The following are excerpts from one of the most incredible books I’ve read in a long time. I knew nothing about autism. Oklahoman, Joey Perry, was born with it (or possibly developed it from early immunizations). That he lives today to share the horrible circumstances he went through in growing up, astounds me. This is his story: I had no way of knowing that I was abnormal. What kind of normal was there to compare myself to? None. I didn’t grasp what everyone was so worried about. I had my own room, a bucket of Legos, and more home-cooked food than I could eat. That’s all I needed to be happy at eight years old.”

Being raised by a grandmother who is a certified special education teacher (working on her second master’s degree), and a grandfather who has a degree in psychology, Joey had a better chance of succeeding in life than most like him. He writes that raising a special-needs child is not for the faint of heart, and it was a heavy load on his grandparents.

At first, he was diagnosed with “Asperger Syndrome” that later was referred to “Level 1 ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder.” A specialist who Joey saw said that the social aspect is probably going to be his biggest struggle to overcome. (Was he so ever right!) The doctor said about his being different than other kids “often leads to misunderstandings and even bullying in some cases.”

What makes this book so amazing is that the reader learns Joey doesn’t even begin to learn to speak until he is four years old. The reader learns in every step of Joey’s life, he struggles through until he gradually “sees the light at the end of the tunnel” in overcoming the nightmares of being autistic and being bullied because of it.

Joey describes what he experienced physically as a youth: “It was difficult for me to stay still; my brain was always buzzing. Tantrums and meltdowns were a major problem. My second diagnosis was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD was like consuming caffeine for the first time. I had an endless supply of energy. I could have run a marathon. It was hard to concentrate on anything. I felt like this all the time. I had a hard time getting to sleep and staying there. My complaint was, ‘I just can’t turn my brain off! It’s running a hundred miles an hour; I can’t sleep like this!’” Joey adds that eventually doctors ended up treating it with medication. He was prescribed several different things through the years. Some worked and then tapered off, some didn’t do anything, and some just made the behavior worse. He adds, “Autism did not come with a road map or an expiration date.”

Joey sums up what helped him learn in school: “Teaching an autistic person was difficult. I didn’t always behave well, nor did I always want to do the work. The personal attention I received made me flourish. She (his first-grade aid who had an autistic child) saw so many autistic kids who could have flourished. I did but, unfortunately, they didn’t. Sadly, knowing that their children were autistic, many parents didn’t give the personal attention and support needed for success. The parents thought it was hopeless. Because I got all that attention from Grandma, I was able to live up to my fullest potential. So many teachers and adults were not willing to warm up to kids with autism or any other kinds of problems. They were often afraid that they were incapable of helping because those children were different and presented unique challenges.”

I believe this book could really help so many people change their way of thinking about autism. It can also change people’s decisions not to bully or allow others to bully.

The book is entitled I HAVE A REASON for a good reason. Joe is opening a door that has been shut for too long. He is taking a stand. If it saves one life, it will be worth it.

How dId he react to bullying? What sad decision did he make to try to end being bullied? (There were two.) what kind of advice did his teacher give him? What is Joey doing now? (You’ll be really surprised.)

A definite page-turner, I’m hearing that some readers finish the 161-page book in one day.

This book is available on Amazon. One should be placed in every library. Do like I did and get more than one because you’ll want to share some with others! It could definitely save lives and hopefully help alleviate disorder in schools and other places.