Hurricane Dancing: Glimpses of Life with an Autistic Child

Rating:
Summary: Hurricane Dancing
Review: The author of this book has captured the truest meaning of what unconditional love is all about. The poems are so real that they transport you into the very soul of the writer. You not only feel the struggles and pain that a parent goes through with a special needs child but you also feel the joy of small accomplishments and the beauty of unspoken love messages. This book of poems will stir up within you the very core of emotions. You will laugh and you will cry. You will walk through the journey that a parent goes through in raising a child with special needs. Most of all, this book brings you back to the strong bond between a parent and a child. I highly recommend this book to anybody that loves a child.

Rating:
Summary: Hurricane Dancing: Glimpses of Life with an Autistic Child
Review: Great poems and photos of her daughter--cried many tears over a number of the poems. Feelings were communicated so well.
These poems enable those of us who have never experienced this type of daily stretching of our very being to understand both some of the joys and frustrations that bringing up such a bundle of energy involves. It also enables us to be more patient, kind and helpful in our interactions with all parents and children, particularly in public. I highly recommend to any who read this review to read, enjoy(and yes, even cry)over the poems in this book. And then to encourage your friends and acquaintances to also purchase this book as I know they too will be well pleased they did so.
I look forward to D. Alison Watt's next book of poems.

Rating:
Summary: Hurricane Dancing
Review: As a mother of a child with autism, I feel as though the author looked inside me and read my soul. Then, she put into words every emotion that I have felt since my child was diagnosed. What a precious gift she gives us, sharing such intimate writings about her daughter and her life. I bought this book for some friends that have children with autism, but I also bought it for some folks that I thought needed to understand more about autism. When I first got the book, I had to sit and read it cover to cover. Now, it is never far from reach for when I need to take a few minutes to read one of the poems to comfort or inspire me. It is a beautiful book, beautifully written and the photographs are amazing.

Rating:
Summary: A little book with a very big heart
Review: Hurricane Dancing by D.Alison Watt is a significant work that takes the reader to the heart of what its like living with, caring for, and loving, a child with Autism. I predict that selections from this insightful book will be read over and over at conferences and trainings for many many years to come.
While Hurricane Dancing is a readily accessible book of poetry with beautiful photograghy that everyone can enjoy and treasure, it should be required reading for all professionals who work with individuals who have Autism and their families.
If awareness and acceptance is what we are stiving for, then it doesn't get any better than this.
Hurricane Dancing, a little book with a very big heart, deserves wide distribution.
Marcel Charpentier LICSW, Mass. Dept. of Mental Retardation

Rating:
Summary: A must read for anyone caring for children Drs/teachers..etc
Review: This is an amazing book. A must read for all who might be connected to a person who has a disability and their amazing families- from dentist, to teacher, to the ice cream store owner! It's pausing and gives wise perspective.
This book is pointing to every breath a mother takes in the love of her child and her family. We can never be reminded enough about the impact we potentially have when our worlds collide- like the two mothers in Hurricane Dancing. Working in human services isn't just a job and we should take the time to look at the work we are doing and constantly self-monitor our growth as a person and as a professional.
Julie Lambert- Senior Clinician, Integrated Clinical Solutions, Georgetown, MA