Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott

Book of the Week: 10 November 2019

‘One thing that you should probably know about me early on is that I’m autistic. I have autism.’ says Tally in her diary at the beginning of the book. She is about to start secondary school and is worried about getting lost, making friends and having her head flushed down the toilet. Her sister Nell assures her that this  only happens to ‘mouthy kids that don’t know when to shut up’, but Tally continues to worry about germs, making eye contact and her urge to wear a tiger mask in public.

Once she gets to school, her literal interpretation of events and total honesty lead to all kinds of complications, some of them funny and others distressing.

The author Rebecca Westcott tells most of the story, with Libby Scott (who is autistic herself) writing Tally’s diary entries. Between them, they create a cast of rounded characters who engage our empathy and make us feel their frustrations and triumphs.

If you liked Wonder by R.J. Palacio, or books such as The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson, this is definitely one to try.