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Can You See Me / Tally #2
Do You Know Me?
In this sequel to Can You See Me?, Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott return with another heartwarming and eye-opening story of friendship and middle school, inspired by Libby's own experiences of autism.
Ever since Tally's classmates found out she is autistic, Tally has felt a lot more comfortable being herself at school. But she is nervous about the end-of-year school trip coming up, which will be a whole week away from home -- her longest overnight trip ever.
Though she decides she doesn't want to miss out, her expectations are turned upside-down once she arrives: her favorite teacher won't be there, and she isn't bunking with her friend. Instead, she is rooming with her former friends and two girls from a neighboring school. Confident Skye is immediately unfriendly, and even quieter Jade rejects Tally's attempts at friendship.
Will Tally ever make new friends? And how will she survive for so long away from home?
Told through a mix of prose and diary entries, this authentic and relatable novel is about finding your people, and learning to make them feel seen and included, too.
Ever since Tally's classmates found out she is autistic, Tally has felt a lot more comfortable being herself at school. But she is nervous about the end-of-year school trip coming up, which will be a whole week away from home -- her longest overnight trip ever.
Though she decides she doesn't want to miss out, her expectations are turned upside-down once she arrives: her favorite teacher won't be there, and she isn't bunking with her friend. Instead, she is rooming with her former friends and two girls from a neighboring school. Confident Skye is immediately unfriendly, and even quieter Jade rejects Tally's attempts at friendship.
Will Tally ever make new friends? And how will she survive for so long away from home?
Told through a mix of prose and diary entries, this authentic and relatable novel is about finding your people, and learning to make them feel seen and included, too.
309 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2020
78 people are currently reading
1128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
August 29, 2021
a sequel to can you see me focusing on friendship & middle school inspired by libby scott's own experiences of autism. in this story, we get to see tally being more of herself & even had her first camping experience.
kinda know what to expect in the story as its not really as different as the first book. a little bit disappointed as i really love can you see me - some part felt a little bit exaggerated & thought some situations could have elaborated better. however, still one of those books to recommend if readers would like to know more about autism.
kinda know what to expect in the story as its not really as different as the first book. a little bit disappointed as i really love can you see me - some part felt a little bit exaggerated & thought some situations could have elaborated better. however, still one of those books to recommend if readers would like to know more about autism.
April 28, 2020
i really liked it. it was the second book to can you see me. it is written by a 12 year old girl called libby scott. she is autistic and the main charecectar in the story is tally is autistic.she writes aboit her life and in this book she is going on a school trip for a week with none of her family.tally has a lot of worries about this school trip and doesnt know whether to go or not. she decides to go and make lots of new friends there. she writes about the trip and everything going on in her life. i really like this book
October 28, 2020
This book and ‘Can You See Me’ are great books about Tally, a young girl with autism. It picks up on Tally’s transition into secondary school and going on her first residential trip. This book helped me to understand autism from a different perspective, seeing an honest account of what Tally goes through every day. I loved these books and would highly recommend!
September 3, 2025
Another amazing book ❤️
I've read the first one, and I'm just as excited to read the 3rd one !
I'm happy Layla and Tally are friends again because it was sad to see them argue ♥️
Happy reading 📚 😊 ☺️ 😀
I've read the first one, and I'm just as excited to read the 3rd one !
I'm happy Layla and Tally are friends again because it was sad to see them argue ♥️
Happy reading 📚 😊 ☺️ 😀
September 30, 2020
As the second book in the series, it lost some of its initial magic and authenticity for me. It felt like the exciting plot was at the forefront and the reality of autism was dimmed, with much shorter diary entries exploring it. However, I’m still glad I read it and will recommend it to those who enjoyed the first.
March 25, 2023
"Even on the days when you feel invisible and misunderstood, there is always someone out there who can see you; someone who knows you and understands what it's like to be you. You just must look for them. And if you can find those people and make them your friends then everything will end up working out better than you ever thought it would. Everything will be ok."
Do You know me is a Sequel to Can You See Me by Libby Scott who is an Autistic Author telling the story of a Fictional Girl Tally who is Autistic and in year 7. Following on from the events of book 1 It’s amazing to be back with Tally again and to see her grow, learn and come out of her shell a little more and it’s amazing to follow her on her journey of self-discovery and learning how to fit into the World around her once again.
This One covers Tally’s First residential trip away from her Parents and spending the week in the outdoors and learning how to face your fear as well as coping with Change and dealing with a lot of emotions and anxiety that come with being away from your Safe space for a week.
This book was equally brilliant and offered a valuable insight and portrayal of autism in children's literature which I think is much needed, as the book mentions Tally feels like she's the only person with autism before the school trip as she never reads books with characters like her. As a teacher, the book contains lots of helpful little 'top tips' in Tally's diary entries at the end of some chapters along with providing facts and knowledge about autism, reinforcing how people are like snowflakes - no 2 people will be the same. The book contains the important message that autism is not something bad or a disease, it's just different. People with autism may have strengths and weaknesses in different areas and may have differences in emotions and feelings, they may feel emotions more strongly than their peers, particularly things like anxiety.
Once Again, A Book with a Lot of Heart and Meaning attached to it that Honestly felt like a Warm hug at times!
Do You know me is a Sequel to Can You See Me by Libby Scott who is an Autistic Author telling the story of a Fictional Girl Tally who is Autistic and in year 7. Following on from the events of book 1 It’s amazing to be back with Tally again and to see her grow, learn and come out of her shell a little more and it’s amazing to follow her on her journey of self-discovery and learning how to fit into the World around her once again.
This One covers Tally’s First residential trip away from her Parents and spending the week in the outdoors and learning how to face your fear as well as coping with Change and dealing with a lot of emotions and anxiety that come with being away from your Safe space for a week.
This book was equally brilliant and offered a valuable insight and portrayal of autism in children's literature which I think is much needed, as the book mentions Tally feels like she's the only person with autism before the school trip as she never reads books with characters like her. As a teacher, the book contains lots of helpful little 'top tips' in Tally's diary entries at the end of some chapters along with providing facts and knowledge about autism, reinforcing how people are like snowflakes - no 2 people will be the same. The book contains the important message that autism is not something bad or a disease, it's just different. People with autism may have strengths and weaknesses in different areas and may have differences in emotions and feelings, they may feel emotions more strongly than their peers, particularly things like anxiety.
Once Again, A Book with a Lot of Heart and Meaning attached to it that Honestly felt like a Warm hug at times!
November 20, 2021
"Even on the days when you feel invisible and misunderstood, there is always someone out there who can see you; someone who knows you and understands what it's like to be you. You just have to look for them. And if you can find those people and make them your friends then everything will end up working out better than you ever thought it would. Everything will be ok."
Such a sweet book!!! I probably enjoyed this more than the first one. It's middle grade but definitely a good book to read whatever age you are :)
Such a sweet book!!! I probably enjoyed this more than the first one. It's middle grade but definitely a good book to read whatever age you are :)
July 4, 2020
Do You Know Me? is the sequel to one of the best books I've read, Can You See Me?. This book was equally brilliant and offered a valuable insight and portrayal of autism in children's literature which I think is much needed, as the book mentions Tally feels like she's the only person with autism before the school trip as she never reads books with characters like her. As a teacher, the book contains lots of helpful little 'top tips' in Tally's diary entries at the end of some chapters along with providing facts and knowledge about autism, reinforcing how people are like snowflakes - no 2 people will be the same. The book contains the really important message that autism is not something bad or a disease, it's just different. People with autism may have strengths and weaknesses in different areas and may have differences in emotions and feelings, they may feel emotions more strongly than their peers, particularly things like anxiety. Tally can pick up on others' emotions to a greater extent than her peers which can make her worried, and knowing this can help adults when communicating with autistic children, such as using a calm voice and not shouting which can make it easier for the child. It also includes the importance of developing positive relationships with children who have autism at school (also important for all children!) as then they feel more relaxed and more able to share their worries. The diary entries as well as the main story also highlight areas which can cause difficulties for children with autism which helps readers to develop an understanding of experiences, such as the importance of having a 'safe space' at school to help Tally cope. The main story line follows Tally as she goes on her end of Year 7 school trip (many events could be generalised to upper KS2 settings eg Y6 residential) and how activities which may seem exciting to other people fill her with anxiety and fear. She worries about being away from home and her family who understand her and the safety of home, being alone after her best friend is split up from her and her favourite teacher doesn't attend at the last minute. She faces Skye bullying her, Jade and 'Gory' and Skye makes the start of the trip very difficult by being nasty, but then her old friends, particularly Layla, stand up for her and she makes 2 new friends, Jade (who also has autism) and 'Gory' (who's little sister has autism) who are always there for her, supporting her and making things much easier. They then go to the Sanctuary to look after the animals and they share their worries and end up having a great last couple of days where they discover they are much braver and stronger than they ever thought as they face their fears and support each other. One of the prominent themes is the importance of friendship, Tally often feels like she's got to try to hide her autism and fit in, but her real friends see the real Tally and this enables her to be herself and they all always have each other's back. The story also includes the strong bond between Tally and her dog Rupert, showing the love and understanding they have for each other, particularly when Tally notices autistic traits in Rupert and tries to help him from her own experiences. The relationships at home between Tally and her parents and sister Nell also offer an insight into how autism effects all family members. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to all teachers and support staff. I think it could be enjoyed by children in upper KS2 and it is a really important story to show the importance of inclusion and to understand what other children may experience, although to fully understand the backstory to the characters I think it's best to read Can You See Me? first so that Do You Know Me? can be fully appreciated, particularly as some references are made to events in the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2021
So I actually read books 1&2 months ago but haven’t reviewed them because they were…complicated.
This fiction series about a young autistic girl who is beginning middle school. The story alternates between a 3rd person limited narration of events and 1st person journal entries reflecting on the events & inner world of the main character. These books were written by Libby Scott, an actual autistic young girl, and Rebecca Westover, an allistic (not autistic) adult author with some experience working in special education. I’ll include a link to an interview with the authors at the end of this review.
What I loved about this book is how authentic and real and raw the sections written by Scott were. Her insight & experiences are so accurate and vital. I think that so many people should read the writing of autistic people to better understand, include, and support autistic people so they can thrive.
What I hated about this book was that Westover wrote her chapters in a way that indicated lack of support in a child’s home life is normal and okay when they child is autistic because of how difficult that child’s existence must be for their family. It is an unfortunate reality, so I’m not specifically upset about the plot. It was more how the allistic author presented this as basically “tough shit” and part of life because maybe the autistic kid should be less autistic. Normalizing this is incredibly dangerous.
It doesn’t have to be this way (nor should it!! Especially in a book marketed to kids and their families…ESPECIALLY in a book that’s touted as being written by a 10yr old autistic girl. There’s an important power dynamic to consider here when the co-author is an allistic adult who’s taught disabled people and who is a published author herself.).
Anyway, even within the text of the book, the same author showed what is possible when an autistic person is first left to flounder then supported & given agency in school and their friendships. The fact that the author did not extrapolate this to the main character’s home life was a dangerous and harmful choice. So many autistic kids are going to read this, identify with Tally (main character), and find no recourse for the ways they’re being treated at home. Worse, they’re going to feel it’s normal to only find refuge in school or in relationships. The first place an autistic child should feel affirmed and loved is at home. It does things to a kid to not have that with the people who are supposed to love them most. It colors their understanding of what love and compassion are.
If I could take Scott’s chapters out and make them their own book alongside the chapters where Westover got it right, I absolutely would. But reinforcing the idea that autistic children are a burden on their families is irresponsible. I am not exaggerating when I say Westover’s artistic choices carry abusive if not deadly consequences for autistic children.
Link to interview, with my note that this book really reads like an imbalanced power dynamic between an autistic child and an allistic adult used to manipulating one https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/qa...
This fiction series about a young autistic girl who is beginning middle school. The story alternates between a 3rd person limited narration of events and 1st person journal entries reflecting on the events & inner world of the main character. These books were written by Libby Scott, an actual autistic young girl, and Rebecca Westover, an allistic (not autistic) adult author with some experience working in special education. I’ll include a link to an interview with the authors at the end of this review.
What I loved about this book is how authentic and real and raw the sections written by Scott were. Her insight & experiences are so accurate and vital. I think that so many people should read the writing of autistic people to better understand, include, and support autistic people so they can thrive.
What I hated about this book was that Westover wrote her chapters in a way that indicated lack of support in a child’s home life is normal and okay when they child is autistic because of how difficult that child’s existence must be for their family. It is an unfortunate reality, so I’m not specifically upset about the plot. It was more how the allistic author presented this as basically “tough shit” and part of life because maybe the autistic kid should be less autistic. Normalizing this is incredibly dangerous.
It doesn’t have to be this way (nor should it!! Especially in a book marketed to kids and their families…ESPECIALLY in a book that’s touted as being written by a 10yr old autistic girl. There’s an important power dynamic to consider here when the co-author is an allistic adult who’s taught disabled people and who is a published author herself.).
Anyway, even within the text of the book, the same author showed what is possible when an autistic person is first left to flounder then supported & given agency in school and their friendships. The fact that the author did not extrapolate this to the main character’s home life was a dangerous and harmful choice. So many autistic kids are going to read this, identify with Tally (main character), and find no recourse for the ways they’re being treated at home. Worse, they’re going to feel it’s normal to only find refuge in school or in relationships. The first place an autistic child should feel affirmed and loved is at home. It does things to a kid to not have that with the people who are supposed to love them most. It colors their understanding of what love and compassion are.
If I could take Scott’s chapters out and make them their own book alongside the chapters where Westover got it right, I absolutely would. But reinforcing the idea that autistic children are a burden on their families is irresponsible. I am not exaggerating when I say Westover’s artistic choices carry abusive if not deadly consequences for autistic children.
Link to interview, with my note that this book really reads like an imbalanced power dynamic between an autistic child and an allistic adult used to manipulating one https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/qa...
March 29, 2020
Do You Know Me picks back up with Tally after the fall out of Can You See Me, as she is set to go on a summer camping holiday with her new school friend. Except as soon as she gets on the bus, things start to go wrong -- her favourite teacher had to stay home, she's been assigned to a cabin full of her ex friends (and worse) and no one seems to get what she's going through. Except Jade, perhaps.
This book made me happy cry for several reasons. Tally pushes her own boundaries in this book, of her own choice, with some gentle encouragement and continues to realise how powerful her own voice is.
The other thing is that it features multiple autistic kids being friends and caring about each other. Other than A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicol (out in June this year), you never get to see this in autism novels even though my experience has always been that autistic people gravitate to each other, sensing our shared understanding and a mutual language.
These two are essential reading for autistics and those who support us, but as I said on the previous review, every kid age 8+ should read them and understand what Tally and other autistic people go through every day.
Once again, for the sake of transparency, I consulted on both of these novels, but my review is from the heart.
This book made me happy cry for several reasons. Tally pushes her own boundaries in this book, of her own choice, with some gentle encouragement and continues to realise how powerful her own voice is.
The other thing is that it features multiple autistic kids being friends and caring about each other. Other than A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicol (out in June this year), you never get to see this in autism novels even though my experience has always been that autistic people gravitate to each other, sensing our shared understanding and a mutual language.
These two are essential reading for autistics and those who support us, but as I said on the previous review, every kid age 8+ should read them and understand what Tally and other autistic people go through every day.
Once again, for the sake of transparency, I consulted on both of these novels, but my review is from the heart.
July 23, 2020
Do you know me is a fantastic book about Tally, a 12 year old girl with autism. I think it is important that anyone working with children reads this book, as well as Can You See Me, the first book, to help them to see autism from a young girls perspective. The book explains how Tally feels through diary entries as well as through third person chapters. There is also lots of information about how Tally deals with her feelings. I think this book could be very useful to read with or recommend to a child in upper KS2 who experiences a similar type of autism to Tally. The book could help them to feel less alone and maybe even take some of Tally’s advice. As well as being very useful, the story is full of adventure and based around a school trip which is likely to be very relatable for many children. This book could also be good to read as a whole class story which should help to promote inclusion and reduce the chances of bullying (this could be particularly useful in year 6 before the children move to secondary school). If there are any children with autism in the class it would be best to discuss this first with them and check they are comfortable with the book being used.
February 17, 2021
This book is even more amazing that the first. It is beautiful and sad at the same time, and has really helped me to understand autism more.
February 19, 2022
Excellent moving story about how all individuals are different and should be seen, heard and treated equally.
March 4, 2023
(Audio but no option on GR)
June 2, 2021
Beautiful book about resilience and finding your tribe
owned
May 30, 2025Like the autism depiction, but I don't like the 3rd person narration.
November 2, 2024
potentially my favourite book from the series, this was so good! really does show the experience of being autistic in secondary school.
November 4, 2025
A really insightful continuation of Tally's story.
Really helping me understand the kids with ASD more <3
Points deducted for no Miles though :(
Really helping me understand the kids with ASD more <3
Points deducted for no Miles though :(
August 16, 2023
Join Tally on her 3rd adventure through school.
When Tally goes to the residential school trip for a week, she gets really nervous. Especially when there are students from another school. And there’s two of them are in her cabin. One of them is bully, Skye, and once she starts being horrible to Tally, she doesn’t stop. But will Tally be brave enough to stand up to her?
An amazing addition to the series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I can not recommend these books enough to anyone that is autistic or demand avoidance or to those who wish to learn how they can help make things better for neurodivergent people. The books have helped me learn so much about myself as I relate to a lot of the things that Tally feels.
Rebecca and Libby work so well together and the writing is so brilliantly done that at times I was so stressed for Tally and wasn’t sure I could carry on but I did and the stress eased. It’s is wonderful to pick up a book where you can see yourself so clearly in the characters.
I just couldn’t put this down and read it all in one day
When Tally goes to the residential school trip for a week, she gets really nervous. Especially when there are students from another school. And there’s two of them are in her cabin. One of them is bully, Skye, and once she starts being horrible to Tally, she doesn’t stop. But will Tally be brave enough to stand up to her?
An amazing addition to the series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I can not recommend these books enough to anyone that is autistic or demand avoidance or to those who wish to learn how they can help make things better for neurodivergent people. The books have helped me learn so much about myself as I relate to a lot of the things that Tally feels.
Rebecca and Libby work so well together and the writing is so brilliantly done that at times I was so stressed for Tally and wasn’t sure I could carry on but I did and the stress eased. It’s is wonderful to pick up a book where you can see yourself so clearly in the characters.
I just couldn’t put this down and read it all in one day
June 2, 2021
Tally, the main character of Can you see me? is back. This time she’s off on a school residential trip and her anxiety is sky high. There’s so many things she’s worried about and situations she won’t be able to control but with strategies in place to control her autism she’s prepared to give it a go. Unfortunate things don’t quite work out as planned and two of the safeguards she has in place are taken away from her, leaving her feeling alone and vulnerable. But Tally isn’t the sort of girl to give up so she persevered through some difficult situations. She has some tricky decisions to make but eventually she finds a group of people she can feel comfortable with and that makes her feel wonderful!
I think I loved the sequel even more than the original, if that were possible. I love Tally and the no nonsense way she has of describing her autism. This book could be read without first having read Can you see me?
I think I loved the sequel even more than the original, if that were possible. I love Tally and the no nonsense way she has of describing her autism. This book could be read without first having read Can you see me?
May 9, 2020
Tally is going on Year 7 residential. She doesn't want to go but being with her best friend, Aleksandra, will make it alright. So when the first thing that happens is finding out Aleksandra is in a tent and she is in a cabin, Tally does not react well. Add to this the only teacher who understands her isn't there and Tally faces a daunting week.
Residentials are bad enough, but add in another school with unknown children and activities that hold danger off death in many different ways and the fact that you have autism and one week can seen like forever.
I really like the way this book is written: swapping between the third person narrative and diary entries from Tally. They give an honest, first person account of how difficult life is for a teenage girl with autism. Moving, insightful and laugh out loud funny with identifiable characters.
Residentials are bad enough, but add in another school with unknown children and activities that hold danger off death in many different ways and the fact that you have autism and one week can seen like forever.
I really like the way this book is written: swapping between the third person narrative and diary entries from Tally. They give an honest, first person account of how difficult life is for a teenage girl with autism. Moving, insightful and laugh out loud funny with identifiable characters.
September 2, 2021
Do You Know Me? is the second book about main character Tally, and I enjoyed it more than I did the first one. The plot here is less episodic and moves along faster, and the school trip setting was quite interesting. I am an autistic reader and it's so rare to find characters that are like me in that aspect, so it was really exciting to be able to relate to some of Tally's thoughts and experiences. I still think that "autism" alone maybe doesn't fully explain her challenges--the way she's written she seems to have a lot of additional anxiety--but I love how the story makes it clear that two people can both have autism and not necessarily experience it the same way. And this is shown so clearly, with Tally meeting other neurodivergent kids. Well done, Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott! Looking forward to reading more of Tally's adventures.
July 22, 2020
I flew through this, I loved Tally even more and the friends that she made were also lovable in their own way. Gregory, though a little loud was so cute with that kitten and I just wanted to give him a great big hug. Same with Jade, and I understand her situation a lot. I know a lot of facts about certain things that a lot of people just don't really care about, glad she has Gregory to talk to at school hopefully now. Glad, Layla and Tally made up in the right way.
Skye and a lot of the teacher can buzz off, I hated Skye the second she showed up and I don't wanna talk about the teachers.
This definitely reminds me of when I had to go on similar trips and I remember a lot of things that I hated (Mostly heights) and a lot of things I loved.
Really loved this book!!
Skye and a lot of the teacher can buzz off, I hated Skye the second she showed up and I don't wanna talk about the teachers.
This definitely reminds me of when I had to go on similar trips and I remember a lot of things that I hated (Mostly heights) and a lot of things I loved.
Really loved this book!!
July 18, 2021
Short review
I feel like a jerk for rating this 3.25 stars. Again.
The autism reflected in this sequel had a more accurate view on autism and other disorders, and the plot stayed as nice as last time.
So, why? Why could this seemingly educational and encuraging novel get a stiff 3 stars?
Because of Tally's (Natalia's) perfectionism and meltdown-even-if-they-are-kind traits. This is NOT how autistic people are, as I have an old friend with autism. Last time Tally was so hyper-active that I thought the doctor that day must have needed new glasses on her diagnosis, but it still somehow made the story magical. The author might have outdone autism traits this time. Maybe too much isn't so good after all…
I feel like a jerk for rating this 3.25 stars. Again.
The autism reflected in this sequel had a more accurate view on autism and other disorders, and the plot stayed as nice as last time.
So, why? Why could this seemingly educational and encuraging novel get a stiff 3 stars?
Because of Tally's (Natalia's) perfectionism and meltdown-even-if-they-are-kind traits. This is NOT how autistic people are, as I have an old friend with autism. Last time Tally was so hyper-active that I thought the doctor that day must have needed new glasses on her diagnosis, but it still somehow made the story magical. The author might have outdone autism traits this time. Maybe too much isn't so good after all…
July 14, 2022
I adored this book. It covers the fundamentals of autism well through a young girl called Tally. It details her feelings, emotions, inner thoughts, and experiences with autism and the world around her while also trying to deal with people who perceive her autism as a joke/something to be laughed at.
I think this is true for many autistic individuals who feel they have to hide their diagnosis for fear of being judged and becoming the joke of a crowd. The author does a fantastic job of underlying the complications and aftermath of Tally's thoughts, which many people could do with reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and would honestly recommend it to anyone who wants something to relate with. It'll likely do you a world of good.
I think this is true for many autistic individuals who feel they have to hide their diagnosis for fear of being judged and becoming the joke of a crowd. The author does a fantastic job of underlying the complications and aftermath of Tally's thoughts, which many people could do with reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and would honestly recommend it to anyone who wants something to relate with. It'll likely do you a world of good.
May 25, 2020
A heart warming story about friendship and bravery.
Representation: There is obviously disability rep. in here.
Everyone in this book goes on such a learning journey. I loved the group that forms and the friendships they form. I loved the camp setting in this book, it was really cosy and nostalgic. The writing in this was really accessible and explained the main character autism really well. I also thought the teachers in this book were more realistic than in the previous book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and think that it would be suitable for older children, teachers and parents!
Representation: There is obviously disability rep. in here.
Everyone in this book goes on such a learning journey. I loved the group that forms and the friendships they form. I loved the camp setting in this book, it was really cosy and nostalgic. The writing in this was really accessible and explained the main character autism really well. I also thought the teachers in this book were more realistic than in the previous book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and think that it would be suitable for older children, teachers and parents!
August 12, 2021
A sweet follow up to the last book Can You See Me? This one didn’t feel quite as ground-breaking to me but I enjoyed reading a story about Tally again and seeing how she navigated the difficult friendship situations that occur during middle school. Sometimes kids can be really cruel and Tally handled it just like you’d want her to as a parent. It’s hard reading this and watching how terrible the adults are. Do any of them have experience in special education? Does Tally not have an iep to protect her? Do teachers really just allow kids to bully other kids like that? Those parts of the story gave me a stomachache.
June 26, 2022
The star rating is from the kid. I found this excruciating in places and I put off reading it to him as much as I could. Glad it's finished. I know I'm not the intended audience but the amount of focus on negatives makes for a hard read in this one. I get that it's about lived experience. I just didn't need to be repeatedly bashed over the head with lived experience. I also don't think this does anything that the previous book didn't do. There's a lot of angst and internal turmoil, not a lot of upside - the action and plot was a relief, and humanised the protagonist, but there wasn't enough of that to round out the book.
March 24, 2023
This book is amazing. I couldn't put it down! It shows perspective and is just an amazing book. I love how when she goes on camp in one bit she is generally happy! Tally is autistic and everything is hard for her and I also love her sister Nell and her dog.
Her mum and dad are great and it must be hard for them but they are a bit rude sometimes. Also I remember when I went to camp and we did some of the same activities, so I can relate to the book.
I love it when Kitty becomes her friend because it is so nice that she finally has a friend that can properly understand her and it is so nice that they let Gory into there group.
Her mum and dad are great and it must be hard for them but they are a bit rude sometimes. Also I remember when I went to camp and we did some of the same activities, so I can relate to the book.
I love it when Kitty becomes her friend because it is so nice that she finally has a friend that can properly understand her and it is so nice that they let Gory into there group.
July 12, 2023
Aaahhhh, I loved this book!
Unlike the first, this doesn't have as much infodumping and focuses more on the plot, which I think was why I personally liked it better than the first. I got to explore the way Tally experiences the world alongside her, and go on the kind of school trip I semi-feared when I was younger.
Tally remains a relatable protagonist (even with the niche things like the type of lumpy bread - oh my word I know exactly what she's talking about. And her letters being so depressing even though she was having a great time? .....listen here-), and the cast around her was super interesting to interact with! I liked experiencing the experiences that she didn't necessarily want to experience but enjoyed nonetheless with her, especially as she battled with the question of "the people who accept me aren't here by my side - isn't that going to make things worse?"
Sometimes, Tally, but sometimes, we get surprises.
I also loved how we got some other autism rep in there , and saw a little bit of what it means as a spectrum. And, how ultimately, we got a fun little friend group!
This book left me eager to read more about Tally's (and Rupert's) world.
Unlike the first, this doesn't have as much infodumping and focuses more on the plot, which I think was why I personally liked it better than the first. I got to explore the way Tally experiences the world alongside her, and go on the kind of school trip I semi-feared when I was younger.
Tally remains a relatable protagonist (even with the niche things like the type of lumpy bread - oh my word I know exactly what she's talking about. And her letters being so depressing even though she was having a great time? .....listen here-), and the cast around her was super interesting to interact with! I liked experiencing the experiences that she didn't necessarily want to experience but enjoyed nonetheless with her, especially as she battled with the question of "the people who accept me aren't here by my side - isn't that going to make things worse?"
Sometimes, Tally, but sometimes, we get surprises.
I also loved how we got some other autism rep in there , and saw a little bit of what it means as a spectrum. And, how ultimately, we got a fun little friend group!
This book left me eager to read more about Tally's (and Rupert's) world.
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