Can You See Me?

Can You See Me?

By Author / Illustrator

Libby Scott, Rebecca Westcott

Genre

Representation & Inclusion

Age range(s)

9+

Publisher

Scholastic

ISBN

9781407195674

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-05-2019

Synopsis

With diary entries written by eleven-year-old Libby Scott, based on her own experiences of autism, this pioneering book, written in collaboration with esteemed author Rebecca Westcott, has been widely praised for its realistic portrayal of autism.


Tally is eleven years old and she's just like her friends. Well, sometimes she is. If she tries really hard to be. Because there's something that makes Tally not the same as her friends. Something she can't cover up, no matter how hard she tries: Tally is autistic. Tally's autism means there are things that bother her even though she wishes they didn't. It means that some people misunderstand, her and feel frustrated by her. People think that because Tally's autistic, she doesn't realise what they're thinking, but Tally sees and hears - and notices - all of it. And, honestly? That's not the easiest thing to live with.


This fictionalised portrayal of a young autistic girl is written by Rebecca Westcott, in close collaboration with Libby Scott, making it a truly original and inspirational book that will give readers of all ages a deeper understanding of what it's like to be autistic. Perfect for fans of The Goldfish Boy, Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time.


BOOKS BY LIBBY SCOTT AND REBECCA WESTCOTT Can You See Me? (2019) Do You Know Me? (2020) Ways To Be Me (2021)

Reviews

Louisa

Tally is autistic and knows it but she hides it as much as she can. The trouble is that the effort is exhausting her and it doesn't seem to be working. She still doesn't fit in at her new secondary school, her old friends seem to be deserting her in favour of being popular and she's regularly called Weirdo Adams. Feeling more and more isolated, two lifelines remain - Mrs Jarman the drama teacher and a three-legged dog her father has agreed to look after when an elderly neighbour is taken to hospital. The real Tally can't stay hidden forever and sure enough, some disastrous misjudgements on Tally’s part lead a heart-breaking scene where everything explodes.


Can You See Me? continues to explore the process of healing and reconciliation in an honest way. There's no sugar-coated happy ending but there is a glimmer of a hopeful way forward. Interleaved with moving diary entries written by eleven-year-old Libby Scott, who is herself autistic, this is a powerful school story with a ring of truth. By explicitly tackling how Tally feels and relating it to an explanation of autism, it creates a conversation with the reader and provides a natural and accessible way to build empathy and understanding (rather like the book Wonder).


I learned a lot too. Maybe it should be added to every ITT reading list as well as being in every school library for upper Key Stage 2 and lower Key Stage 3. It's not an especially hard read, but it's a compelling and thought-provoking one that I found myself thinking over long after I'd finished the book.


368 Pages / Reviewed by Louisa, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 11+

 

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