A 2025 update

 

As the years pass we have enjoyed revisiting Sophia and Me and sometimes sharing it with friends. It marks a time in our lives when we were figuring things out for our family. Of course we are still doing that, but it truly looks different now. This is Sophia at age 20, enjoying some Christmas cheer.

A 2023 update

 Oh how the years pass so fast! Jacob is now 21 years old and Sophia is 19! I recently was asked to share my book at my work during Autism Acceptance month, which led me to update this blog. Jacob is in college and Sophia is finishing her last year of high school with plans to attend our local adult public school. Wanted to add a brief update and hopefully I will get motivated to do more. Please see the QR Code on this blog to purchase the book!

Sophie today: Joint Attention

 

Sophia only recently exhibited the skill of "Joint Attention", defined as:

 

 

Joint attention occurs when two people share interest in an object or event and there is understanding between the two people that they are both interested in the same object or event. Joint attention should emerge around 9 months of age and be very well-established by 18 months of age. Joint attention provides a critical foundation for social, cognitive, and language development. It is something that is very hard for almost all children with autism to do.

 

SOPHIA AND ME~A book about a child with autism and her brother.

I wrote this book with the inspiration of my two children Jacob and Sophia. Jacob is almost 13 years old and Sophia is 10.5 years old. Sophia was diagnosed with Autism at age 1.5 years of age. She also has developmental delays and speech apraxia. My sister Laurel Dunn beautifully illustrated the book. My sister Karin DeGraw edited the book. I wrote this book to help Jacob better understand his sister's difficulties in learning, talking and behaving. He periodically asks me, "When are you going to write another book?" I don't have the answer to that but perhaps one day I can write another book that he will enjoy. I am hopeful that more parents and children will find this book meaningful and just plain fun.

Mara Husband

This is a book about autism and siblings

I wrote this book with the inspiration of my two children Jacob and Sophia. Jacob is almost 7 years old and Sophia is 4.5 years old. Sophia was diagnosed with Autism at age 1.5 years of age. My sisters illustrated and edited the book. What has made this book worthwhile to me happened during a recent conversation with Jacob. He had said that his sister was crazy and he was embarrassed to be seen with her. My husband and I told him that she was not crazy but there was "something" she had that made her act so different and that "something" kept her from being able to learn how to talk. We asked Jacob if he knew what that "something" is. Jacob looked at me and said, "The book?" referring to Sophie And Me. For Jacob this book has had meaning. I am hopeful that more children will find this book meaningful and just plain fun.

The Author