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School Daze #3.7
Autism Grows Up
At twenty-one, Suzie has withdrawn from a world she finds alien and confusing. Ability is not the problem, nor is interest – many things fascinate her. But, she has Asperger's Syndrome and high anxiety. To her, the world is a harsh, scary place where she does not fit.
She spends much of her day sleeping and most of her nights on the computer. Her mother, Amanda, wishes Suzie would get a job, go to school or at least help out around the house. Suzie feels that her time is amply filled with the compelling world lurking within her computer.
Amanda has two full time jobs – one involves working at the office every day, the second involves looking after Suzie. Amanda wants more for Suze, but does not know how to help her move forward. When she tries putting pressure on her, Suzie suffers from paralyzing anxiety, resulting in morose withdrawal or worse, lengthy tantrums. Suzie is most content when alone in the basement with her computer. Staring at her monitor, the rest of the world falls away and she feels at home.
Amanda is torn. She met this gentleman, Jack. It would be nice to spend time with someone other than her brother and daughter but Suzie wouldn’t like it and she needs her mother desperately. Amanda’s brother asks uncomfortable questions like what will become of Suzie if something happens to Amanda.
Jack gently persists and Amanda glimpses what her life could be like. Suzie resents the time her mom spends with Jack and makes her mother pay for the hours not devoted to her daughter.
Then, they have a home invasion. When an intruder breaks into the house, Amanda has only Suzie to rely on.
She spends much of her day sleeping and most of her nights on the computer. Her mother, Amanda, wishes Suzie would get a job, go to school or at least help out around the house. Suzie feels that her time is amply filled with the compelling world lurking within her computer.
Amanda has two full time jobs – one involves working at the office every day, the second involves looking after Suzie. Amanda wants more for Suze, but does not know how to help her move forward. When she tries putting pressure on her, Suzie suffers from paralyzing anxiety, resulting in morose withdrawal or worse, lengthy tantrums. Suzie is most content when alone in the basement with her computer. Staring at her monitor, the rest of the world falls away and she feels at home.
Amanda is torn. She met this gentleman, Jack. It would be nice to spend time with someone other than her brother and daughter but Suzie wouldn’t like it and she needs her mother desperately. Amanda’s brother asks uncomfortable questions like what will become of Suzie if something happens to Amanda.
Jack gently persists and Amanda glimpses what her life could be like. Suzie resents the time her mom spends with Jack and makes her mother pay for the hours not devoted to her daughter.
Then, they have a home invasion. When an intruder breaks into the house, Amanda has only Suzie to rely on.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2016
19 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Sharon A. Mitchell
39 books59 followersDr. Sharon A. Mitchell lives on a farm, with her nearest neighbor several miles away. Doesn't that seem like the ideal setting to spark the imagination? She takes long walks with her hundred-pound German Shepherd dogs, Pickles and Dill. (She didn't name them - don't blame her).
Her newest work are clean, contemporary, western romances in The Farmers of Goodrich County series.
She's working on her eighth psychological thriller novel for the When Bad Things Happen series.
Besidestfive short stories tied to that series, she's written six novels, each featuring an autistic child or young adult. Two nonfiction books accompany that autism series.
Sharon's been a teacher, counselor, psychologist and consultant for decades and continues to teach university classes to soon--to-be teachers and administrators.
Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell is author of the psychological thriller series When Bad Things Happen:
·GONE
·TRUST
·SELFISH
- INSTINCT
-REASONS WHY
-MINE
-SANCTUM
·YOUNG ANNA (a short story)
·Anything for Her Son (prequel short story)
Western Romances:
- The Farmer Takes a Wife
-The Farmer Says I Do
- The Farmer's Christmas Duty
- In Case of Rain
She's also written a series of six novels, each featuring a child or young adult on the autism spectrum:
·Autism Goes to School
·Autism Runs Away
·Autism Belongs
·Autism Talks and Talks
·Autism Grows Up
·Autism Goes to College
·Autism Box Set- Books 1-3
In addition, there are two nonfiction books:
·Autism Questions Parents Ask & the Answers They Seek
·Autism Questions Teachers Ask & the Answers They Seek
Her newest work are clean, contemporary, western romances in The Farmers of Goodrich County series.
She's working on her eighth psychological thriller novel for the When Bad Things Happen series.
Besidestfive short stories tied to that series, she's written six novels, each featuring an autistic child or young adult. Two nonfiction books accompany that autism series.
Sharon's been a teacher, counselor, psychologist and consultant for decades and continues to teach university classes to soon--to-be teachers and administrators.
Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell is author of the psychological thriller series When Bad Things Happen:
·GONE
·TRUST
·SELFISH
- INSTINCT
-REASONS WHY
-MINE
-SANCTUM
·YOUNG ANNA (a short story)
·Anything for Her Son (prequel short story)
Western Romances:
- The Farmer Takes a Wife
-The Farmer Says I Do
- The Farmer's Christmas Duty
- In Case of Rain
She's also written a series of six novels, each featuring a child or young adult on the autism spectrum:
·Autism Goes to School
·Autism Runs Away
·Autism Belongs
·Autism Talks and Talks
·Autism Grows Up
·Autism Goes to College
·Autism Box Set- Books 1-3
In addition, there are two nonfiction books:
·Autism Questions Parents Ask & the Answers They Seek
·Autism Questions Teachers Ask & the Answers They Seek
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 12, 2016
There were so many things I love about this book...how autism in girls is so different than what you may think. That autistic girls can and do have great imaginations, such as Suzie's interests in designing music and graphics. I'm also glad the author added in how early Suzie learned to talk and her wide vocabulary skills compared to her peers; although I didn'ttalked until after age three (as I am considered mid-to-high functioning), seeing that made me do research and find out it was true. It explains how I had soaked up the English language before medication.
Seeing how much Suzie's mom does for her makes me so glad I had the parents I did. The author was spot on with the fears Suzie expressed to her uncle and how much faster they grow, as well as how much easier it is to just hide away. The world is so scary!
One of my favorite quotes is this: 'Suzie had learned to hold it together much of the time and was actually well-behaved when she was in school. Her teachers found her quiet and not a problem. When she came home from school, it was often a different matter. Amanda thought that Suzie tried so hard to hold it together all day in school that she had to release the tension at home.' I say this because I often felt like that all through school, even during elementary and middle school when I was having melt downs continually.
I do disagree that autism doesn't cause bad behavior. Yes, at times, those of us (including me I'm sure) have used it to get our way or to get out of something. However, meltdowns are real and not always preventable. Things happen during them that we can't always control or stop ourselves from doing. In a lot of cases, I never remembered what took place. I had to apologize, yes, and deal with a punishment, like chores, but I feel this was missed in this book. So much could have been explored further in this area.
I also feel like the story cut off suddenly. I would love to know what happened next. I also think that it would be good if the police would have realized somehow that autism means the person does communicate differently and wanted to find out more since there were others with autism in the community.
Overall, when you add this book into the rest of the series, it is a great and needed addition. I hope there are more books to come as I haven't found authors who have done such a good job exploring, explaining and entertaining while teaching others without notice on a needed subject.
Seeing how much Suzie's mom does for her makes me so glad I had the parents I did. The author was spot on with the fears Suzie expressed to her uncle and how much faster they grow, as well as how much easier it is to just hide away. The world is so scary!
One of my favorite quotes is this: 'Suzie had learned to hold it together much of the time and was actually well-behaved when she was in school. Her teachers found her quiet and not a problem. When she came home from school, it was often a different matter. Amanda thought that Suzie tried so hard to hold it together all day in school that she had to release the tension at home.' I say this because I often felt like that all through school, even during elementary and middle school when I was having melt downs continually.
I do disagree that autism doesn't cause bad behavior. Yes, at times, those of us (including me I'm sure) have used it to get our way or to get out of something. However, meltdowns are real and not always preventable. Things happen during them that we can't always control or stop ourselves from doing. In a lot of cases, I never remembered what took place. I had to apologize, yes, and deal with a punishment, like chores, but I feel this was missed in this book. So much could have been explored further in this area.
I also feel like the story cut off suddenly. I would love to know what happened next. I also think that it would be good if the police would have realized somehow that autism means the person does communicate differently and wanted to find out more since there were others with autism in the community.
Overall, when you add this book into the rest of the series, it is a great and needed addition. I hope there are more books to come as I haven't found authors who have done such a good job exploring, explaining and entertaining while teaching others without notice on a needed subject.
December 11, 2016
Dr. Mitchell has done it again!
Another book in the School Daze series about autism and a continuation of how ASD touches the lives of some already familiar characters who continue to intertwine at home, school, at the work place, and in the greater community.
There are many books available on the subject of ASD, often clinical and academic, but how does it FEEL to parent a talented, intelligent daughter, who prefers her computer to people? How does it FEEL to be Suzie, a young woman diagnosed with Asperger's.
Autism Grows Up explores the anxieties in a young woman who comes across as sullen and unresponsive. It also touches upon the frustrations of a parent, as Amanda, a single mother with a fulltime job, with a grown daughter to care for. Amanda discovers, with the help of her brother, Todd, that her daughter is actually quite capable.
Dr. Mitchell has used her experience of working in the school system with ASD students and has crafted a family saga, a little romance and a potential homicide into a very informative, colloquial novel.
Autism Talks and Talks is an excellent reference for a family coming to terms with dealing with an adult on the autism spectrum. Look forward to the next one!
Another book in the School Daze series about autism and a continuation of how ASD touches the lives of some already familiar characters who continue to intertwine at home, school, at the work place, and in the greater community.
There are many books available on the subject of ASD, often clinical and academic, but how does it FEEL to parent a talented, intelligent daughter, who prefers her computer to people? How does it FEEL to be Suzie, a young woman diagnosed with Asperger's.
Autism Grows Up explores the anxieties in a young woman who comes across as sullen and unresponsive. It also touches upon the frustrations of a parent, as Amanda, a single mother with a fulltime job, with a grown daughter to care for. Amanda discovers, with the help of her brother, Todd, that her daughter is actually quite capable.
Dr. Mitchell has used her experience of working in the school system with ASD students and has crafted a family saga, a little romance and a potential homicide into a very informative, colloquial novel.
Autism Talks and Talks is an excellent reference for a family coming to terms with dealing with an adult on the autism spectrum. Look forward to the next one!
February 28, 2019
21 and autistic
This story is about Suzanne, a 21 year old with Asperger’s and her mom, Amanda. It details the exact opposite of helping an autistic child live in the real world. This contrasts dramatically with Jeff and Kyle from the other books in the series. I enjoyed them all and wish there were more!
This story is about Suzanne, a 21 year old with Asperger’s and her mom, Amanda. It details the exact opposite of helping an autistic child live in the real world. This contrasts dramatically with Jeff and Kyle from the other books in the series. I enjoyed them all and wish there were more!
April 6, 2018
I have now read all 5 books in the School Daze series. They were mildly interesting, as each book dealt with a different aspect of autism. Unfortunately, the writing style is primitive and the grammar absolutely atrocious. The author thanks her editing team!!!!!!! There was hardly a page in the entire series that didn't have multiple errors; I have never read anything that was so poorly edited!!! In addition to that, I found it extremely annoying to have product promotions woven into the storyline. If the author wants to make recommendations, she can list them in an appendix, rather than go on and on about Linux, rendering programs or autism-related websites in the middle of the story.
October 22, 2020
Finishing this book means I have read all the books in the School Daze series. I have enjoyed this series but I will say this book is my least favorite. I liked the way the other books dealt with different kinds of autism but also linked the original characters to each other. In this book, we have a very brief introduction to a past character but not really part of the storyline. But I am glad I read them all and I think this series is a good one for anyone who has contact with a family dealing with autism.
May 28, 2025
Seems like not finished
I was surprised when the book ended. I expected to see how Susie and her mom got Susie on the right track so she could maybe go to college or live on her own. Yes, Susie thought of others, made a plan to do something as well as calling 911, but this was one thing that showed she could move on, but does she, will she?
I was surprised when the book ended. I expected to see how Susie and her mom got Susie on the right track so she could maybe go to college or live on her own. Yes, Susie thought of others, made a plan to do something as well as calling 911, but this was one thing that showed she could move on, but does she, will she?
August 29, 2020
Autism Grows Up
Enjoyed Suzie's story. Both her mother and Suzie were doing the best they could. When it came down to it Suzie was able to do the right thing.
Enjoyed Suzie's story. Both her mother and Suzie were doing the best they could. When it came down to it Suzie was able to do the right thing.
February 19, 2017
Excellent Read
All of the books in this series have been excellent. I was able to relate to all of them and found useful ideas to try with my daughter.
All of the books in this series have been excellent. I was able to relate to all of them and found useful ideas to try with my daughter.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews