And You Can Love Me

<p><strong><em>And You Can Love Me</em></strong> is a story for everyone who loves someone with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). It is the fictional story of Ethan a nonverbal autistic child based on the author’s observations and experiences with her grandson. The bounce of a ball is not only a metaphor but also how the author imagines that the child is releasing his innermost physical and emotional challenges. It is a love story that can be recognized by parents caregivers and teachers; a story that embraces Ethan a nonverbal child who may never/or not yet be able to write his own story yet he lives it every day and tells it by his actions and by bouncing a ball– any ball any size any color.</p><p><strong><em>And You Can Love Me </em></strong>is also a picture book that a child with ASD may in some way recognize within himself/herself. It doesn’t try to explain define or even educate; it is merely Ethan’s story - the story of one particular nonverbal autistic child; one of the many stories that will add to the diversity of ASD stories. </p><p><strong>ACCLAIM FOR </strong><strong><em>AND YOU CAN LOVE ME</em></strong></p><p>“As a mother and grandmother this story speaks to me about the power of unconditional love we bring to any situation. This book is an excellent resource for adults who have a child or grandchild with autism. It acknowledges the different ways a loved one with autism may communicate and reminds me that we love completely. As a former special education teacher I am able to keep sharing with people through this story about the wonderful diversity that we see in the world. Everyone has gifts.”<br /><strong>--Deb Holtz is a former special education teacher a current end-of-life doula and a mother and grandmother. </strong></p><p>"In <strong><em>And </em></strong><strong><em>You Can Love Me</em></strong> Sherry Quan Lee gives us the world of Ethan a little boy with autism. Although Ethan is mute his daily routine of bouncing a ball and expressing his needs as well as his interior life are revealed through simple sketches and lovely lines like <em>Today I am another year of being me</em>. A welcome and wonderful addition to the as-yet-tiny body of work about children with autism <strong><em>And </em></strong><strong><em>You Can Love Me</em></strong><strong> </strong>is a beautiful profoundly moving book.”<br /><strong>--Alison McGhee New York Times bestselling author of many books for children and adults.</strong></p>