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With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child #2
With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child
Sachiko and Masato Azuma have overcome numerous obstacles in dealing with their firstborn son Hikaru's autism. Having saved their marriage from ending in ruins, the young couple has welcomed a healthy baby girl, Kanon, into their tight-knit family. But with the obvious differences between Hikaru's and Kanon's developmental abilities, it becomes apparent that social prejudices against Hikaru's disability are never far away. As Hikaru moves into fourth grade, Sachiko encounters a new student, Miyu, whose mother has completely given up on her daughter's life and her own. With the help of Hikaru's beloved teacher, Aoki-sensei, Sachiko aims to bring hope back to Miyu's family. But when Aoki-sensei transfers to a different school and Hikaru's special education class is thrown into upheaval by yet another tragedy, can Sachiko continue to hold on to her own hope for her son's future?
528 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2008
15 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Keiko Tobe
24 books38 followersKeiko Tobe (1957-January 28, 2010) was a mangaka who wrote primarily josei manga. She was best known for creating With the Light, which won an Excellence Prize in the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in 2004 from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and inspired a television drama.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 32 reviews
February 28, 2013
Another brilliant manga about autism and this family dealing with it. They don't pity Hikaru or look down on him, they try to understand him. They try to understand the positives of his condition and how his mind works. I especially loved the first teacher he had who totally came up with all kind of ways to help Hikaru.
I also think our schools should have a buddy system so kids could learn to be compassionate and helpful towards kids with autism. That way instead of teasing them they learn to understand their unique perspective and work with them.
OMG Miyu is so cute. She looks like a baby Captain M words.
I also think our schools should have a buddy system so kids could learn to be compassionate and helpful towards kids with autism. That way instead of teasing them they learn to understand their unique perspective and work with them.
OMG Miyu is so cute. She looks like a baby Captain M words.
May 28, 2014
My main review of the series is here: Series Review.
Quotes:
Sachiko, Hikaru's mother, thinks: "Hikaru gets tickled a lot. /He should ask people to stop it if he doesn't like it. But because of his disability, he doesn't know how to say it, and instead he smiles, looking troubled. /Seeing him smile, people make the mistake that Hikaru likes it and continue to tickle him, causing him to panic." (episode 2). I didn't realize how apt this was until I read it, and remembered sometimes doing the same thing as a child-- smiling or laughing when I was uncomfortable with a situation. Being reminded of this possibility helped me recently in a situation with an autistic girl I babysit.
On trying to force autistic children to learn normal behavior, Sachiko says: "...An autistic child's anxiousness and feelings of unpleasantness that come from their difference in senses... /is so troublesome, just living every day is like radical treatment [eg, intensive behavioral therapy/intervention]. /So to use additional radical treatment is cruel. If your child can't do something, forcing them to must be like hell." (episode 7)
She also says: "Children with autism have good memories. So it's much harder for them to forget bad experiences than it is for us. /So fill them with as many good experiences as possible." (episode 7)
In episode 8, an example is given of a communication card Hikaru uses. The options on it are: "No, I don't want to./ It's too noisy./ Please go away./ I don't like that./ I won't eat that." So often in America, I see communication devices and methods limited to requests that are considered "polite." It's so important to give autistic children a way to express their dislikes as well as their likes, to ask people to stop, and otherwise to stand up for themselves!!
The endnotes, wonderfully, include excerpts from the UN's 1989 "Convention on the Rights of Children," adopted by Japan in 1994. Article 23.1 reads "...a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in the community." YES!!
Quotes:
Sachiko, Hikaru's mother, thinks: "Hikaru gets tickled a lot. /He should ask people to stop it if he doesn't like it. But because of his disability, he doesn't know how to say it, and instead he smiles, looking troubled. /Seeing him smile, people make the mistake that Hikaru likes it and continue to tickle him, causing him to panic." (episode 2). I didn't realize how apt this was until I read it, and remembered sometimes doing the same thing as a child-- smiling or laughing when I was uncomfortable with a situation. Being reminded of this possibility helped me recently in a situation with an autistic girl I babysit.
On trying to force autistic children to learn normal behavior, Sachiko says: "...An autistic child's anxiousness and feelings of unpleasantness that come from their difference in senses... /is so troublesome, just living every day is like radical treatment [eg, intensive behavioral therapy/intervention]. /So to use additional radical treatment is cruel. If your child can't do something, forcing them to must be like hell." (episode 7)
She also says: "Children with autism have good memories. So it's much harder for them to forget bad experiences than it is for us. /So fill them with as many good experiences as possible." (episode 7)
In episode 8, an example is given of a communication card Hikaru uses. The options on it are: "No, I don't want to./ It's too noisy./ Please go away./ I don't like that./ I won't eat that." So often in America, I see communication devices and methods limited to requests that are considered "polite." It's so important to give autistic children a way to express their dislikes as well as their likes, to ask people to stop, and otherwise to stand up for themselves!!
The endnotes, wonderfully, include excerpts from the UN's 1989 "Convention on the Rights of Children," adopted by Japan in 1994. Article 23.1 reads "...a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in the community." YES!!
May 7, 2019
And this manga goes to show that families with autistic members, be they in Japan or the US, face similar struggles. People who are quick to judge and exclude, harsh words that people say in passing, and the just how precariousness the balance of life is when you have a disabled child and how the safe, inclusive place that you find for your autistic child can be taken away overnight, leaving families scrambling to regain their balance.
While on the one hand while I do like how, even when people are very ugly, we eventually see the life circumstances that cause them to be mean and cruel, on the other hand seeing everyone eventually have a change of heart and learn to accept Hikaru after awhile starts to feel unrealistic. While I like the message that everyone plays a role in making room for others, the fact of the matter is a lot of people don't and it takes more than a few weeks to have such dramatic turn arounds.
Still a lovely story about autistic children and learning how to make a space for them and to help them thrive with love and acceptance.
While on the one hand while I do like how, even when people are very ugly, we eventually see the life circumstances that cause them to be mean and cruel, on the other hand seeing everyone eventually have a change of heart and learn to accept Hikaru after awhile starts to feel unrealistic. While I like the message that everyone plays a role in making room for others, the fact of the matter is a lot of people don't and it takes more than a few weeks to have such dramatic turn arounds.
Still a lovely story about autistic children and learning how to make a space for them and to help them thrive with love and acceptance.
March 6, 2009
I don't even know where to begin.
Content wise:
The subtitle says a lot about the basis of the book, so let's skip that and go right to the good bits. This book is simply amazing, and I'd recomend it to people who don't even like manga and grapic novels. It's touching and you learn a lot.
The story progresses well. It starts off with what seems the best case scenario. Things are hard yes, discrimination and problems are around every corner but there's a lot of good around. Hikaru's teachers and friends truely care about him and his development and because of that he grows.
Later on in the book, it goes completely south. This is where I kinda had a moment of disbelief, mostly because loosing both the good teacher and understanding pricaple so closely together was a bit contrived, it still was effective. Having a teacher and priciple who don't understand Hikaru's disability and are unwilling to learn made for a good contrast to the almost perfect setting before.
I think my favorite part had to be where we start to learn about Hikaru's new teacher, Gunji-sensei. At first she seems the worst possible teacher, the kind that drove you nuts when you were in school, or had to deal with when they taught your children. Disinterested and uncaring, only wanting to do the bare minimum.
Then they show from her point of view. You see her as a young teacher who tried her hardest but slowly became disillusioned. Which I saw happening at my high school while working in the offices for a work study
Content wise:
The subtitle says a lot about the basis of the book, so let's skip that and go right to the good bits. This book is simply amazing, and I'd recomend it to people who don't even like manga and grapic novels. It's touching and you learn a lot.
The story progresses well. It starts off with what seems the best case scenario. Things are hard yes, discrimination and problems are around every corner but there's a lot of good around. Hikaru's teachers and friends truely care about him and his development and because of that he grows.
Later on in the book, it goes completely south. This is where I kinda had a moment of disbelief, mostly because loosing both the good teacher and understanding pricaple so closely together was a bit contrived, it still was effective. Having a teacher and priciple who don't understand Hikaru's disability and are unwilling to learn made for a good contrast to the almost perfect setting before.
I think my favorite part had to be where we start to learn about Hikaru's new teacher, Gunji-sensei. At first she seems the worst possible teacher, the kind that drove you nuts when you were in school, or had to deal with when they taught your children. Disinterested and uncaring, only wanting to do the bare minimum.
Then they show from her point of view. You see her as a young teacher who tried her hardest but slowly became disillusioned. Which I saw happening at my high school while working in the offices for a work study
February 22, 2019
This manga is amazing. It tells the story of an autistic boy named Hikaru (which means 'light') and his parents, teachers, and friends as they all attempt to help and understand him. This volume focuses on his elementary years while volume one focused on his birth and early childhood. It is jam packed with good information on autism, how to think about it and relate to those who have it, and also the challenges and misconceptions society throws at autistic children and their parents. It's emotional, realistic, and will definitely help the reader step into the autistic world. The manga style of story-telling makes it easy to understand, and I could see older kids reading it as a way to understand an autistic sibling or playmate. Parents and teachers would highly benefit from it as well. The only downside is that was originally written in Japanese for a Japanese audience so the cultural pieces may be confusing to non-Japanese readers, and the social challenges will be different. The translation can be clunky at times, but is still pretty good. The artwork is beautiful. I would love to see an American version of this story as I think it'd be hugely beneficial for American families and teachers who deal with autistic kids. It's visual, easy to understand, down-to-earth, and extremely informative. I highly recommend it to anyone with autistic kids in their life or who is interested in autism (and who doesn't mind the Japanese cultural pieces).
January 5, 2009
(Reusing review from vol 1)
Before I read the first volume of this book, I thought I just lacked the "manga gene." I love American comics, but Japanese comics were incomprehensible to me. But it turned out I was just reading the wrong genres of manga. This book instantly grabbed me, and wouldn't let go. (Which is not to say that I didn't struggle at all with it, just that it was much easier to follow, and gave me an incentive to figure it out when I had trouble.)
I fell for little Hikaru, and soared when he triumphed and sorrowed for his defeats, much like a mother would. I learned much about autism that I didn't already know between this and the first volume. And the interaction of caring for an autistic child in Japanese culture was fascinating.
One thing I liked from a structural point of view was the English translations of sound effects written in small letters alongside the originals. I felt like it allowed the original art and intention to shine through without leaving me, the American reader, behind. It's so much better than the usual lack of translation or glossary in the back.
I would heartily recommend these books. And I would love to know if there are others out there like this in the US!
Before I read the first volume of this book, I thought I just lacked the "manga gene." I love American comics, but Japanese comics were incomprehensible to me. But it turned out I was just reading the wrong genres of manga. This book instantly grabbed me, and wouldn't let go. (Which is not to say that I didn't struggle at all with it, just that it was much easier to follow, and gave me an incentive to figure it out when I had trouble.)
I fell for little Hikaru, and soared when he triumphed and sorrowed for his defeats, much like a mother would. I learned much about autism that I didn't already know between this and the first volume. And the interaction of caring for an autistic child in Japanese culture was fascinating.
One thing I liked from a structural point of view was the English translations of sound effects written in small letters alongside the originals. I felt like it allowed the original art and intention to shine through without leaving me, the American reader, behind. It's so much better than the usual lack of translation or glossary in the back.
I would heartily recommend these books. And I would love to know if there are others out there like this in the US!
December 25, 2015
Amazing! I wish I had been given this book series when my son was 2 and 3 years old! This book covers 4/5th grade, and is very true to real life for me. Difficulty with major life changes, intolerant teachers, public shame - all the struggles most parents of autistic children face. I would recommend this to any parent, reluctant extended family member, or friend of an autistic child!
July 12, 2011
"My son, Hikaru Azuma, is autistic." I understand, you have to keep the people informed -- but do you absolutely have to put that little number at the beginning of every chapter? Subtly was never this book's strong suit. Brevity, either...
September 9, 2019
I so love watching Hikaru as he ages! Can't wait to read the next in this beautiful series!
October 21, 2018
It takes an amazing father to put up with this kind of shit on a daily basis, let me tell ya. I don't think they get enough credit. I'm not saying I have any kinda experience with this sort of thing, no way. My boy is as normal as they get. You should see his IQ. Staggering shit. BRAVE!
November 30, 2020
I really wish I could get more than just the first two volumes. My younger brother has Asperger's syndrome, and we went through a lot of the same things with him over the years. The parents' struggles are very relatable and this manga is filled with heartwarming and heartbreaking situations.
July 6, 2021
I really like that this series shows us why people act the way they do. No one is just evil to be evil.
August 23, 2012
With the Light is the touching tale for Sachiko Azuma and her family which includes her autistic son, Hikaru. (Mild Spoilers follow)
In this second volume Hikaru meets a new autistic child in his special education class, Miyu-chan. Hikaru also tackles the fun challenge of growing tomatoes with his buddy class and makes friends with Ishida from the other class. A wedding disrupts life by forcing a teacher transfer and the new teacher of Hikaru's class is sure no Aoki-sensei.
Again the reader enjoys a roller coaster ride with the Azuma family sharing their highs and lows. Sachiko remains a strong woman even if she hides within the mould of the 'good Japanese wife'. I love so much about this manga, the characters the story, the subject that is is impossible to not get swept up and read the entire volume in one go (which is impressive since the manga is a 3 in 1 sized volume).
Some of my favourite moments were discovering Hikaru's special talent of matching the perfect colour for an animal and seeing the power of massage :D
I would recommend this touching and clever manga for any existing fan of manga, anyone wanting to try out manga but not sure where to start and of course anyone intrigued by the idea of reading a story centering around an autistic child.
In this second volume Hikaru meets a new autistic child in his special education class, Miyu-chan. Hikaru also tackles the fun challenge of growing tomatoes with his buddy class and makes friends with Ishida from the other class. A wedding disrupts life by forcing a teacher transfer and the new teacher of Hikaru's class is sure no Aoki-sensei.
Again the reader enjoys a roller coaster ride with the Azuma family sharing their highs and lows. Sachiko remains a strong woman even if she hides within the mould of the 'good Japanese wife'. I love so much about this manga, the characters the story, the subject that is is impossible to not get swept up and read the entire volume in one go (which is impressive since the manga is a 3 in 1 sized volume).
Some of my favourite moments were discovering Hikaru's special talent of matching the perfect colour for an animal and seeing the power of massage :D
I would recommend this touching and clever manga for any existing fan of manga, anyone wanting to try out manga but not sure where to start and of course anyone intrigued by the idea of reading a story centering around an autistic child.
September 13, 2010
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1506761.html
It concerns the education of Hikaru Azuma, a young Japanese autistic boy, as told largely from the viewpoint of his mother Sachiko. At this stage the series is settling down into being a regular feature in the Japanese magazine For Mrs, targeted at young mothers, so we get a certain amount of recapitulation and also re-education of the reader through new characters - first the parent of a new child in Hikaru's class, who has had a much more difficult time of it and is much more traumatised by her dealings with authority, and then a difficult transition at school with a new special education teacher who isn't really up to it and a new headmaster who doesn't really care. Tobe's art as ever captures the expressions of autistic children brilliantly, and is pretty good on other points too; and I was also fascinated by the various insights into Japanese elementary school culture which were included as local context but were often more educational for me than the main thrust of the story.
It concerns the education of Hikaru Azuma, a young Japanese autistic boy, as told largely from the viewpoint of his mother Sachiko. At this stage the series is settling down into being a regular feature in the Japanese magazine For Mrs, targeted at young mothers, so we get a certain amount of recapitulation and also re-education of the reader through new characters - first the parent of a new child in Hikaru's class, who has had a much more difficult time of it and is much more traumatised by her dealings with authority, and then a difficult transition at school with a new special education teacher who isn't really up to it and a new headmaster who doesn't really care. Tobe's art as ever captures the expressions of autistic children brilliantly, and is pretty good on other points too; and I was also fascinated by the various insights into Japanese elementary school culture which were included as local context but were often more educational for me than the main thrust of the story.
September 7, 2009
This second volume in the With the Light series finds the autistic main character Hikaru beginning fourth grade. The narrative follows him into fifth grade, where he learns to deal with the stress of events, changes to his school environment, and learning new things.
The narrative and characters are compelling, but along the way the series really shines at teaching its readers about autism and what simple adaptations caretakers of autistic children can make to ease them into getting by in society. It also brilliantly chronicles the struggles of parents to give their children the best possible education and the frustrations when they find themselves failing at this. Truly a unique, wonderful graphic novel; I found it to be a painless introduction to Japanese comics. I'll definitely seek out the rest of the series.
The narrative and characters are compelling, but along the way the series really shines at teaching its readers about autism and what simple adaptations caretakers of autistic children can make to ease them into getting by in society. It also brilliantly chronicles the struggles of parents to give their children the best possible education and the frustrations when they find themselves failing at this. Truly a unique, wonderful graphic novel; I found it to be a painless introduction to Japanese comics. I'll definitely seek out the rest of the series.
August 23, 2009
It is really good to get a bit further into the world of Hikaru's family and school, and as he gets older than can be more humor and also complexity in the kind of stuff he is learning. The totally adorable manga style has also grown on me. The chapters were a bit repetitive here, but there were some new semi-villains and misguided friends and everybody learned about autism and themselves.
Probably the best part was that, as Hikaru grows up, he can understand things best if they are written out in numbered steps. He got to attend his teachers' wedding, and the description of what was going to happen was 1) These two teachers (pictures of the teachers) get along very well. 2) They will get married. There was a very sweet hint of humor in the book overall. Yay.
Probably the best part was that, as Hikaru grows up, he can understand things best if they are written out in numbered steps. He got to attend his teachers' wedding, and the description of what was going to happen was 1) These two teachers (pictures of the teachers) get along very well. 2) They will get married. There was a very sweet hint of humor in the book overall. Yay.
June 3, 2024
With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child (volume 2) was difficult to re-read a second time. Mainly because I felt more involved with the story especially now since I have more experience with students who are autistic/special needs. When I read this Manga book series I feel like I almost relate to the family in this story especially since I work with special needs elementary students. With this particular volume, it centers on Hikaru's (the main character) later years of elementary school. I feel like when I read this book series I am seeing Hikaru and his sister Kano's life unravel as I read page by page.
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May 7, 2013
Another volume in the series. This one didn't pack as much of an emotional punch as the first one for me, but I found it very interesting as a teacher to see the strategies employed in the special needs classroom. It also did a great job of debunking the whole "special needs teaching is a soft job" assumption that some people seem to have. Keiko Tobe has huge empathy, even with characters that are not particularly sympathetic, she shows where they are coming from and why they think the way they do. I finished it and immediately ordered the next two volumes.
July 27, 2008
read it! manga with a message - the story of an autistic boy, hikaru azuma, and how his family and school grow along with him (this second volume covers his later elementary years)...an excellent portrayal of what autism looks like and how to deal with it...surprising how cross-cultural the teaching practices are. the voice of sachiko azuma (hikaru's mother) is heartfelt, and at times, heartbreaking.
July 14, 2015
FANTASTIC! I love this series!
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I want everyone to read it! I don't know Hikaru or his family, they're fictional but still... the more I read, the more my heart connects with them and the story!
This little boy is loved by so many and his story impacts people in so many ways, and he doesn't even know it, but his mom sees it and you can feel her happiness at his every little triumph.
Yay Hikaru! Yay Azuma Family!
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I want everyone to read it! I don't know Hikaru or his family, they're fictional but still... the more I read, the more my heart connects with them and the story!
This little boy is loved by so many and his story impacts people in so many ways, and he doesn't even know it, but his mom sees it and you can feel her happiness at his every little triumph.
Yay Hikaru! Yay Azuma Family!
July 4, 2020
Tobe's skills in telling this story have improved noticeably from the first volumes to the second. Happy coincidences and moments of quick understanding are decreased, while there is a greater focus on the hardships between those who "get it" and those that do not. Once again an enjoyable and educational read, with a higher quality of writing over the first volume.
September 28, 2012
Good book, though I could not have anywhere near the patience/insight of the mother in the face of the new teacher. I'd have lost my mind.
More interesting information about autism and working with autistic children. My only complaint is that the information sometimes feels a little too spread out.
More interesting information about autism and working with autistic children. My only complaint is that the information sometimes feels a little too spread out.
April 16, 2009
A fascinating look into the life of a Japanese parent trying to raise a child with autism. I don't care that it's manga, it's still worth the time. (Yes, it's thick as all get out)
Dealt with a lot of things I went through with Isaac; the guilt and embarrassment as well as the joy.
Dealt with a lot of things I went through with Isaac; the guilt and embarrassment as well as the joy.
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July 28, 2011I liked this second volume better then the first, as you see how the family deals with having a second child and Hikaru continues to grow. The story sucks you in and you just can't put it down as you experience the emotional ups and downs.
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September 17, 2013This is the best josei manga ever,
this story is about a mother raising her austistic child,
it realy a beautiful story
i recommend it to every women,
for young women and for old women,
it's realy for all ages.
this story is about a mother raising her austistic child,
it realy a beautiful story
i recommend it to every women,
for young women and for old women,
it's realy for all ages.
December 31, 2015
Continues the realistic portrayal of a family confronting and coping with autism. Recommended for individuals who want to better understand what family/friends/neighbors with an autistic child experience.
February 12, 2010
I love the story, the characters, the true depiction of motherhood and teaching and autism.
June 18, 2016
This is such a realistic portrayal of life on the autism spectrum! I can't wait to read more of these.
September 6, 2014
continuing on from volume 1. gets a little repetitive, but i'll probably finish out the series.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 32 reviews