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The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love
Actress and comedian Tisha Campbell (Martin, My Wife and Kids) shares her entertaining, emotional, and sometimes comical journey navigating her son’s Autism diagnosis, offering realistic insight and personal stories of the challenges and triumphs that come with raising a child on the spectrum.
This heartfelt and humor-filled memoir takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster as Tisha Campbell, actress, mother, activist, shares her journey of raising her son, Xen, who was diagnosed with autism. With raw honesty and a touch of wit, Tisha recounts the challenges, triumphs, and unexpected moments of joy that have defined her family's life. From the initial shock of the diagnosis to navigating the labyrinth of therapies, schools, and societal misconceptions, Tisha's story is a testament to resilience, love, and the power of community.
Tish's quick wit and candid observations bring levity to even the most trying situations. Whether she's recounting her son's uncanny ability to identify Winnie the Pooh characters at five months old or her own misadventures in advocating for his needs, her warmth and humor shine through the story, making it both relatable and uplifting.
At its core, this memoir is a love letter to Xen, celebrating his unique spirit and the lessons he has taught his family about patience, acceptance, and the beauty of individuality. It's also a rallying cry for parents, caregivers, and advocates, offering hope and practical insights for navigating the world of autism.
With its blend of humor, heart, and unflinching honesty, The A Word is a poignant reminder that even in the face of adversity, love and laughter can light the way. Tisha's journey is not just about overcoming challenges—it's about embracing them and finding joy in the unexpected.
This heartfelt and humor-filled memoir takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster as Tisha Campbell, actress, mother, activist, shares her journey of raising her son, Xen, who was diagnosed with autism. With raw honesty and a touch of wit, Tisha recounts the challenges, triumphs, and unexpected moments of joy that have defined her family's life. From the initial shock of the diagnosis to navigating the labyrinth of therapies, schools, and societal misconceptions, Tisha's story is a testament to resilience, love, and the power of community.
Tish's quick wit and candid observations bring levity to even the most trying situations. Whether she's recounting her son's uncanny ability to identify Winnie the Pooh characters at five months old or her own misadventures in advocating for his needs, her warmth and humor shine through the story, making it both relatable and uplifting.
At its core, this memoir is a love letter to Xen, celebrating his unique spirit and the lessons he has taught his family about patience, acceptance, and the beauty of individuality. It's also a rallying cry for parents, caregivers, and advocates, offering hope and practical insights for navigating the world of autism.
With its blend of humor, heart, and unflinching honesty, The A Word is a poignant reminder that even in the face of adversity, love and laughter can light the way. Tisha's journey is not just about overcoming challenges—it's about embracing them and finding joy in the unexpected.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2026
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August 27, 2026
ARC REVIEW ~ Tisha Campbell did her thing with this book! The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love
provides one of the most soul stirring and insightful looks into the life of a mother navigating the Autism journey. Tisha does a phenomenal job of capturing her experience while delivering her truth with an authentic wit and honesty.
What makes this book so impactful is that it’s filled with 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. It’s not a watered down narrative. It’s 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭. Tisha’s emotional responses are heartfelt and transparent. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything. And I love her for that! To give you an example, Tisha explains how her son was unable to handle a noisy environment without having a major meltdown. In her attempt to help him overcome this Tisha chose to take him to The Cheesecake Factory. Not to eat. She just took him to stand in the doorway so he could get used to the noise. The Cheesecake Factory was one of the noisiest places Tisha could think of where she could control when they walked in and when they left. She committed to a few minutes each time. On one of her visits a “Karen” who noticed that she was Gina from the tv show Martin, actually said to Tisha with a “stank face”, “Excuse me but can’t you quiet him down. This is a restaurant, not a daycare if you can’t control his temper tantrums then maybe you should take him home.” Once Tisha completed her minutes with Zen, she stood nose to nose with the woman and calmly confronted her. Tisha ended her dialogue with, “Mind your motherf*#kin’*business and get the f*ck out of my damn face before I drag your a$$ in this motherf*#kin’ Cheesecake Factory. I ain’t Gina, bitch.” When I read this, I literally screamed YASSSSS!!! You go girl😆😆😆.
One of the most surprising moments in the books was learning that Tisha did not in any way want 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐚 to help her with Xen at all. She actually cursed out Will Smith on a movie set. The movie was titled 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟. At the time she was married to Duane Martin and he was the producer and also starred alongside 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 in the movie. One day while on set, Will Smith came to visit. It just so happened to be the one day Tisha was allowed on set. Yes, you read that right! She wrote the movie but her husband would not allow her on set!!! Duane who played opposite of Kelly didn’t want Tisha to come to the filming of the movie…go figure!
When Will saw her that day he told Tisha he’d heard about Xen and if she wanted or needed anything from him or Jada all she had to do was ask, Tisha snapped. She writes “I don’t know why, but something about hearing these words from this person, in this moment, sent me the f*ck off.” However, Will still tried his best to let her know that they (The Smiths) have a lot of people under their umbrella, and they were willing to do whatever was needed to help her son.
Throughout the book, Tisha refers to Will, Jada and Duane as the three amigos. She admitted to feeling like an outsider when she was around them. And although she was invited to the Smiths family barbecues, celebrations, and vacations she dreaded going because at some point she would end up arguing with Duane.
However, when her back was against the wall and she couldn’t find a school that was capable of handling her son’s needs, she reluctantly called on Will and Jada to accept Xen into their school.
Side bar…I had no clue Will and Jada has a school! I found this information especially surprising considering I read both of their memoirs multiple time and neither of them wrote about being the founders of a school.
When Tisha finally decided to enroll Xen in the Smiths school she was told by the school’𝑠 Dean of Education that the school was unable to accept her son because they didn’t have the facilities to support his special needs. Desperate, and as much as she hated to do it, Tisha called Jada directly. Jada apologized profusely for what the Dean of her school had told Tisha. Jada then accepted Xen into their school on the spot. Jada went on to explain that The Smiths had built the school and hired some of the top educators from around the world because they wanted to give all children an opportunity to grow and reach their great potential. So, not only did Jada accept Xen into their school, but she also made sure he had all the resources that were necessary for him to thrive. Tisha admits that sending her son to Will and Jada’s school was a great decision for him. Her son thrived in their school. He remained enrolled until he graduated.
Another entertainer that Tisha refers to throughout the book is 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧. Chaka Khan is the aunt of an autistic nephew, and she is a fierce and powerful advocate for children with autism. Reading about Chaka and Tisha’s relationship was heartwarming.
There’s also a story about how Tisha kidnapped her own father so that he could help her care for Xen. This was a funny, and touching story. It highlights just how necessary it is for parents of autistic children to have the support of their family. The journey isn’t easy for parents of autistic children. They need all the support they can get.
Tisha also addresses some of the most challenging topics in reference to raising autistic children such as, how to interact with police, puberty, suicidal ideations, coping with the loss of loved ones, and so much more.
There’s also a very impactful conversation in the book where in which Tisha introduces her brother Stan to the story. Stan was once a Lieutenant in the Oklahoma Police Department. Stan was one of the people who was sent to the morgue to help put body parts together so that the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing could be identified. This was a heavy part of the book, but it was a story that needed to be told. Stan shares some really good information that autistic teens can truly benefit from. He also shares knowledgeable information on police training and how police can better serve the autistic community. 𝐓𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐗𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐃.𝐎.𝐏.𝐄. Which is an acronym that stands for the de-escalation of police encounters. The app’s mission is to educate citizens about their legal rights, as well as helping to ease tension during encounters with the law-enforcement.
According to this book, in 2003 when Xen was diagnosed 1 in every 150 children in the United States were diagnosed with autism. Today 1 in every 31 children will be diagnosed with autism. Although boys are of 4xs more likely to be diagnosed, girls seem to have more extreme cases. With that said, I think 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞. Even if you don’t have someone in your family that is on the autism spectrum, chances are you will soon, or you will be sure to encounter someone with autism whether it’s in school, at work, or just being in the world. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦. If you don’t read this book for Tisha, or her son Xen, then read it for my granddaughter. As an autism grandmom I will advocate for my amazing grandbaby until the end of time!
Oh and before I go, let me end with this. Tisha’s ex-husband, Duane whom she refers to throughout the book as “Xen’s father” is a total and complete a$$hole!!!! If you don’t believe me read the book! It’s in stores today!
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒： 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑑 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟’s 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤．
provides one of the most soul stirring and insightful looks into the life of a mother navigating the Autism journey. Tisha does a phenomenal job of capturing her experience while delivering her truth with an authentic wit and honesty.
What makes this book so impactful is that it’s filled with 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. It’s not a watered down narrative. It’s 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭. Tisha’s emotional responses are heartfelt and transparent. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything. And I love her for that! To give you an example, Tisha explains how her son was unable to handle a noisy environment without having a major meltdown. In her attempt to help him overcome this Tisha chose to take him to The Cheesecake Factory. Not to eat. She just took him to stand in the doorway so he could get used to the noise. The Cheesecake Factory was one of the noisiest places Tisha could think of where she could control when they walked in and when they left. She committed to a few minutes each time. On one of her visits a “Karen” who noticed that she was Gina from the tv show Martin, actually said to Tisha with a “stank face”, “Excuse me but can’t you quiet him down. This is a restaurant, not a daycare if you can’t control his temper tantrums then maybe you should take him home.” Once Tisha completed her minutes with Zen, she stood nose to nose with the woman and calmly confronted her. Tisha ended her dialogue with, “Mind your motherf*#kin’*business and get the f*ck out of my damn face before I drag your a$$ in this motherf*#kin’ Cheesecake Factory. I ain’t Gina, bitch.” When I read this, I literally screamed YASSSSS!!! You go girl😆😆😆.
One of the most surprising moments in the books was learning that Tisha did not in any way want 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐚 to help her with Xen at all. She actually cursed out Will Smith on a movie set. The movie was titled 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟. At the time she was married to Duane Martin and he was the producer and also starred alongside 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 in the movie. One day while on set, Will Smith came to visit. It just so happened to be the one day Tisha was allowed on set. Yes, you read that right! She wrote the movie but her husband would not allow her on set!!! Duane who played opposite of Kelly didn’t want Tisha to come to the filming of the movie…go figure!
When Will saw her that day he told Tisha he’d heard about Xen and if she wanted or needed anything from him or Jada all she had to do was ask, Tisha snapped. She writes “I don’t know why, but something about hearing these words from this person, in this moment, sent me the f*ck off.” However, Will still tried his best to let her know that they (The Smiths) have a lot of people under their umbrella, and they were willing to do whatever was needed to help her son.
Throughout the book, Tisha refers to Will, Jada and Duane as the three amigos. She admitted to feeling like an outsider when she was around them. And although she was invited to the Smiths family barbecues, celebrations, and vacations she dreaded going because at some point she would end up arguing with Duane.
However, when her back was against the wall and she couldn’t find a school that was capable of handling her son’s needs, she reluctantly called on Will and Jada to accept Xen into their school.
Side bar…I had no clue Will and Jada has a school! I found this information especially surprising considering I read both of their memoirs multiple time and neither of them wrote about being the founders of a school.
When Tisha finally decided to enroll Xen in the Smiths school she was told by the school’𝑠 Dean of Education that the school was unable to accept her son because they didn’t have the facilities to support his special needs. Desperate, and as much as she hated to do it, Tisha called Jada directly. Jada apologized profusely for what the Dean of her school had told Tisha. Jada then accepted Xen into their school on the spot. Jada went on to explain that The Smiths had built the school and hired some of the top educators from around the world because they wanted to give all children an opportunity to grow and reach their great potential. So, not only did Jada accept Xen into their school, but she also made sure he had all the resources that were necessary for him to thrive. Tisha admits that sending her son to Will and Jada’s school was a great decision for him. Her son thrived in their school. He remained enrolled until he graduated.
Another entertainer that Tisha refers to throughout the book is 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧. Chaka Khan is the aunt of an autistic nephew, and she is a fierce and powerful advocate for children with autism. Reading about Chaka and Tisha’s relationship was heartwarming.
There’s also a story about how Tisha kidnapped her own father so that he could help her care for Xen. This was a funny, and touching story. It highlights just how necessary it is for parents of autistic children to have the support of their family. The journey isn’t easy for parents of autistic children. They need all the support they can get.
Tisha also addresses some of the most challenging topics in reference to raising autistic children such as, how to interact with police, puberty, suicidal ideations, coping with the loss of loved ones, and so much more.
There’s also a very impactful conversation in the book where in which Tisha introduces her brother Stan to the story. Stan was once a Lieutenant in the Oklahoma Police Department. Stan was one of the people who was sent to the morgue to help put body parts together so that the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing could be identified. This was a heavy part of the book, but it was a story that needed to be told. Stan shares some really good information that autistic teens can truly benefit from. He also shares knowledgeable information on police training and how police can better serve the autistic community. 𝐓𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐗𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐃.𝐎.𝐏.𝐄. Which is an acronym that stands for the de-escalation of police encounters. The app’s mission is to educate citizens about their legal rights, as well as helping to ease tension during encounters with the law-enforcement.
According to this book, in 2003 when Xen was diagnosed 1 in every 150 children in the United States were diagnosed with autism. Today 1 in every 31 children will be diagnosed with autism. Although boys are of 4xs more likely to be diagnosed, girls seem to have more extreme cases. With that said, I think 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞. Even if you don’t have someone in your family that is on the autism spectrum, chances are you will soon, or you will be sure to encounter someone with autism whether it’s in school, at work, or just being in the world. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦. If you don’t read this book for Tisha, or her son Xen, then read it for my granddaughter. As an autism grandmom I will advocate for my amazing grandbaby until the end of time!
Oh and before I go, let me end with this. Tisha’s ex-husband, Duane whom she refers to throughout the book as “Xen’s father” is a total and complete a$$hole!!!! If you don’t believe me read the book! It’s in stores today!
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒： 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑑 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟’s 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤．
September 23, 2026
Wow wow wow. As a mom with a teenager with autism I felt seen. If Tisha only wrote this book back when my son first got diagnosed this book would’ve definitely helped me. I t was so many moments I related too. I LOVED that Tisha stood ten toes down for her son. She advocated for him so hard! She accepted him for who he is! Xen seems like such a joy! I loved learning and reading about his journey and to see the man that he is today only makes me hope my son can do the same. Tisha is a great example of a mother who not only didn’t give up on her son but wouldn’t take no for an answer. One of the best books I read this year. Thank you Tisha for this. I feel sooooo seen!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Having been a fance since Little Shop of Horrors , House Party and School Daze, I was pleasantly surprised to have been able to recieve an advanced copy of the book. I'm sure folks can say a lot of things about her, but they can't say she was not a good mother and did everything she could to advocate for her son. This book, mixed with bits of humor, takes the reader on an emotional journey that will take you on an emotiinal ride
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Absolutely loved going on this journey. T, shows her ups and downs. Life lessons, what worked for her and didn’t. Loved that she showed her sad and proud moments. People who don’t have special kids. Don’t understand. Thanks, T for this very informative read about autism.
September 28, 2026
What a great memoir Tisha. Congratulations on for the many trials you have overcome. God has been so powerful in you. Just wondering how HE feels about that second nature to you-swearing! Feel very encouraged by your testimony. Loved your story.
September 21, 2026
Very interesting. Thank you for the free book. I work with autistic people.
Spoiler alert: Bad language, profanity, anti-Christian and not presented in a intellectual manner.
Spoiler alert: Bad language, profanity, anti-Christian and not presented in a intellectual manner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews