That’s Not Right! My Life Living With Asperger’s by Alex Manners
Alex Manners was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (as it was then known) in 2007 when he was ten years old. By the age of 22 in 2019 he had written That's Not Right: My Life Living with Asperger's after successfully completing his education, despite it having been a shocking rollercoaster of experiences ranging from good... to terrible.
This book gives autistic people, their parents, families, friends, teachers plus anyone else involved, an invaluable insight into UK education's shortcomings where this group of students is concerned.
It documents how the Manners family fought to overcome the ignorance and misunderstandings in the system, and offers practical, usable advice for anyone else in similar circumstances.
When he was very young the world around Alex seemed confusing and not much made sense. Alex's way of expressing that was by saying, "That's not right!" - hence the title for this book. With hindsight, his parents believe this was the first sign of his autism. But since that time Alex has been putting more "things right" than the vast majority of neurotypical youngsters of the same age.
As Alex says, "Having Asperger's has had its challenges." But he believes it makes him who he is today and will be the catalyst that enables him to achieve his dreams and ambitions. In this book, Alex shares some delightful stories about his journey so far.
He astounds readers with his entrepreneurial skills and huge talents that have taken him onto a number of broadcast television appearances, his own radio show, lectures and talks to some of the best-known blue chip companies and organisations in the UK, a campaign to raise awareness of autism in football, and much more.
"Whatever your circumstances are," says Alex, "never let them define you. Instead, be positive, work hard and you will discover that you can achieve anything. As Walt Disney said, 'All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.'"
Invisible Me by Tyler Inman (age 10 11/12ths)
My name is Tyler and I am 10 11/12ths.
I feel very different from other people.
I like to be reminded that it’s not just me, there are other people like this.
I have Asperger's Syndrome which is on the autistic spectrum.
My interests include Nintendo, Mathematics, Physics and Coding.
I dislike bees, flies, wasps, cats, dogs and basically anything that goes fast or is not confined to a certain area (excluding humans).
I have two dreams:
- To work for Nintendo.
- To write and publish a book.
Invisible Me takes you on an adventure into the true experience of a ten-year-old autistic boy
Written with raw honesty and openness, Tyler explores what it means to be different, how relationships work, the challenges of death, grief and living life to the full.
Tyler was age 10 11/12ths when he wrote Invisible Me, and it was published in 2018. He is now studying A-levels in Politics, Computer Science and Economics and hopes to start University in September 2025.
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