SuitabookCan You See Me?
Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
- Reading
- Consider reading alongside the child rather than treating the book as an autism guide. Pause after difficult school scenes, ask what Tally might need, and distinguish her experience from assumptions about autistic people generally.
- Themes
- Being seen beyond stereotypes: Tally notices what others think and experiences pressure to appear ‘normal’ while starting a new school. The narrative treats Tally’s perspective and individuality with compassion, rather than presenting conformity as the final answer.
- School belonging and exclusion: A new school, changing routines and classmates’ reactions make belonging difficult for Tally. The story presents social harm seriously but does not reduce every other character to a villain; teachers are mostly receptive and relationships remain complicated.
- Privacy and disclosure: Tally keeps her autism secret from new classmates and faces pressure around whether to reveal it. The book recognises both the desire for privacy and the costs of concealment; disclosure is not presented as a magic solution.
- Worth knowing
- Be ready for scenes involving name-calling, social exclusion, anxiety and sensory distress. The story also depicts supportive family relationships, although the effects of Tally’s needs on family life can be stressful.