How to Be Human: Diary of an Autistic Girl
Gr 5 Up–Frenz shares eight years of her journals and illustrations that helped her to define herself and draws back a curtain to reveal the mysteries of autism. Her introspective entries span from when she was a child of eight through her freshman year in high school. Her explanation of her confusion with “normal” daily experiences–noise, touch, personal and emotional interactions–is succinct yet sensitive, and her details are interesting and informative. She writes in her notebook's foreword, referring to a discussion with a friend about which is worse: “Anorexia is like a software problem in the brain, whereas autism is like a hardware problem.” She goes on to explain how she's had to work hard to get her brain to make new connections so that “the autistic person doesn't feel like planet earth is the worst planet they could have accidentally landed on.” Frenz explains that her family, therapists, and educational counselors devoted years of support while encouraging her to develop her strengths: her art and creative spirit. This astute and unique book pulls readers into a world beyond their own. The author's ability to take them along, devoid of self-pity, is refreshing. She bridges the divide and paints a picture of the value of communication, contributes to public awareness, and celebrates her achievements.–Alison Follos, formerly at North Country School, Lake Placid, NYα(c) Copyright 2013.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.