Can you see me?

Libby Scott

Book - 2020

Eleven-year-old Tally is starting sixth grade at Kingswood Academy and she really wants to fit in, which means somehow hiding her autism, hypersensitivity to touch, and true self, and trying to act "normal" like her former best friend, Layla, who is distancing herself from Tally and her fourteen-year-old sister, Nell, who is always angry with Tally for being different; but as she records her thoughts and anxieties in her coping diary, Tally begins to wonder--what is "normal" anyway?

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Subjects
Genres
Juvenile fiction
Juvenile works
Published
New York : Scholastic Press 2020.
Language
English
Main Author
Libby Scott (author)
Other Authors
Rebecca Westcott (author)
Physical Description
368 pages ; 20 cm
Audience
Ages 9-11.
Grades 4-6.
ISBN
9781338608915
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Starting middle school is a daunting prospect for anyone, but for Tally, who is autistic, it is terrifying. Every day is a struggle for her as she navigates the social structure, tries to decipher idioms that make no sense to her literal mind, and endures overwhelming sensory input. Her best friend, Layla, the only other student who knows about Tally's autism, provides as much support as possible, but Tally's unconventional behavior puts a strain on the friendship. When other students see Tally as "weird" or "crazy," her fragile support system breaks down. A subplot concerning a three-legged dog her family has taken in for a neighbor underscores Tally's troubles. One of the outstanding features of this novel is that the third-person narrative is punctuated by Tally's first-person journal, where she discusses different aspects of autism, such as meltdowns, stimming, and masking, without disrupting the page-turning narrative. Scott, the middle-grade-aged coauthor, has autism herself, and her portrayal of Tally is thoughtful and authentic.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

An autistic preteen struggles to navigate the demands of an allistic world in this powerful collaboration between Scott, an autistic 11-year-old, and established author Westcott, who is neurotypical. Funny, self-aware Tally is about to start sixth grade, and that means an overwhelming new school with lots of new people. To fit in, she chooses to keep her autism a secret, avoiding her usual coping mechanisms in order to fit in. Bullying and abandonment by her best friend ensue, but just when she can't take it anymore, people close to Tally--including her sister and a teacher--learn to offer understanding and support in myriad ways. This is a sweetly appealing story of finding oneself in a time of change, and it's heartening to see an autistic protagonist who finds happiness through the growth of those around her and not via learning to hide herself. Occasional first-person diary entries narrate Tally's experiences, offering "Autism Facts" about anxiety, demand avoidance, meltdowns, and stimming, among other topics. Alongside a compelling heroine, vividly accurate portrayals of stressful situations and specific needs offer a rare and valuable window into one autistic point of view. Ages 8--12. (Mar.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A girl with autism confronts the terrors of sixth grade.Eleven-year-old Tally is fierce, brave, funny, and kind; but she also wants desperately to fit in, so she keeps her autism secret from her new classmates at Kingswood Academy. But the harder she tries to act "normal," the more the bullies call her "weirdo" until even her friends start to pull away. Tally's storybased on Scott (herself 11 and autistic) and co-written with the neurotypical Westcottshines with authenticity. Even the lengthy "Autism Facts" in Tally's interspersed diary entries avoid didacticism via their un-self-conscious honesty. The deceptively simple prose sticks tightly to Tally's point of view, conveying her courage and quirky charm while rendering with painful acuity her struggles with anxiety and sensory overload. It also portrays compassionately the sometimes-stressful effects of her particular needs and odd-seeming behaviors on her loving, supportive family. There are no villains here: Her teachers are (mostly) receptive and sympathetic, and even the bullies come off as more clueless than cruel. Nor is there any magic resolution: Tally's situation may improve but only at the cost of her privacy; and her social relationships remain tentative. Instead, her triumph comes in her resolve to present as her own unique, different "normal."Recommended for readers with autism who will feel genuinely seen and for those desiring to see others more clearly. (Fiction. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Tally lowers her face into her knees and waits until she hears the kitchen door closing. Then, as quietly as she can, she tiptoes upstairs and into her bedroom. The tiger mask is hanging from the end of her bed and she pulls it on, inhaling the familiar smell. And then she walks across the room and looks in the mirror, staring at the strong, powerful creature in front of her. At the brave, magnificent Tiger Girl who doesn't feel pain and doesn't get hurt and doesn't worry about what other people think of her. If only she could be this girl all of the time then nobody would ever say unkind things or give each other the look that everybody always gives when she's around. The look that means she's done something wrong again, even if she doesn't know what it is or how not to do it next time. She stares and stares at her reflection until the Tiger Girl goes blurry and then she walks downstairs and along the hallway until she reaches the door to the laundry room. Rupert is lying down behind the stair-gate. He looks different, and the muzzle that is fitted snugly over his face wasn't there this morning. "Don't be scared," Tally whispers. "Can you see me?" She used to ask this question all the time when she was younger. Every time she put on the mask. And she was never quite sure what she wanted the answer to be. Whether it was better to be hidden or to be seen. Whether it was better to be Tiger Girl or Tally. Rupert peers at her from above the muzzle and then slowly lumbers into a standing position, keeping his distance from the tiger that is filling the doorway. They stare at each other for a while, both hidden behind their masks. Excerpted from Can You See Me? by Libby Scott, Rebecca Westcott All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.