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293rd out of 309 books
—
157 voters
A Friend Like Henry
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a dog made the real difference. Dale was still a baby when his parents realised that something wasn't right. Worried, his mother Nuala took him to see several doctors, before finally hearing the word 'autism' for the first time in a specialist's office. Scared but determ...more
352 pages
Published
July 26th 2007
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This book was very enjoyable. I highly recommend it to teachers, dog lovers, and anyone affected by autism. It takes you through many emotions--depression, elation, frustration, heartbreak, joy, anxiety, etc., etc. I think I gasped aloud on several occasions! Any book that elicits that much physical, stark emotion in me is right up my alley.
Having had several mildly autistic students in my years as a teacher, I can't imagine parenting one with classic autism. This author poured her heart and so...more
Having had several mildly autistic students in my years as a teacher, I can't imagine parenting one with classic autism. This author poured her heart and so...more
I think this book was A-MA-ZING!!!! I never knew a non fiction book could be so interesting!!! Never judge a book by its cover!!! This book is about, well, the author herself, Nuala Gardner, her autistic son Dale, and a dog that changed their lives. Yes, a dog. The character I'm going to do today is none other than Dale. The first thing you must know about Dale is that he's autistic. Autism is not a sickness but a condition. It's something you're born with. Dale does have autism, but it was so s...more
This is the story of a boy with severe autism and how getting a family dog helped him to 'recover.' It is an emotional rollercoaster of a story and one that is exhausting to witness. The early years with their son were much more than most parents could endure. What I really like about this book is the fact that it shows what can be done with patience and an unwillingness to give up. This boy had severe autism right from birth and no one could predict what he could one day accomplish. Getting a f...more
An unexpected loan from a friend, this novel is truly a touching read and I recommend it to all! A Friend Like Henry is about a family's struggle in coping with their son's autism and how a Golden Retriever named Henry changed their lives in ways they couldn't even imagined.
I have no experience dealing with autism, neither do I know anyone with autism, but I do know what some of the signs of it are, and reading this novel, I definitely have developed a greater sense of respect for each and every...more
I have no experience dealing with autism, neither do I know anyone with autism, but I do know what some of the signs of it are, and reading this novel, I definitely have developed a greater sense of respect for each and every...more
When Dale was born his mother noticed that he had trouble communicating and had behavioural problems.She suspected that her son was autistic but health professionals seemed happier to blame the parents for the way Dale behaved.This is her struggle to be heard and to find a way into Dale's lonely world.
Very heavy going and I couldn't keep reading about every tantrum the boy had.I was getting mentally tired with the story!
Very heavy going and I couldn't keep reading about every tantrum the boy had.I was getting mentally tired with the story!
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A Friend Like Henry
I first heard about this book from my mother, and immediately put it on my library hold queue. I just finished it today and I can only say that I'm very glad I did.
This is the story of parents who discover their son has severe autism. After so many struggles, they get a golden retriever puppy they call Henry. Through Henry, Dale finally begins to interact with the world. This is an inspirational book - what amazing parents Dale and his younger...more
A Friend Like Henry
I first heard about this book from my mother, and immediately put it on my library hold queue. I just finished it today and I can only say that I'm very glad I did.
This is the story of parents who discover their son has severe autism. After so many struggles, they get a golden retriever puppy they call Henry. Through Henry, Dale finally begins to interact with the world. This is an inspirational book - what amazing parents Dale and his younger...more
A harrowing & inspirational true story of the Gardner family written from the mother's perspective in honest, blunt language.
This is not a flowery, descriptive telling, it is a matter-of-fact recount of day to day life with a severely autistic child. Nuala & Jamie's fight to have Dale's autism recognised & officially diagnosed, the anger & sadness, the depths of despair reached, the exhaustion & the small triumphs that kept them going. The all-consuming struggle to break into...more
This is not a flowery, descriptive telling, it is a matter-of-fact recount of day to day life with a severely autistic child. Nuala & Jamie's fight to have Dale's autism recognised & officially diagnosed, the anger & sadness, the depths of despair reached, the exhaustion & the small triumphs that kept them going. The all-consuming struggle to break into...more
This book affirms all I know about the intelligence of golden retrievers and the magnificent, yet mysterious bond between humans and animals. Nuala Gardner shares her heartbreaking story of autism in both of her children, and how Henry the golden literally unlocks her son and gives him back to her. This memoir is direct, and somewhat sparsely written, but full of advice, thought-provoking issues, and evidence of how any child with disabilities can be maximized with a network of love and support,...more
A Friend Like Henry is a beautiful book that is very moving. For anyone who is interested in special needs or especially autism this is a great book. This is also a wonderful book for pet lovers as much of it is focused on a dog named Henry. The book is about the main characters Dale, Nuala, Amy and Jamie. Dale has autism which is very hard on his family and is almost impossible to deal with. It was Henry on top of Dale's amazing support system including his parents that helped him. Dale improv...more
A Friend like Henry
The characters in my book were well developed. It was a real life situation. I believe that the mother Nuala was a little harsh at times. Even though your child is born with a mental problem you should love them though anything that comes your way. Her child Dale was born with autism. It’s a hard concept to deal with; it’s something that as parents; you never want your child to have. Dale had no control over what he did. He was too young to understand what was going on; but a...more
The characters in my book were well developed. It was a real life situation. I believe that the mother Nuala was a little harsh at times. Even though your child is born with a mental problem you should love them though anything that comes your way. Her child Dale was born with autism. It’s a hard concept to deal with; it’s something that as parents; you never want your child to have. Dale had no control over what he did. He was too young to understand what was going on; but a...more
This is an interesting book about how a Golden Retriever puppy helped unlock an autistic child's world. When Nuala and Jamie Gardner's son Dale was born, they knew from early on that something wasn't right with him, but it took almost 5 years before they had the official diagnosis of autism. Shortly after his diagnosis the family visited some cousins who had two dogs and after seeing how much Dale enjoyed them, they decided to get there own dog. Having Henry in his life helped Dale in countless...more
Cosa dire di una storia vera, una storia di riscatto, di amore e amicizia, di coraggio e di lotta?
Dale è nato autistico, e ha reso incredibilmente complicata la vita dei suoi genitori, che solo con il loro immenso amore sono riusciti a scalfire la sua corazza. Ma poi è arrivato Henry, un golden retriever buono e docile, e tramite lui i genitori hanno iniziato a comunicare con il loro bambino: Henry ha facilitato le cose per tutti, e Dale è gradualmente migliorato al punto che oggi conduce una vi...more
Dale è nato autistico, e ha reso incredibilmente complicata la vita dei suoi genitori, che solo con il loro immenso amore sono riusciti a scalfire la sua corazza. Ma poi è arrivato Henry, un golden retriever buono e docile, e tramite lui i genitori hanno iniziato a comunicare con il loro bambino: Henry ha facilitato le cose per tutti, e Dale è gradualmente migliorato al punto che oggi conduce una vi...more
I would not have bought a book like this. My motto is "too many books, too little time". So when a friend loaned me this book, I put it off for a bit expecting it to be sweet and sentimental without the x factor.
Well, just shows. I can be introduced to new genres without feeling that I am wasting my precious book reading time(Sharon, have you got any other books for me?).
Especially when the heroes (which are really the parents, more so than the dog - even though he is quite adorable and reminde...more
Well, just shows. I can be introduced to new genres without feeling that I am wasting my precious book reading time(Sharon, have you got any other books for me?).
Especially when the heroes (which are really the parents, more so than the dog - even though he is quite adorable and reminde...more
Adorei este livro. Chorei algumas partes, ri e principalmente vivi a história desta família, que passou por tanto. Todos os nossos problemas ao pé destes (reais problemas) não são nada. Gosto muito de ler sobre este tema, autismo e as sua várias formas e síndromes associados, para mim é algo misterioso, talvez por desconhecer a sua origem. É interessante perceber que o pensamento e raciocínio está lá, mas perdido em algures, são esses algures que me fascinam (acho), faz-me pensar que o nosso cér...more
When Jamie and Nuala Gardner chose a puppy for their son Dale, they weren't an ordinary family choosing an ordinary pet as Dale had severe autism. Jamie and Nuala spent most of their waking hours trying to break into his world until their lives were transformed by Henry the puppy. With patient work, the bond between Dale and his dog helped them produce the breakthrough in their son they had long sought.
This was a good look into life with an autistic child. The struggles that Nuala had to go thro...more
This was a good look into life with an autistic child. The struggles that Nuala had to go thro...more
This was a quick read that really pulled me in. It's a memoir of raising a boy who is autistic, before much is known about autism (at least in the area of Scotland where this family lives). The son, Dale, is two handsful--until, amazingly, the family begins to make breakthroughs with the help of their new pup, Henry. The parents teach Dale so much through his connection with Henry, even, in a stroke of spontaneous genius/desperation, talking to him "through" Henry. The book includes reflections...more
I would recommend this book to anyone who knows children with cognitive learning disabilities. This is the memoir of one mother's plight to bring up her autistic child; the social prejudice she faced; the lack of educational support, and how dear Henry played a pivotal role in channeling communication between Dale and his family. I had a good cry in parts. The book could've been shortened. Autism is a topic rarely broached; it's a condition that is difficult to diagnose and some people chose to...more
I read this book sometime back so my memory is a little bit scratchy. I was initially drawn to the book because the story line revolved around a dog, being an animal lover it fit directly in to my favourites. However the book was in fact about Naula's story of having two autistic children and her daily battles to ensure that they had the best possible upbringing. It was an incredibly amazing book that has opened a new world to me - I am currently studying to become a teacher and am hoping to be...more
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a dog made the real difference. Dale was still a baby when his parents realised that something wasn't right. Worried, his mother Nuala took him to see several doctors, before finally hearing the word 'autism' for the first time in a specialist's office. Scared but determined that Dale should live a fulfilling life, Nuala describes her despairat her son's condition, her struggle to prevent Dale...more
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a dog made the real difference. Dale was still a baby when his parents realised that something wasn't right. Worried, his mother Nuala took him to see several doctors, before finally hearing the word 'autism' for the first time in a specialist's office. Scared but determined that Dale should live a fulfilling life, Nuala describes her despairat her son's condition, her struggle to prevent Dale
...more
Jul 18, 2008
Kristylemmon
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those interested in how autism affects families
Overall, this was an enjoyable and insightful read. The author is the mother of 2 children with autism and this is about how getting a dog helped them break through to their children (it can feel like autism has kidnapped your child). She's a nurse, not a writer, so at times I found it a little tedious and overly sentimental. That said, I was very impressed that she was able to convey their story so clearly. It's no small task to bring a child from severe autism to high functioning and then to b...more
I got this book from the library because it was one of the books for my ward's bookclub. I had never heard of it before now.
It is a true story of an autistic boy Dale and how his dog Henry helps him. The author Nuala is the mother of Dale and tells a very detailed story of what it was like for her family to deal with Dale, his developmental issues, and health and educational professionals.
I enjoyed reading this book and was reminded of some of my former clients who also struggled with Autism....more
It is a true story of an autistic boy Dale and how his dog Henry helps him. The author Nuala is the mother of Dale and tells a very detailed story of what it was like for her family to deal with Dale, his developmental issues, and health and educational professionals.
I enjoyed reading this book and was reminded of some of my former clients who also struggled with Autism....more
This is a beautiful story - tears are guaranteed.
Insight into autism - makes you stop and consider the possibilities before you judge the 'naughty child' throwing a tantrum in the supermarket aisle.
There are things most of us take for granted in our relationship with our mother and this story is a stark reminder or how important a simple hug or 'I love you' really is.
I love how the mother continues against the odds (and the systems), and is able to find help in Henry. In a sense, this dog saves...more
Insight into autism - makes you stop and consider the possibilities before you judge the 'naughty child' throwing a tantrum in the supermarket aisle.
There are things most of us take for granted in our relationship with our mother and this story is a stark reminder or how important a simple hug or 'I love you' really is.
I love how the mother continues against the odds (and the systems), and is able to find help in Henry. In a sense, this dog saves...more
A brilliant and insightful book into the difficult life of having a child with autism, and how profound a dog can be in the life of an autistic child.
This is a very moving book. Nuala did everything within her power to ensure that her autistic son, Dale, had the most normal life possible, never allowing his autism to get the better of him. The family's Golden Retriever, Henry, was instrumental in helping Nuala to achieve that.
A beautiful, touching book.
This is a very moving book. Nuala did everything within her power to ensure that her autistic son, Dale, had the most normal life possible, never allowing his autism to get the better of him. The family's Golden Retriever, Henry, was instrumental in helping Nuala to achieve that.
A beautiful, touching book.
Although set in Scotland, it was still interesting to read this true story from a mother who saw her 2 children through growing uo with autism...with 2 different profiles.
Henry, their adorable lab, helped both children since the parents used the dog as a vehicle for their son Dale to speak and their daughter Amy to interact and learn about her everyday world.
The book concludes in 2007 with words that Dale himself wrote as an adult.
Henry, their adorable lab, helped both children since the parents used the dog as a vehicle for their son Dale to speak and their daughter Amy to interact and learn about her everyday world.
The book concludes in 2007 with words that Dale himself wrote as an adult.
Aug 02, 2011
Morgan
added it
As far as books about kids with autism go, this one was dry. I would've liked to see more time devoted to the trials of interventions that led to Dale's success. Also, not enough credit given to professionals that probably did help along the way. As far as Dale being "severely austistic?" Not so much. A cool kid with autism? Yes. An interesting little girl with autism? Yes. Anyways, I cried by the end so it was decent.
This book was similar to Cowboy and Wills except this covered 16 years while the other only covered 1 year but with background from the past of the child. This one had less daily detail but showed the enormous change that came into this family's life with the help of the dog. The mother was relentless in getting her children help and literally made herself ill doing what "the system" would not do.
This book is fabulous, however the focus seemed to be more on the author (mum's) superhuman efforts to give her son (and daughter) the best quality of life possible, than the impact of the dog! I'm not sure if Henry's role is poorly explained or if the publishers thought a focus on the friendly pup would make the book sell better!
Loved Henry, salute Nuala!
Loved Henry, salute Nuala!
Simply written but overall a pretty good read. I chose it because of the golden retriever on the cover (of course). Although the dog wasn't featured as prominently as I would've liked, I thought that the author did a good job portraying what it was like to be the mother of children with autism, and how the dog made a big impact in their whole family.
Autism has always interested me, so I found this story quite educational and remarkable. Although, the author starts to diverge away from the dog towards the last 1/4 of the book, it was still a good read. I wish she had included more current pictures of the whole family at the end though. Oh well, guess that's what Google's for.
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