With the Light

Name: Serina

Grade: 12+

Title: With the Light

Author/Illustrator: Keiko Tobe

Newly made mother Sachiko Azuma is very excited to have a baby boy, who she names Hikaru, because he is the light of her world, and she feels happier than ever before. But after bringing hikaru home from the hospital, Sachiko notices over time that Hikaru is not like the other children his age. His development is slow, and he doesn't like to be cuddled or touched. When it comes time for Hikaru to start speaking his first words, he remains silent and doesn't react when Sachiko and her husband try to get him to listen to them. At a doctor's appointment, the doctor tells Sachiko that he thinks Hikaru may be deaf. Not wanting to believe her son can't hear, Sachiko gets a second opinion, one which may be more difficult for her to handle than the first: Hikaru isn't deaf, he has autism. Sachiko lapses into denial, wanting to believe her child is still the perfect ray of light she thought he was before, but things get harder and harder as even outside people start to notice Hikaru's differences. Sachiko has to make a choice. She can pretend that nothing is wrong, or she can get Hikaru the help he needs. Being a good mother, she goes with the latter, even though it estranges her from her husband and her mother in law. Sachiko and Hikaru have to struggle everyday, dealing with everything from enrolling Hikaru in a special school to creating a schedule that Hikaru can easily follow. They face problems at every step they take, but Sachiko is determined to give her ray of light the hope and chance he deserves in a place that isn't very understanding of autism.

I picked this book up because it was a manga that covered a topic I had never seen done before.

I finished this book because it was so interesting, funny, and at points heartbreaking. It gives an awareness of autism that I haven't found in other books.

I'd give this book to anyone with an autistic child, anyone with autism, or anyone who wants to learn about autism.

Rating: **** Really liked it.