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Daisy Has Autism
by
**Second-Place Winner of the 2020 Indie Reader Discovery Awards and a Finalist for the Montaigne Medal of the 2020 Eric Hoffer Award.**
“What are my limits? What do I stand for? What am I willing to do to advocate for someone I love?” Arthur Russell was an average guy. A married man with one child and one on the way, he and his growing family settled in Davis, CA to begin t ...more
“What are my limits? What do I stand for? What am I willing to do to advocate for someone I love?” Arthur Russell was an average guy. A married man with one child and one on the way, he and his growing family settled in Davis, CA to begin t ...more
Kindle Edition, 313 pages
Published
January 31st 2019
by IndieGo Publishing LLC
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I loved this book! I highly recommend this to any parent, educator, medical personnel and anyone serving in the public sector, or have any friend or family members going through this.
This is a beautifully told story that is heart wrenching and written with love and care. I can imagine the difficulties that many of these families go through and are left with no support and no advocate for their child and their families. Our educational system does not make it helpful to navigate - instead we for ...more
This is a beautifully told story that is heart wrenching and written with love and care. I can imagine the difficulties that many of these families go through and are left with no support and no advocate for their child and their families. Our educational system does not make it helpful to navigate - instead we for ...more
Tears were shed. At work.
I felt like I was stepping right into the lives of the characters, this story was told so well, the writing was fluent and descriptive, the characters so real and believable. I truly think everyone needs to give this story a read. There was a particular part that made me cry but overall this wasn’t a heartbreaking story- but it is realistic and true; and sometimes that’s hard- “hard as a bowl of rocks” (- Magda)
The Russels move to small town Davis, California- for the a ...more
This is a story of a family's journey to get educational help for their child. It's infuriating, compelling (read it in 2 days) and beautifully written. The love Arthur has for his family is evident in every page. what is also evident is the acceptance and respect he feels for all of his family but especially his daughter and his dog who both have autism. At times, he pauses in the story of Magda to appreciate Daisy. It feels like he is pausing to take a deep breath, to remind himself of what he
...more
This a story I suspect will be familiar to many readers at different levels, certainly those with children who simply do not respond the way one expects. But it becomes even more difficult when it is present in a dog. How does one deal with an autistic dog and an autistic child? The author has done a magnificent job of bringing these two together, and in describing how difficult it is to get the help and support one needs.
Told as a story, he has drawn on personal experience and real events to br ...more
Told as a story, he has drawn on personal experience and real events to br ...more
Sublime writing, masterful storytelling, authentic voice, real experiences, and a call to action -- a wonderful book in every way by author Aaron J. Wright.
“What do labels mean? Are they simply just words with capital letters?”
•
Daisy Has Autism narrates the story of the Russel family and their struggles while seeking to enroll their daughter in special education at their local public school.
It navigates the complexities of autism with their dog and their daughter.
•
I loved this story, it was really interesting, beautiful and inspiring.
It was so well written and easy to read that it felt like stepping into their lives, I got frustrated and angry with ...more
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Daisy Has Autism narrates the story of the Russel family and their struggles while seeking to enroll their daughter in special education at their local public school.
It navigates the complexities of autism with their dog and their daughter.
•
I loved this story, it was really interesting, beautiful and inspiring.
It was so well written and easy to read that it felt like stepping into their lives, I got frustrated and angry with ...more
Daisy Has Autism is a true account of what it’s like to have a child with special needs and what happens to you, your family and basically your life in general. The story also speaks to the frustration of dealing with the public school system and the way schools want to handle special needs children.
I loved this book! Aaron Wright does an excellent and eloquent job of conveying the emotions parents go through within the process. Being the parent of a child on the spectrum and then having a gran ...more
I loved this book! Aaron Wright does an excellent and eloquent job of conveying the emotions parents go through within the process. Being the parent of a child on the spectrum and then having a gran ...more
May 06, 2019
GoodlyWitch
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
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Very few times in our lifetime does something touch us so profoundly that we feel the need to sing its praises from the rooftops. Often, these praises go ignored. I’m going to tell you why my praises today should not be ignored. In the course of a few hours, I laughed, cried, yelled, wanted to throw something, wanted to slap someone, and threw up my hands in frustration, all the while mesmerized by a beautifully written and heart felt story. It reads like fiction, but sadly it is not. And it’s a
...more
The Wife of this author is in a "book group" that I am in on Facebook. She told us about her husband's book and asked us to read it. As the mom of a child who was diagnosed with Autistic tendencies and also being Significantly Developmentally Delayed, I HAD to read this book.
I loved the style this book was written in. It read like a story and I think added to this book. I found myself going thru many emotions while reading this book. Many tears, laughter and so much anger!! Don't get me wrong, ...more
I loved the style this book was written in. It read like a story and I think added to this book. I found myself going thru many emotions while reading this book. Many tears, laughter and so much anger!! Don't get me wrong, ...more
*Warning: Emotional Ranting Review*
Daisy has Autism is beautifully written. It is witty, clever, and wonderfully descriptive. The author’s use of metaphors is absolutely brilliant. I was immersed into this story from the very beginning and even upon finishing it has stuck with me. This book is about a family’s struggle to enroll their daughter, Magdalena, into special education at their local public school. The process to simply get this little girl into a special education classroom was unbelie ...more
Daisy has Autism is beautifully written. It is witty, clever, and wonderfully descriptive. The author’s use of metaphors is absolutely brilliant. I was immersed into this story from the very beginning and even upon finishing it has stuck with me. This book is about a family’s struggle to enroll their daughter, Magdalena, into special education at their local public school. The process to simply get this little girl into a special education classroom was unbelie ...more
Daisy Has Autism is a story of two parents who often felt like small fish in a huge pond, trying to navigate the murky waters of discrimination at the hands of an unethical and indifferent school system. This gripping account takes the reader through the hardships and hurdles they faced as they fought for a safe and quality educational environment for their daughter. This book will definitely raise awareness of the stresses that families of children with special needs may go through as they atte
...more
I believe this amazingly truthful memoir deserves all the praise in the world. I do not think my words will do this book enough justice. Just trust me when I say you NEED to read this book. Teachers, parents, educators, and administrators read this book! If you or anyone you know is connected to autism in any way, this book will give you hope and fulfillment of understanding. If you or anyone you know is not connected to autism then this book is a must read. It provides an exclusive insight into
...more
Sep 27, 2019
Heidi Madderra
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Anyone, especially Parents, Teachers, Administrators, Leaders
Build momentum together around the need for change in processes that are clearly not working as promised by the intent of our laws.
"Daisy has Autism" was a good and relatively quick read, as I finished the 1st read of the ebook over a few days in Sept.19'(on another persons profile). This was actually my 1st ebook which slowed me down a bit since I had to learn navigation and ebook markup techniques that seems to differ when moving between devices. So, there may be some chapter and story search ...more
"Daisy has Autism" was a good and relatively quick read, as I finished the 1st read of the ebook over a few days in Sept.19'(on another persons profile). This was actually my 1st ebook which slowed me down a bit since I had to learn navigation and ebook markup techniques that seems to differ when moving between devices. So, there may be some chapter and story search ...more
I received Daisy Has Autism in September and I’ve been waiting for the right time to read it. I knew it was going to be an emotional read for me and I’m very much a mood reader. Oddly enough, while reading this family’s story about their fight for services for their autistic daughter, I’ve spent this week discouraged because of my own fight for services for my autistic son. Sometimes we read a book at just the right time and it is surprisingly therapeutic.
The sad reality is the majority of schoo ...more
Daisy Has Autism
All I can say is wow. If you read Daisy Has Autism and you say that you didn't cry or feel any emotion at all, I have to call you a liar. My eyes were wet 90% of this book and my heart strings were pulled with very page. More importantly, I found myself getting angry and defensive as well. Although many of us know what autism is, I think we are ignorant to what that truly means. We don't know what it's like to have your child go to public school. We don't know what kind of battle ...more
All I can say is wow. If you read Daisy Has Autism and you say that you didn't cry or feel any emotion at all, I have to call you a liar. My eyes were wet 90% of this book and my heart strings were pulled with very page. More importantly, I found myself getting angry and defensive as well. Although many of us know what autism is, I think we are ignorant to what that truly means. We don't know what it's like to have your child go to public school. We don't know what kind of battle ...more
To say this book is important would be a gross understatement. Daisy has Autism is incredibly beautiful and so well told by Aaron Wright. The writer tells the story of his family's experience with the Davis California school district in terms of their struggles to help their daughter get the proper education for her autism. How him and his wife struggled to understand why a school district would intentionally keep out a student that needed an individual education plan and the teachers, school of
...more
This caught my interest due to the nature of my work as a preschool teacher who also worked with children on the spectrum. While I am unfamiliar with the educational system and special needs programs in the U.S., this book gave me an idea of how challenging and unfair the system can become. I felt how personal this story is to the author, how his family struggled to navigate their way towards the system, all in an effort to provide the best education and care for their daughter, Magda. The exper
...more
Daisy Has Autism is a true account of what it’s like to have a child with special needs and what happens to you, your family and basically your life in general. The story also speaks to the frustration of dealing with the public school system and the way schools want to handle special needs children.
I loved this book! Aaron Wright does an excellent and eloquent job of conveying the emotions parents go through within the process. Being the parent of a child on the spectrum and then having a gran ...more
I loved this book! Aaron Wright does an excellent and eloquent job of conveying the emotions parents go through within the process. Being the parent of a child on the spectrum and then having a gran ...more
This is a book that caught my eye several months ago. First, the cover alone is eye catching, but then the title?! So, clear. I knew immediately I not only wanted, but NEEDED to read this book. My “real job” is working as a Teachers Assistant in a classroom with Special Education students. This book, is a must read! Even though, I’m not a part of the IEP process, I am a part of making sure we follow IEP’s. The difficulties this family had to face and the hoops they had to jump through to get an
...more
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Arthur brings home to his wife Annie and son Charlie a Labrador puppy from an animal shelter, and life with Daisy begins.
It was fascinating to hear about Daisy's behaviours that lead Arthur to suspect autism, like lining up the tennis balls, making no eye contact, and not interacting with other dogs. I could feel the frustration and concern when Wright details the horrific boot camp experience, and unsuccessful attempts to go for walks. Just as more and more people are being diagnosed as on the ...more
It was fascinating to hear about Daisy's behaviours that lead Arthur to suspect autism, like lining up the tennis balls, making no eye contact, and not interacting with other dogs. I could feel the frustration and concern when Wright details the horrific boot camp experience, and unsuccessful attempts to go for walks. Just as more and more people are being diagnosed as on the ...more
This was a really good book on a subject that I know very little about. You can feel that this story is very personal to the author and that in and of itself gives the reader so much more of an emotional pull. The story brings the reader through the difficulties that the whole family faces in regard to advocating for their child and how difficult it is to navigate doing this in the public school system.
There is also the relationship between the dog and the child, both with autism, that is parti ...more
There is also the relationship between the dog and the child, both with autism, that is parti ...more
Thank you for the Goodreads giveaway! Daisy Has Autism takes readers through an emotional journey of two parents struggling to care for their daughter and also dog, that have autism. I honestly didn’t even know dogs could have autism! Parts of this story broke my heart, especially when Daisy was sent to training and the frustrations of getting support from the school. It is evident through the author’s writing, that he is very passionate in finding ways to help his dog and daughter so they have
...more
Fabulous book about parents struggle with a school system that did not want to give their child the help they needed. It just shows how public schools need an overhaul starting with our government listening to educators and giving money where needed. Schools could work better if educators where making decisions state wide not politicians. Schools have potential to educate all students if done correctly and given man power. Too few teachers too many students and now we have a shortage of teachers
...more
There are few books that I feel that every parent should read and this book is definitely one of them. This book tells the story of a young family who has a daughter that suffers with Autism. They navigate through the struggles of an unfair education system who doesn’t seem to understand the needs of every child is different. The author did a beautiful job in portraying events that can happen to any family. This book broke my heart in some parts and made me smile in others.
You cannot help but get emotionally involved in this story. This is reality - and it sucks to put it plainly. However, you truly become invested in this family and their battle. What a brilliantly written insight into the constant struggles of a family dealing with autism and an adversarial public educational system.
Daisy Has Autism is a must read.
Although I’m an avid reader, I haven’t felt called to read anything outside of personal development or business in a couple years. Daisy Has Autism changed that.
It captured me from the first page and brought up every emotion. The urgent message, the depth of the writing and the author’s ability to guide the reader to perspective share is what made this book a powerful standout.
It’s a beautifully written invitation to wake up to the unacceptable and arduous real ...more
Although I’m an avid reader, I haven’t felt called to read anything outside of personal development or business in a couple years. Daisy Has Autism changed that.
It captured me from the first page and brought up every emotion. The urgent message, the depth of the writing and the author’s ability to guide the reader to perspective share is what made this book a powerful standout.
It’s a beautifully written invitation to wake up to the unacceptable and arduous real ...more
Jul 22, 2019
Maryk Adams
added it
This book was so very inspirational and insightful into Autism and reactions of others to an individual who has autism. If you want to learn more this is a must read.
A very compelling story. Our world is so messed up these days.
These parents fought so hard for the rights of there daughter Magda. She has autism. The public school in their area did everything they could to NOT HELP her with her disability. As the.mother of a teacher in today's world I understand all too plainly of the struggles.
God bless Mages and her parents. ...more
These parents fought so hard for the rights of there daughter Magda. She has autism. The public school in their area did everything they could to NOT HELP her with her disability. As the.mother of a teacher in today's world I understand all too plainly of the struggles.
God bless Mages and her parents. ...more
A must-read for educators and taxpayers, this honest and heart-wrenching story of one family’s struggle to understand and cope with the challenges of dealing with a special education system that fails to support the very students it exists to serve will make you question what is going on in public education. If this is what is happening when educated parents have the time and resources to take action, how many parents who don’t enjoy that privilege are trusting districts to be the experts? How m
...more
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Aaron J. Wright (also published under Aaron Wright) is the product of a public education and a member of a family deeply entrenched in public education. He is a Nurse Practitioner and the parent of two children, one with autism. Professionally he has worked with severely injured adults and children for nearly two decades. Outside of work, he has been a staunch advocate for disabled students in pub
...more
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