odor from her dad’s car. The sight of figure skaters dressed in their beautiful costumes, skating on the cool ice impressed her enough to imitate them on the living room floor. The taste of sugar bubble gum recalled a babysitter who indulged her interest in the tasty treat. Her mother’s hands touched store fabrics with great care like they were the finest silk. The book is definitely about someone who had no choice but to experience the world strongly and share with others how it looked, smelled, heard, tasted, and felt to her.
Even though the book is largely about how Battista-Parsons coped with sensory dysregulation throughout her life, that is not by any means her sole focus. She takes several opportunities to recall other important times through her life, many that any reader would relate to. She discusses familiar issues that many Readers understand like conflicts with her family, first crushes, and academic struggles with other kids and teachers. One whole chapter is devoted to many anecdotes that illustrate her various teacher’s specific sense triggers, and sometimes more objectionable behavior like telling bawdy jokes, groping and flirting with students, or dividing classrooms by gender or ability.
Her experience with her first love, Gregg, combines early romance with her sensory details. Gregg inspired her to enjoy various musicians, particularly female musicians but he became very possessive and jealous of her. Her overdeveloped sense of smell attracted her to his cologne and the wood in his parent’s house. Because she associated people with certain scents, she often caught the odor in other boy’s much to Gregg’s chagrin and lack of understanding towards her condition. After about a year, they broke up in the usual pattern of early boyfriends and girlfriends falling out of love as quickly as they fell in.
Battista-Parsons had brilliant clever ways of writing about her sensory issues. One whole chapter describes alphabetically some of the difficulties that her condition caused. Her arm hair felt uncomfortable so she constantly shaved it. Biting fingernails and cracking air pockets became sources of stress relief. Certain colors like green and gray were soothing while red was too overpowering. Anything as simple and innocuous to others like Play-Doh, dry lips, zippers, suitcases, lemons, and sandals could help or hinder her.
Identifying her condition, understanding the symptoms, and realizing that she was not the only one with such problems, helped Battista-Parsons learn about and treat her condition. She attributed many different techniques including Reiki and chiropractic methods as huge factors in helping her treat her sensory issues. She also holds no animosity towards her family for dismissing her problems. It was not discussed or identified much throughout her childhood and if medical professionals didn’t understand and study it, then her parents wouldn’t have been able to let alone herself.
The chapters describing the research, diagnosis reveal how liberating it can be when you learn about a condition and how you can master it.
As with many neurological and psychological conditions, it is something that causes people to view the world differently but can be controlled or diminished if too overwhelming. Unfortunately, this was not always the case as Elaina Battista-Parsons reveals in her amusing and moving memoir, Chomp Press Pull. When she grew up in the 80’s, her condition was barely understood or treated. Battista-Parsons’s book is rich in personal experiences and sensory detail from someone who had to look at the world in her own way.
The Introduction gives us a compelling glimpse of what it's like for someone to live their daily life with such a condition. In 1995, Battista-Parsons sat in her classroom, sweated, and shifted uncomfortably because of the class’s heater. Despite her objections, the teacher wouldn't let her leave the room or open the window in January so she had to endure this miserable time in class growing ever more uncomfortable and barely paying attention to the dull lecture on Jack London.
When she was very young long before she was diagnosed, Battista-Parsons used a variety of means to deal with the sensory complications like chewing and biting on anything whether it was edible or not, pressing down hard on things such as crayons to paper, and pulling on objects like hair and string. She also had various comfort objects to hold and take comfort in their texture. Chief among them was a Mork doll from the sitcom, Mork and Mindy. Battista-Parsons carried Mork around so often that she referred to him as “(her) husband.”
Since Battista-Parsons spent much of her childhood in the 80’s, the book refers to many of the trends of the era. She describes banana clips on big hair, Swatch watches and neon bright colors, going to the mall, dancing to music videos like “So Emotional,” “Control,” and “Rhythm of the Night,” and scented merchandise. A delightful chapter is devoted to that favorite fad of many 80’s girls: scratch and sniff stickers. Battista-Parsons loved and collected them, probably because they gave off a nice smell that isn't too overpowering for her. Among her favorites were plump strawberry, pizza slice, and two bananas. This chapter showed that despite her sensory difficulties, Battista-Parsons was able to find delight in things despite or even maybe because of these issues.
Because of her awareness of senses, Battista-Parsons associated senses with certain times and places. She had a love for apartments and sometimes stayed overnight at her grandmother's. The taste and smell of tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, braciola, and olive oil filled those days and reminded her of her grandmother's apartment and other small spaces. Small apartments and sheds gave her a sense of coziness that still resonates within her.
Battista-Parsons’ sensory dysregulation gave her the ability to focus on and be aware of people and things that others are not. While Christmas can be a fun time of togetherness, it was also a draining time. Her very large and noisy family’s voices were exuberant but cacophonous. The Christmas music was present and merged with the voices of her family. This is a reminder that not everyone processes events and places in the same way and although they might be having a good time, they can also feel anxious and overwhelmed. It takes great understanding, acceptance, and accommodation to live with such a condition for the person who has it and those who are near it.
As with many young people, Battista-Parsons explored the concept of sexuality, something that her body, particularly her senses, made her very aware of. She cites Billy Idol’s music video for “Cradle of Love” with its beautiful alluring female protagonist for introducing her to the concept of sex. She recognized the power that the girl had in the video over a male onlooker and that a female body can spark certain feelings and turn people on. The sight of “Cradle of Love” and other videos became gateways into Battista-Parsons ' understanding of sex which culminated in various dates and losing her virginity at 19.
The book is a cornucopia of associating senses with past interests and experiences. She associated linoleum floors and Hela Young reciting lottery numbers on television with her family room. Her father’s green tree air freshener made her nauseous and though he told her that she would be fine, he took her to the nearby hardware store where sawdust and cedar wood were a reliever from the artificial plastic odor from her dad’s car. The sight of figure skaters dressed in their beautiful costumes, skating on the cool ice impressed her enough to imitate them on the living room floor. The taste of sugar bubble gum recalled a babysitter who indulged her interest in the tasty treat. Her mother’s hands touched store fabrics with great care like they were the finest silk. The book is definitely about someone who had no choice but to experience the world strongly and share with others how it looked, smelled, heard, tasted, and felt to her.
Even though the book is largely about how Battista-Parsons coped with sensory dysregulation throughout her life, that is not by any means her sole focus. She takes several opportunities to recall other important times through her life, many that any reader would relate to. She discusses familiar issues that many Readers understand like conflicts with her family, first crushes, and academic struggles with other kids and teachers. One whole chapter is devoted to many anecdotes that illustrate her various teacher’s specific sense triggers, and sometimes more objectionable behavior like telling bawdy jokes, groping and flirting with students, or dividing classrooms by gender or ability.
Her experience with her first love, Gregg, combines early romance with her sensory details. Gregg inspired her to enjoy various musicians, particularly female musicians but he became very possessive and jealous of her. Her overdeveloped sense of smell attracted her to his cologne and the wood in his parent’s house. Because she associated people with certain scents, she often caught the odor in other boy’s much to Gregg’s chagrin and lack of understanding towards her condition. After about a year, they broke up in the usual pattern of early boyfriends and girlfriends falling out of love as quickly as they fell in.
Battista-Parsons had brilliant clever ways of writing about her sensory issues. One whole chapter describes alphabetically some of the difficulties that her condition caused. Her arm hair felt uncomfortable so she constantly shaved it. Biting fingernails and cracking air pockets became sources of stress relief. Certain colors like green and gray were soothing while red was too overpowering. Anything as simple and innocuous to others like Play-Doh, dry lips, zippers, suitcases, lemons, and sandals could help or hinder her.
Identifying her condition, understanding the symptoms, and realizing that she was not the only one with such problems, helped Battista-Parsons learn about and treat her condition. She attributed many different techniques including Reiki and chiropractic methods as huge factors in helping her treat her sensory issues. She also holds no animosity towards her family for dismissing her problems. It was not discussed or identified much throughout her childhood and if medical professionals didn’t understand and study it, then her parents wouldn’t have been able to let alone herself.
The chapters describing the research, diagnosis reveal how liberating it can be when you learn about a condition and how you can master it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
Chomp, Press, Pull: Stories of a Sensory Self by Elaina Parsons
I love a book that teaches me new things especially about the invisible, let’s say, ailments that people contend with that are not understood readily by others such as mental health issues. In Chomp, Press, Pull, Elaina Parsons educates the reader on a condition not well understood by very many people at all and she does a really good job. Elaina has grappled all throughout her life with sensory processing issues. I deliberately did not say suffered from b/c she would not say suffered. The is no long-suffering or self-pity here. Rather, Elaina would be better described as scrappy, or a let’s just get on with it kind of gal. In the meantime, Chomp, Press, Pull increases the reader’s awareness about sensory issues in a very palpable way.
Ms. Parsons is VERY GOOD at description. For the uninformed, her sensory issues amplified or muted, depending, how she perceived temperature, smells, touch, sound. One would think, isn’t that true for everyone? Yes, but when you read this book, you’ll feel the difference. As I read, her sensory issues became uncomfortably my sensory issues. She gives the reader a “put yourself in her shoes,” sense of what it’s like living in her body. After her description of being distracted by someone coughing in the theatre, I will never be able to ignore that again. Her descriptions about needing to chew on things as a child, made me think she must’ve been a labrador retriever in a past life. And her description of a breast biopsy led me to protectively cradle my own as I read. At one point, I wrote in my notes, “it’s like she’s always plugged into a socket,” so I had to laugh when she wrote about how consuming alcohol, “made my whole body feel like I was plugged into an outlet.”
Besides the first hand feeling of a sensory processing disorder, Chomp, Press, Pull reads like a love letter to her large Italian American family. Her parents’ acceptance of her “quirks,” long before there was any understanding of sensory issues allowed her to find ways to find relief without experience harsh consequences or judgments. There was a lot of love from them and her extended family even if the family gatherings were, as she wrote, “sensory minefields,” of over-lapping conversations, and culinary overload.
I’m just scratching the surface (no pun intended) of this very sensory descriptive book. I have to say, my favorite part is her grown-up voice as she progresses through her life experiences. Her many life challenges integrate into a wise woman with much to share not just about sensory issues but life issues. This line speaks, I think, for trauma as much as for sensory issues, “the more chaos you express out, the less chaos that remains in.” This is helpful to remember when someone is acting out in any way for any reason. I think Chomp, Press, Pull speaks for a lot of people whose sensory issues have been misunderstood and the wisdom gleaned from her experiences is instructive to all.
I love a book that teaches me new things especially about the invisible, let’s say, ailments that people contend with that are not understood readily by others such as mental health issues. In Chomp, Press, Pull, Elaina Parsons educates the reader on a condition not well understood by very many people at all and she does a really good job. Elaina has grappled all throughout her life with sensory processing issues. I deliberately did not say suffered from b/c she would not say suffered. The is no long-suffering or self-pity here. Rather, Elaina would be better described as scrappy, or a let’s just get on with it kind of gal. In the meantime, Chomp, Press, Pull increases the reader’s awareness about sensory issues in a very palpable way.
Ms. Parsons is VERY GOOD at description. For the uninformed, her sensory issues amplified or muted, depending, how she perceived temperature, smells, touch, sound. One would think, isn’t that true for everyone? Yes, but when you read this book, you’ll feel the difference. As I read, her sensory issues became uncomfortably my sensory issues. She gives the reader a “put yourself in her shoes,” sense of what it’s like living in her body. After her description of being distracted by someone coughing in the theatre, I will never be able to ignore that again. Her descriptions about needing to chew on things as a child, made me think she must’ve been a labrador retriever in a past life. And her description of a breast biopsy led me to protectively cradle my own as I read. At one point, I wrote in my notes, “it’s like she’s always plugged into a socket,” so I had to laugh when she wrote about how consuming alcohol, “made my whole body feel like I was plugged into an outlet.”
Besides the first hand feeling of a sensory processing disorder, Chomp, Press, Pull reads like a love letter to her large Italian American family. Her parents’ acceptance of her “quirks,” long before there was any understanding of sensory issues allowed her to find ways to find relief without experience harsh consequences or judgments. There was a lot of love from them and her extended family even if the family gatherings were, as she wrote, “sensory minefields,” of over-lapping conversations, and culinary overload.
I’m just scratching the surface (no pun intended) of this very sensory descriptive book. I have to say, my favorite part is her grown-up voice as she progresses through her life experiences. Her many life challenges integrate into a wise woman with much to share not just about sensory issues but life issues. This line speaks, I think, for trauma as much as for sensory issues, “the more chaos you express out, the less chaos that remains in.” This is helpful to remember when someone is acting out in any way for any reason. I think Chomp, Press, Pull speaks for a lot of people whose sensory issues have been misunderstood and the wisdom gleaned from her experiences is instructive to all.
April 2, 2025
Wow...I just finished reading Chomp Press Pull and am strongly suggesting you add it to your "must read soon" list. Having said that, I will admit this one is tough to describe...or explain...or even understand in the sense that it can overwhelm your senses trying to understand the universe of senses continuously being experienced by the author.
So, some simple comments first. I am truly amazed by the author's ability to remember and describe and invite the reader into so many events of her life. You meet her relatives from northern New Jersey and experience a real Italian Christmas celebration - including the smell of the many fishes! You fall in love with her dog Charlie. You laugh at her interactions with her brother. And you understand the anguish she experienced during serious medical procedures and the difficulties she must have had to conquer because of her sensory issues.
She tells you about first loves and childish hurts and and of course the Jersey Shore. You want to be with her - you are with her - every step of the way.
Friendships are explored. Parental relationships are described. Body dysmorphia is discussed.
When I started reading the essays, I felt as if I was being treated to a fun journey through the author's life. Then the fun stopped - not in a bad way - but in a deep way because I realized the author was treating the reader to a beautiful experience that someone like me would never have known about because her experiences were so colored by her sensory issues. She said she wanted the reader to laugh and squirm - which I did - but I also "thought". I thought deeply about a world I truly didn't know much about previously. I pained for a child who was different and too often had to deal with adults - and teachers - who didn't deal properly with those differences.
And I loved her soaring realization that she wasn't going to be boxed in the "pretty girl obedient daughter box". I am in awe of her ability to use words to describe the excruciating challenges she had to deal with to arrive at her current state. I will close with words from my favorite John Legend song - I love how she describes her "perfect imperfections" to describe her challenges and her journey through the first half or so of her life and cannot wait to read what is next!
So, some simple comments first. I am truly amazed by the author's ability to remember and describe and invite the reader into so many events of her life. You meet her relatives from northern New Jersey and experience a real Italian Christmas celebration - including the smell of the many fishes! You fall in love with her dog Charlie. You laugh at her interactions with her brother. And you understand the anguish she experienced during serious medical procedures and the difficulties she must have had to conquer because of her sensory issues.
She tells you about first loves and childish hurts and and of course the Jersey Shore. You want to be with her - you are with her - every step of the way.
Friendships are explored. Parental relationships are described. Body dysmorphia is discussed.
When I started reading the essays, I felt as if I was being treated to a fun journey through the author's life. Then the fun stopped - not in a bad way - but in a deep way because I realized the author was treating the reader to a beautiful experience that someone like me would never have known about because her experiences were so colored by her sensory issues. She said she wanted the reader to laugh and squirm - which I did - but I also "thought". I thought deeply about a world I truly didn't know much about previously. I pained for a child who was different and too often had to deal with adults - and teachers - who didn't deal properly with those differences.
And I loved her soaring realization that she wasn't going to be boxed in the "pretty girl obedient daughter box". I am in awe of her ability to use words to describe the excruciating challenges she had to deal with to arrive at her current state. I will close with words from my favorite John Legend song - I love how she describes her "perfect imperfections" to describe her challenges and her journey through the first half or so of her life and cannot wait to read what is next!
April 20, 2025
I have often chosen a book for its cover and many times it has led me into something wonderful and delicious. Chomp Press Pull was one of those times. I saw it on Facebook (before release) and was so enchanted, I friended the author and I never friend anyone on Facebook, so that’s really saying something.
Turns out, we clicked. Maybe that’s why the algorithm saw fit to introduce us. She had a book coming out, and me too, with similar release dates. We were like two pregnant mamas who are probably annoying everyone else in their lives, but they’re on the same wavelength.
Finally, after many months, I have the chance to read the book that called to me and all I can say is…. wow.
I knew I was going to like it right away - when the seat is hard on her tailbone and the radiator is pulsing in the classroom as “breath ripens in the heat.” Elaina is going to take you into her experience after which you will have new understanding. I’m stunned by the breadth of experience, the phenological depth & sensory insight. Chomp Press Pull is a dreamy example of a creative non fiction memoir work (not an easy thing to do…ask any magazine editor and they will tell you that good CNF is our holy grail and rainbow unicorn.)
I love this kind of CNF memoir, so I’ve read many, and this book is among the best. Elaina is absurdly talented. I couldn’t help but imagine her style as fiction. For her next trick, I hope it’s a big messy novel. I keep thinking what and when and how and who, dreaming of what she might write in the future. That’s a sign of an amazing writer when, before you’re even done with one book, you’re already fan-fictioning in your head.
There’s so much to like here - the retro fun of growing up Gen x in Jersey and a compassionate, genuine, funny voice that feels like a friend. (Early on, the author reassures the reader that she does not begrudge them a delicious garlicky oniony meal, even if she can smell their breath from across the room.)
I read the ARC of this book but I will be buying it because I want to own it and read it like poetry.
I know now why the cover pulled me in like it did. This is a special book crafted by a magician of sound & sensation. Elaina Battista-Parsons is an astounding talent.
Turns out, we clicked. Maybe that’s why the algorithm saw fit to introduce us. She had a book coming out, and me too, with similar release dates. We were like two pregnant mamas who are probably annoying everyone else in their lives, but they’re on the same wavelength.
Finally, after many months, I have the chance to read the book that called to me and all I can say is…. wow.
I knew I was going to like it right away - when the seat is hard on her tailbone and the radiator is pulsing in the classroom as “breath ripens in the heat.” Elaina is going to take you into her experience after which you will have new understanding. I’m stunned by the breadth of experience, the phenological depth & sensory insight. Chomp Press Pull is a dreamy example of a creative non fiction memoir work (not an easy thing to do…ask any magazine editor and they will tell you that good CNF is our holy grail and rainbow unicorn.)
I love this kind of CNF memoir, so I’ve read many, and this book is among the best. Elaina is absurdly talented. I couldn’t help but imagine her style as fiction. For her next trick, I hope it’s a big messy novel. I keep thinking what and when and how and who, dreaming of what she might write in the future. That’s a sign of an amazing writer when, before you’re even done with one book, you’re already fan-fictioning in your head.
There’s so much to like here - the retro fun of growing up Gen x in Jersey and a compassionate, genuine, funny voice that feels like a friend. (Early on, the author reassures the reader that she does not begrudge them a delicious garlicky oniony meal, even if she can smell their breath from across the room.)
I read the ARC of this book but I will be buying it because I want to own it and read it like poetry.
I know now why the cover pulled me in like it did. This is a special book crafted by a magician of sound & sensation. Elaina Battista-Parsons is an astounding talent.
November 17, 2025
Elaina Battista-Parsons’ “Chomp, Press, Pull” fully immersed me into the life of someone whose senses go off like fireworks!
The author talks about growing up in New Jersey with sensory dysfunction before anyone had a name for experiencing life in a hyper-vibrant sensory way. Though often not idyllic in a world where most people’s senses are calibrated toward the middle, her rich, often very funny descriptions left me wishing I could experience her dynamism of touch, smell, sound, sight and taste.
Even the organization of the memoir reflects the rapid response of someone whose senses react far beyond normal, at times to the point of making them vomit or have panic attacks. Rather than chronological, the stories revolve around objects or places that fired up the author. One chapter titled “Nectarines,” for example, describes the joy with which her body and brain consumed the fruit. “I was a fruit-loving kid who couldn’t wait to stab my teeth into a vitamin-heavy piece of earth… In the process of slurping up the nectarine it was my goal to remove every strand and thread of fruit flesh from the erotic brown pit to be left with the most perfectly dried remnant of my textural joy.”
When talking about the city of Newark where her grandmother lived, she does so not in terms of architecture, people, or places, but as where “my nose, my fingertips, my tongue, and my eyes were happy. I smelled Grandma’s scrambled eggs, the oregano in her Sunday sauce, and the old wood in the kitchen.”
I really appreciated learning more about sensory affective processing disorder and products that help people cope better, like weighted blankets and cooling pillowcases. The author mentions the tools she used, such as therapy, Reiki and low doses of an antidepressant, to keep from getting overstimulated or deal with insufficient stimulation.
The book left me with a deeper appreciation for a condition I didn’t know existed, and as a result, I hope to be more sensitive to people who react so strongly, rather than thinking of them as high-maintenance or overly picky. While not wishing to have the issue, I now know they experience levels of sensory ecstasy I never will.
The author talks about growing up in New Jersey with sensory dysfunction before anyone had a name for experiencing life in a hyper-vibrant sensory way. Though often not idyllic in a world where most people’s senses are calibrated toward the middle, her rich, often very funny descriptions left me wishing I could experience her dynamism of touch, smell, sound, sight and taste.
Even the organization of the memoir reflects the rapid response of someone whose senses react far beyond normal, at times to the point of making them vomit or have panic attacks. Rather than chronological, the stories revolve around objects or places that fired up the author. One chapter titled “Nectarines,” for example, describes the joy with which her body and brain consumed the fruit. “I was a fruit-loving kid who couldn’t wait to stab my teeth into a vitamin-heavy piece of earth… In the process of slurping up the nectarine it was my goal to remove every strand and thread of fruit flesh from the erotic brown pit to be left with the most perfectly dried remnant of my textural joy.”
When talking about the city of Newark where her grandmother lived, she does so not in terms of architecture, people, or places, but as where “my nose, my fingertips, my tongue, and my eyes were happy. I smelled Grandma’s scrambled eggs, the oregano in her Sunday sauce, and the old wood in the kitchen.”
I really appreciated learning more about sensory affective processing disorder and products that help people cope better, like weighted blankets and cooling pillowcases. The author mentions the tools she used, such as therapy, Reiki and low doses of an antidepressant, to keep from getting overstimulated or deal with insufficient stimulation.
The book left me with a deeper appreciation for a condition I didn’t know existed, and as a result, I hope to be more sensitive to people who react so strongly, rather than thinking of them as high-maintenance or overly picky. While not wishing to have the issue, I now know they experience levels of sensory ecstasy I never will.
February 9, 2025
“Chomp,Press, Pull” by Elaina Battista Parsons
is a memoir about a unique Jersey girl with a very specific issue- a sensory processing issue. It is a fascinatingly relatable look at a young woman growing up and living with a type of sensory overload that defies and confounds those around her. There are moments of raw, neck cramping experiences. The way they shaped the author’s life is a thing of beauty and there’s something in it for nearly every reader.
As a recovering anorexic, I had not thought of the craving for thinness, unbridled emptiness, as a sensory matter , but I am fully convinced by Elaina’s chapter on this that it is. In a world where we are often told to listen to our gut, those like myself and Elaina have to ignore it. It craves unnatural things. It did me good to read about this so precisely.
This memoir does the best thing a memoir can do- helps you learn about new experiences and revel in your own feelings and experiences being validated also.
I read the ice cream parlor pages with envy as Elaina’s time there seemed the cinematic, surreal stuff of early Julia Robert’s films. Think Mystic Pizza with scoops and hair nets. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir and the journey it took me on. A journey where learning to listen to your feelings and senses isn’t just a prescriptive anecdotal piece of advice but a necessity.
is a memoir about a unique Jersey girl with a very specific issue- a sensory processing issue. It is a fascinatingly relatable look at a young woman growing up and living with a type of sensory overload that defies and confounds those around her. There are moments of raw, neck cramping experiences. The way they shaped the author’s life is a thing of beauty and there’s something in it for nearly every reader.
As a recovering anorexic, I had not thought of the craving for thinness, unbridled emptiness, as a sensory matter , but I am fully convinced by Elaina’s chapter on this that it is. In a world where we are often told to listen to our gut, those like myself and Elaina have to ignore it. It craves unnatural things. It did me good to read about this so precisely.
This memoir does the best thing a memoir can do- helps you learn about new experiences and revel in your own feelings and experiences being validated also.
I read the ice cream parlor pages with envy as Elaina’s time there seemed the cinematic, surreal stuff of early Julia Robert’s films. Think Mystic Pizza with scoops and hair nets. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir and the journey it took me on. A journey where learning to listen to your feelings and senses isn’t just a prescriptive anecdotal piece of advice but a necessity.
April 26, 2025
What Elaina recounts in her memoir is not something that was labeled or discussed in the 80s and 90s. She does not need the label to know (especially looking back at her childhood as an adult), that she had sensory challenges. It is better in this case she doesn’t have one because she can be representative of most of us.
It is an obvious must-read for those who grew up with sensory challenges or those with children facing similar experiences. The book made me wonder, though. There are billions of people currently on this planet - most, though admittedly not all, had five senses to contend with growing up (maybe six if you believe in that sort of thing). They had to physically interact with their surroundings through these senses in order to learn from the world around them. It seems probable to me that no matter who you are, you have experienced a version of what Elaina describes in this book. Sure, there are those who were overwhelmed by sensory inputs, but I think just about ANYONE can pick up this book and understand where Elaina is coming from. Anyone can tap into their own memory about how things felt, tasted, and smelled in order to be amused by or horrified by what she recounts.
It is everyone’s story and no one’s story but hers all at once. That is what makes the book compelling.
It is an obvious must-read for those who grew up with sensory challenges or those with children facing similar experiences. The book made me wonder, though. There are billions of people currently on this planet - most, though admittedly not all, had five senses to contend with growing up (maybe six if you believe in that sort of thing). They had to physically interact with their surroundings through these senses in order to learn from the world around them. It seems probable to me that no matter who you are, you have experienced a version of what Elaina describes in this book. Sure, there are those who were overwhelmed by sensory inputs, but I think just about ANYONE can pick up this book and understand where Elaina is coming from. Anyone can tap into their own memory about how things felt, tasted, and smelled in order to be amused by or horrified by what she recounts.
It is everyone’s story and no one’s story but hers all at once. That is what makes the book compelling.
June 14, 2025
“ Do you crave cool air, attention, a tension free neck, hairless arms, and the quiet hum of home? If so this collection of peppermint and dirt flavored might just feel like a release!” EC Battista 🥰👏🏻
It is a lovely morning for dark coffee, almond croissant and Chomp Press Pull!
I am loving this book & welcoming many feelings as they trigger my ruthless head. I shamefully choke on the bitter pill of jealousy for the authors connection with her sentimental, loud, big, loving Italian family.
I am feeling validated by the authors visceral description of sensory dysregulation. Because I also prefer my stimulating surroundings to apease my weirdness and to feel safe & comfortable ie; (personal bubble space, bright light, sound, smell, hair swirling, massage, bright color ( pastel nauseate me🤣) cupboard & refrigerator full, with label and colors pleasing to the eye, “the quiet hum of home” and other groovy special stuff, )
With humor the authors irreverent description of the 80’s brought back some good memories like, boys, scratch, and sniff stickers, boys, concert, boys, bikes and the music and boys. It was also triggering for me as it was a hard time in my life, (my memoir does not include my teen years- still more peeling of the onion needed to feel safe recalling & writing.)
It is a lovely morning for dark coffee, almond croissant and Chomp Press Pull!
I am loving this book & welcoming many feelings as they trigger my ruthless head. I shamefully choke on the bitter pill of jealousy for the authors connection with her sentimental, loud, big, loving Italian family.
I am feeling validated by the authors visceral description of sensory dysregulation. Because I also prefer my stimulating surroundings to apease my weirdness and to feel safe & comfortable ie; (personal bubble space, bright light, sound, smell, hair swirling, massage, bright color ( pastel nauseate me🤣) cupboard & refrigerator full, with label and colors pleasing to the eye, “the quiet hum of home” and other groovy special stuff, )
With humor the authors irreverent description of the 80’s brought back some good memories like, boys, scratch, and sniff stickers, boys, concert, boys, bikes and the music and boys. It was also triggering for me as it was a hard time in my life, (my memoir does not include my teen years- still more peeling of the onion needed to feel safe recalling & writing.)
April 25, 2025
Chomp, Press, Pull by Elaina Batista Parson, captivates its audience with a vividness in her writing allowing the reader to feel fully immersed in each and every moment. Every page is saturated with pure emotion, vivid imagery, rich textures, and sensory details that bring the moments in her memoir to life. Whether it’s sitting underneath the stars with a new love or the adrenaline rush of watching the pristine movements of a figure skater, the author’s talent for scene-setting is nothing short of magical.
What makes this book truly remarkable is Elaina’s unique perspective of the world and her experience within it. Her literary talent serves to deepen the reader's emotional connection to her personal journey. Not only does this memoir connect to those that also live with sensory dysregulation, but it also connects to the heart of the creative souls, the artists, and the inventors. One can relate to her understanding and impulse with the need to create things and how we take in the world around us.
I highly recommend Chomp, Press, Pull. Elaina has an uncanny ability to draw the reader in, to make them feel not just like an observer, but a participant. The result is a reading experience that’s immersive, moving, and hard to forget.
What makes this book truly remarkable is Elaina’s unique perspective of the world and her experience within it. Her literary talent serves to deepen the reader's emotional connection to her personal journey. Not only does this memoir connect to those that also live with sensory dysregulation, but it also connects to the heart of the creative souls, the artists, and the inventors. One can relate to her understanding and impulse with the need to create things and how we take in the world around us.
I highly recommend Chomp, Press, Pull. Elaina has an uncanny ability to draw the reader in, to make them feel not just like an observer, but a participant. The result is a reading experience that’s immersive, moving, and hard to forget.
June 21, 2025
A Sensational World – Chomp Press Pull: Stories of a Sensory Self by Elaina Battista-Parsons is an open invitation to explore the world through our senses. Her spirited memoir takes readers on an immersive tour not only through sights and sounds, but also smells, tastes, and textures rarely explored in literature. Each sensory memory conjures a person or experience that shaped who she is today. Likewise, readers will be drawn back to the sensory worlds that defined them. As a writer myself (see my Goodreads author page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...), I know the English language has a dearth of adjectives and metaphors for describing sensations other than sight and sound. Battista-Parsons supplies her own vocabulary by detailing how her brain and body respond — nerves, muscles, bones. In welcome doses, sensory input evokes her delight. Too much causes distress until she masters techniques to manage the overload. And while not a “how to” or “self-help” book, Chomp Press Pull lets us better understand, support, even envy, children and adults who experience the environment in ways that may seem foreign but comprise the spectrum of human sensory wiring. Battista-Parson has learned to feast on her senses; her memoir will help readers relish theirs.
February 21, 2025
Elaina's book is laugh out loud funny, and will keep you entertained, but it has a much more serious purpose, to make the wider population aware of what people with sensory issues feel and experience on a daily basis, in every day situations. It's actually quite shocking to realise the very real physical reactions that can result from something that people without these issues never even think about. It will certainly make me reconsider my own behaviours. What is rude to many of us (coughing for a prolonged period in a theatre, rustling sweet wrappers in a cinema) is so much more for people with sensory issues.
Elaina's writing completely illuminates her situation, and I really felt I was walking in her shoes. Probably many of us have had a similar experience (I had one with a heavy perfume I'd put on in the Old Bailey, where I almost fainted from the migraine the smell prompted) and so can imagine the distress caused on a regular basis.
Her family's acceptance of her quirks, if I can call them that, and the 1980s setting made this a fabulously positive and enjoyable book. Elaina, I loved it!
Elaina's writing completely illuminates her situation, and I really felt I was walking in her shoes. Probably many of us have had a similar experience (I had one with a heavy perfume I'd put on in the Old Bailey, where I almost fainted from the migraine the smell prompted) and so can imagine the distress caused on a regular basis.
Her family's acceptance of her quirks, if I can call them that, and the 1980s setting made this a fabulously positive and enjoyable book. Elaina, I loved it!
May 12, 2025
Chomp, Press, Pull is, in many ways, a follow-up to Battista-Parsons's previous memoir in shorts, Italian Bones in the Snow, with the former exploring a childhood and adolescence growing up with sensory issues, '80s pop culture, burgeoning relationships, and Jersey Shore culture. While these themes loosely link the collection, there are a lot to other things explore and like here: the pressures of a demanding first job, the uncertainties of early relationships, boisterous yet complicated family dynamics, and the author's sexual awakening to that one Billy Idol music video. Battista-Parsons's voice throughout is funny, observational, and above all caring, particularly when delving into complicated topics (the "Picture it" piece on bad teacher behavior is particularly effective in this regard).
All of the pieces are also short and can be read separately from one another, making this an easy, fun book to dip in and out of. All in all, this is a fine book for those wishing to know more about sensory issues, explore the short-short form of memoir, or those who've enjoyed Battista-Parsons's other work.
All of the pieces are also short and can be read separately from one another, making this an easy, fun book to dip in and out of. All in all, this is a fine book for those wishing to know more about sensory issues, explore the short-short form of memoir, or those who've enjoyed Battista-Parsons's other work.
April 30, 2025
These essays are written with great warmth and told in beautiful lyrical prose. It is also a book filled with humor and candid, honest details. If you are a child of the '80s, as I was, there are so many delightful references to memories I had.
Like all of Elaina Battista-Parsons's books, this is a page-turner that is as resonant as it is entertaining.
I'd especially recommend it for readers who love memoir, CNF, and books about sensory dysregulation. I would also recommend it to Gen X and Baby Boomers who remember the '80s.
Like all of Elaina Battista-Parsons's books, this is a page-turner that is as resonant as it is entertaining.
I'd especially recommend it for readers who love memoir, CNF, and books about sensory dysregulation. I would also recommend it to Gen X and Baby Boomers who remember the '80s.
January 28, 2025
You Chomp, Press and Pull right alongside Elaina Battista-Parsons in her laugh out loud memoir. Her challenging growing up sensory awareness takes you places you yourself have been. She applies an introspective look at how we are all different but can succeed in life by understanding who we are and why we do the quirky things we say and do. You will love her and love yourself even more after reading her story.
May 20, 2025
Elaina Battista-Parson's CHOMP PRESS PULL invited me to step back in time. A time when I watched my kids navigate the bliss and obstacle course of few boundaries, sensory over-stimulation, and "glittering moments of euphoria." A must read.
July 11, 2025
“Maybe nectarines are just peaches in drag. Smooth. Magnificent.”
This book has stuck with me far more than I’d expected and was an enjoyable reading experience. Some parts resonated more than others of course. I was looking to learn more about sensory issues and there was plenty about that, though not all of the stories/essays focus on that. This is a very readable memoir of an American childhood, taking the senses as inspiration for many of the stories. It would be a useful introduction to sensory sensitivities for parents and teachers because it does have some more serious essays, but the stories also give an excellent insight into what it actually feels like and the impact it has, which may result in being considered odd, fussy or making a fuss about nothing. All wrapped up in some great nostalgia and happy memories.
I was also attracted to the vibrant cover, although I hadn’t really taken in the fact it’s a mouth blowing bubblegum, nor that there are two tiny figures with a boombox. I suspect I missed some of the music references in the book because the author is somewhat younger than I am and American, not British.
Disclaimer: Free ARC via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
My first reaction to this was disappointment because – and I’m not sure why – I thought it was a book of short stories about sensory issues, whereas it is a memoir, telling stories that often highlight sensory issues. This was because I’d signed up for a free ARC on BookSirens in January but didn’t read it until April, so had forgotten the blurb. To be fair, the subtitle is ‘Stories of a Sensory Self’, but the blurb says “dive into the 1980s textures, scents and sounds through the eyes of a girl with sensory sensitivities.” It also mentions essays. I was obviously attracted to the 1980s time period, but I’m also interested in neurodiversity so it did soon win me round, once I’d realised what type of story to expect.
There were many stories in this book that didn’t stick with me at all. Looking back at my notes, however, I’m surprised at just how much I do remember now, writing my review in July. The book was published on 15 April, which was when I read it, so my apologies to the author for the delayed review.
Sensory Processing Disorder
What stands out is that the majority of things I noted down are specifically about sensory sensitivities, so her collection definitely fulfills its promise in that respect. It’s both educational and would be useful to create awareness amongst parents and teachers who have to deal with children and adults with sensory issues, both overstimulation and understimulation, because that is also a trait of some neurodivergent people. What’s more, her stories really bring it home that most people recognise some of those feelings of overwhelm at certain times in our lives, when we’re sick or stressed, or just walking behind someone wearing Poison. For anyone who says ‘Nobody had sensory problems in my day’, it wasn’t until 1972 that an occupational therapist, Anna Jean Ayres, identified what was at first called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, later Sensory Processing Disorder. It explains many behaviours where an individual seems to overreact to what most would perceive as a minor irritant, or not even notice at all. Conversely, some people don’t seem to feel the pain or sound or other sensory signals that would drive someone else mad.
Elaina Battista-Parsons remembers incidents where her sensory issues caused problems, at school or in her job. She felt easily overheated or had nausea caused by smells that other people didn’t even notice. She was labelled challenging, cranky, awkward.
The author was never diagnosed, but she is happy for the children who now benefit from the adaptations that can ease their lives, the techniques and gadgets like fidget spinners that help them focus in class. Personally she seeks out things that sooth her. She loves muted colours in children’s illustrations, stacks and arrays of objects, symmetry. She self-medicates with exercise or creativity and the sensations of chewing, stretching and massage, hence the title Chomp, Press, Pull.
Read more detailed comments and quotes on my Market Garden Reader blog, commenting on individual stories/essays in the order they were presented, as the author presumably deliberately chose them to be consumed in that order.
This book has stuck with me far more than I’d expected and was an enjoyable reading experience. Some parts resonated more than others of course. I was looking to learn more about sensory issues and there was plenty about that, though not all of the stories/essays focus on that. This is a very readable memoir of an American childhood, taking the senses as inspiration for many of the stories. It would be a useful introduction to sensory sensitivities for parents and teachers because it does have some more serious essays, but the stories also give an excellent insight into what it actually feels like and the impact it has, which may result in being considered odd, fussy or making a fuss about nothing. All wrapped up in some great nostalgia and happy memories.
I was also attracted to the vibrant cover, although I hadn’t really taken in the fact it’s a mouth blowing bubblegum, nor that there are two tiny figures with a boombox. I suspect I missed some of the music references in the book because the author is somewhat younger than I am and American, not British.
Disclaimer: Free ARC via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
My first reaction to this was disappointment because – and I’m not sure why – I thought it was a book of short stories about sensory issues, whereas it is a memoir, telling stories that often highlight sensory issues. This was because I’d signed up for a free ARC on BookSirens in January but didn’t read it until April, so had forgotten the blurb. To be fair, the subtitle is ‘Stories of a Sensory Self’, but the blurb says “dive into the 1980s textures, scents and sounds through the eyes of a girl with sensory sensitivities.” It also mentions essays. I was obviously attracted to the 1980s time period, but I’m also interested in neurodiversity so it did soon win me round, once I’d realised what type of story to expect.
There were many stories in this book that didn’t stick with me at all. Looking back at my notes, however, I’m surprised at just how much I do remember now, writing my review in July. The book was published on 15 April, which was when I read it, so my apologies to the author for the delayed review.
Sensory Processing Disorder
What stands out is that the majority of things I noted down are specifically about sensory sensitivities, so her collection definitely fulfills its promise in that respect. It’s both educational and would be useful to create awareness amongst parents and teachers who have to deal with children and adults with sensory issues, both overstimulation and understimulation, because that is also a trait of some neurodivergent people. What’s more, her stories really bring it home that most people recognise some of those feelings of overwhelm at certain times in our lives, when we’re sick or stressed, or just walking behind someone wearing Poison. For anyone who says ‘Nobody had sensory problems in my day’, it wasn’t until 1972 that an occupational therapist, Anna Jean Ayres, identified what was at first called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, later Sensory Processing Disorder. It explains many behaviours where an individual seems to overreact to what most would perceive as a minor irritant, or not even notice at all. Conversely, some people don’t seem to feel the pain or sound or other sensory signals that would drive someone else mad.
Elaina Battista-Parsons remembers incidents where her sensory issues caused problems, at school or in her job. She felt easily overheated or had nausea caused by smells that other people didn’t even notice. She was labelled challenging, cranky, awkward.
The author was never diagnosed, but she is happy for the children who now benefit from the adaptations that can ease their lives, the techniques and gadgets like fidget spinners that help them focus in class. Personally she seeks out things that sooth her. She loves muted colours in children’s illustrations, stacks and arrays of objects, symmetry. She self-medicates with exercise or creativity and the sensations of chewing, stretching and massage, hence the title Chomp, Press, Pull.
Read more detailed comments and quotes on my Market Garden Reader blog, commenting on individual stories/essays in the order they were presented, as the author presumably deliberately chose them to be consumed in that order.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews