This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
In Kristen A. Peters's The Shape of His World, Holding Them Both, a mother fights for her boys because the world will not listen to them. Iris is a mother raising two autistic sons, Dylan and Jesse, in a home arranged around routine, sensory needs, and careful predictability. They may have the same diagnosis, live in the same house, and have the same mom, but their realities could not be more different. Dylan does not use spoken language and relies on sameness and physical regulation to navigate his world, while Jesse is verbal and uses distance to cope. Told mostly through Iris’s point of view, the story follows the three of them through their days, from morning rituals and school transitions to errands that can quickly become overwhelming. Much of the book chronicles Iris as she anticipates both of her sons' needs, such as attempting a shopping trip to get the yogurt Dylan will eat, adjusting the environment by slightly moving the furniture, and trying to keep everyone safe in everyday situations, like visiting the post office. Then something happens, and she’s pushed to rethink everything she has built over time. Will this lead to a breaking point? Or will she come to an even better understanding of her sons?
I initially chose The Shape of His World, Holding Them Both by Kristen A. Peters because I am interested in learning as much as I can about autism spectrum disorder, and this story did not disappoint. It completely pulled me in with its quiet, focused look at a family living in a constant state of calculation and care. The writing evoked a range of emotions in me, especially for Iris (and her kids, too). As an educator, I could somewhat relate to the way her body sensed her children or how her shoulders would tighten before tense situations, as I’ve had similar experiences when I’ve had a child with ASD in the classroom. I also appreciated that Dylan and Jesse are given room to exist and are not just seen as lessons or symbols. Readers looking for a contemporary family story that centers on disability or the labor of love that is caregiving will enjoy this novel. This was a powerful and absorbing read for me, and I found myself thinking about these characters long after I stopped reading.
