I’ve been trying to read more books about autism in hopes of finding some great resources to help me daughter as she gets older. However, this book was just not that. I appreciated that it was written directly for autistic teens but it honestly felt almost.. dumbed down? The language felt condescending to me, like talking to a much younger audience than teens.

And I totally would’ve been fine with that and just given it to her at a younger age and read it with her if that was the case. But the other thing I really didn’t love was that it almost seemed like it was encouraging autistic kids to just drop out of school. Sometimes it suggested homeschool but mostly every chapter had Luna/Jordan or the author mentioning school as almost the exclusive reason for burnout. Which I understand is true for some kids but surely not every single autistic child should just drop out to play video games? That was truly my biggest hang up for this book, as my daughter is extremely easily influenced and she would for sure read this book and want to drop out of school.

This was a really useful book. It is easy to read, with a clear and helpful explanation of autism, relevant terminology and explicit recognition that how autism presents varies person to person and even day to day depending on circumstances.

I especially liked the metaphor for emotional regulation as ‘using a dimmer switch’ so emotions are still there, but aren’t so intense. That’s a useful way to think of it.

The explanation of autistic burnout was helpful, it is clear it has been written by someone with experience of burnout. I hadn’t considered the pressure that encouragement to engage at school or in social situations puts on autistic people to mask, and this is something I will try to be more mindful of.

The concept of reframing PDA as ‘persistent desire for autonomy’ was also a new and helpful way of considering these needs.

The suggestions of ways to regulate were helpful, as were the suggestions for helping with sensory overload.

Overall, this is a useful and easy to read book, which would be useful for tweens and older.

I think this was such a great book to guide young people through autistic burnout. The use of specific characters for young people to relate to and feel seen in reading about was a perfect approach - especially with all the illustrations being done by the author’s son!

Would definitely recommend this to anyone working with autistic teenagers or parents of autistic teens. Autistic burnout is such an important thing to understand in safeguarding young people and helping them understand and work through it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC of this book.

As someone with autism, I really wish I had read this book when I was younger.
It’s a compassionate and clear guide to understanding autistic burnout, written in a way that feels honest and affirming. I also feel this would be a good book to show others, so they can understand me and my struggles better.

The personal stories and simple illustrations also make it easy to connect with without feeling overwhelming.

All in all, I think whether you’re autistic, a parent, or a professional, this book is a valuable resource that I think many people need!!

Thank you for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will be buying a physical copy of this for myself.

Very interesting! As a self diagnosed adult I think this book would have helped me a lot when I was younger!

As a clinician, I would find this book very helpful in my practice for both kids and adults to discuss autistic burnout, as well as other important aspects of being on the spectrum. It is written in a neuro-diverse affirming way.

note: This book discusses education planning and healthcare that appear to be outside of the United States, and therefore may not apply to US residents.

A really lovely and important guide on how to recover from Autistic burnout. As a self diagnosed AuDHD parent to diagnosed Autistic kiddos, this is the guide I wish I had growing up. Beautifully illustrated by the author’s son, and peppered with both her and his personal experiences, and allegories, this book needs to be in the home of every Autistic parent and/or child. Also a short read and not overwhelming, which is so important when dealing with burnout.

A vivid and enlightening own voices rep for Austistic burnout descriptions and supportive advice for fellow members of the community.

Have autism or know someone who does or work in an environment where knowing about autism is helpful? Get 4 of these books.

This is an incredibly helpful, well-constructed and informative welcoming resource of knowledge for people experiencing autistic burnout.

It seems this is often confused with depression, but has to be treated differently. I learned so much in this book. As someone who is neurodivergent, I am forever grateful for this information.

I learned a ton in this book and appreciated the anecdotes and own voices aspect. Having the author know what they are talking about with topics like this is so important and this author clearly understands this topic extremely well.

The cover is lovely. The length is perfect. This is an excellent guide and resource. I loved every page of this book.

Thank you this ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.