M in the Middle
Secret Crushes, Mega-Colossal Anxiety and the People’s Republic of Autism
by The Students of Limpsfield Grange School; Vicky Martin
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Pub Date 21 Oct 2016 | Archive Date 18 Jan 2017
Description
I'll never have a Card Emporium series of life events: a boyfriend, a fiancé, a husband and a future. A future with lots of sparkly cards celebrating all these big life events. I was on course and now I'm not.
Life after diagnosis isn't easy for M. Back in her wobbly world, there are lots of changes and ups and downs to get used to, not just for M, but for her friends and family too. Faced with an exciting crush, a pushy friend and an unhelpful Headteacher, how long until the beast of anxiety pounces again?
Written by Vicky Martin and the students of Limpsfield Grange, a school for girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder and communication and interaction difficulties, M's story draws on the real life experiences of teens with autism.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781785920349 |
| PRICE | £8.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 344 |
Featured Reviews
Stacey R, Reviewer
“M in the Middle” is the story of M, a 13 year old girl living with Autism and the unique challenges this presents.
I have worked for a number of years with individuals with learning and physical disabilities including those with ASD. I found M’s voice honest, authentic and insightful into the internal dialogue of those with ASD.
I could recognise traits within M in the people I work with, however it is important to remember (as is said in the book) if you meet one person with Autism, you have met one person with Autism.
Anxiety is an issue explored deeply in the book. M’s descriptions of how anxiety made her feel were very illustrative and her language and the changes in font actually invoked a real sense of someone drowning in anxiety and the claustrophobic, strangling, overwhelming, isolating “beast” that it is.
I liked the realism of the family relationships depicted, Toby’s struggles, her dads frustrations, and her mum struggling to cope. I also liked the librarian, Jess (Sky), Adam, Joe- I was so pleased M had people in her life who tried hard to understand M, explain things to her and just let her be herself.
There were a few things that pissed me off, firstly that M’s family were given a diagnosis and what seems to be absolutely no support- 1 year post diagnosis how had M not had a social worker, a needs assessment, a special education plan?! How did her mother seem to know nothing about DLA?! Very frustrating.
Worse than this was her school. Fair enough Jessica’s (Sky’s) mum and her boyfriend were ignorant *swear words* but educators? M mum should have sued that school for the discrimination they showed towards her daughter. The teacher who thinks she knows everything about Autism because she sat through a mandatory training session, the principal who seems to think he can discipline the Autism out of M- they make me so. fecking. cross.
In the end things didn’t get magically sorted and M floated off into the sun, but I felt hopeful for M and I think that’s the most believable and realistic ending for M.
