Iris Grace is a beautiful little girl who, from a very young age, barely communicated, avoided social interaction with other people, and rarely smiled. From both before her diagnosis of autism and after, she seemed trapped in her own world, unable to connect with those around her. One day, her mother brought home a Maine Coon kitten for Iris, even though cats aren’t typically thought of as … of as therapy pets. Thula, named after one of Iris’s favorite African lullabies and meaning “peace” in Zulu, immediately bonded with Iris. Thula knew right away how to assuage Iris when she became overstimulated; when to intervene when Iris became overwhelmed; and how to provide distraction when Iris started heading toward a meltdown. Whether exploring, playing, sleeping, or taking a bath with Iris or accompanying the family on a bike ride, Thula became so much more than a therapy cat. With Thula’s safe companionship, Iris began to talk and interact with her family.
This heartwarming story is illustrated with sixty of Iris’s gorgeous impressionistic paintings, works of art that have allowed her to express herself since the age of three. A gifted artist, Iris sees the natural world in a profoundly vivid and visceral way. With Thula by her side, she’ll sit and paint for hours, and the results are stunning.
Inspiring and touching, Iris Grace follows the struggles and triumphs of a family–and a miracle cat–as they learn to connect with an amazing child.
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A great journey as we see how one resourceful and persistent family excelled with a child with autism. As a teacher, I felt better informed and walked away with a new bag of tools, excellent book
Very good read!
Very informative and entertaining. Filled with struggles and triumphs. Heartwarming.
Great story about how a mother found ways to help her child with autism. Read in one sitting
Enjoyed reading how this mother handled the challenges of Autism. She probably drove herself crazy, but she persevered and came up with original ways of looking at everyday situations.
I loved this book!
Iris Grace quickly became very dear to me. Her Mom and Dad worked so hard to give her the best life and filled her days with experiences that helped her navigate through. What an inspiration she became to many. Her art interweaved throughout the pages was a special treat! Having a two year old Grand who is displaying signs of ASD, I was hesitant about diving in and filling my mind with ideas and pictures that might make me sad…. my most pleasant surprise was how much better I felt during and after reading this brilliant book. Thank you..
This book was about an autistic child, and the extraordinary lengths her parents went to in order to free this exceptionally gifted child from the prison of autism.
Enjoyed reading how this dedicated Mother knew, loved and helped her child develope her abilities even with a diagnosis of autism.
Loved it cover to cover! Very inspirational story.
What a great book for any one who has or knows an austistic child. The parents of Iris Grace should get a medal for believing in her and what she could become. The art is just gorgeous.
I read this book with great interest as it opened up a new world of though about autism. The parents were very motivated to give their daughter every chance to mature in her growth to maturity. Their patience was heroic.
A couple in Great Britain have an autistic child named Iris Grace. After getting a definitive diagnosis they try the usual things to do the best for Iris. They soon realize to get the best help for Iris they need to go against established therapies and let Iris show in her own way what she can do and what she needs. They get a Maine Coon kitten that becomes a therapy cat for Iris and they are inseparable. The couple becomes a trend setter for other families who have autistic children. It is a very beautiful, inspiring and powerful story.
This is a book about a little girl with severe autism and her Maine Coon cat, Thula. It is also about her wonderful, innovative mother who finds ways to homeschool Iris the things around them that Iris is interested in. But Thula is the real star in this story. She swims. She loves riding in the car and in the basket on Mom’s bike. She is uncanny in her awareness of Iris’s mood, and does whatever it takes to redirect things when Iris isn’t doing well. The cat brought Iris out of her shell, taught her to trust and to try new things. An amazing and uplifting story.
I also learned quite a bit about life with a child with autism. It is a 24/7 job. The ultimate labor of love. I really recommend this book if you like uplifting people stories.
Iris Grace is the true story of a little girl with autism who is helped first by her extraordinary mother and also her cat. She faces many challenges but is so talented artistically. Her mother deserves so much credit though by working endlessly with her. Her father also is a great help as well as her parents. I have a son with autism and it’s wonderful to see how well she is doing . You’ll enjoy this book if for no other reason than that it shows such unselfish love from a mother to child.
A true love story and a demonstration of necessity becoming the best teacher. These parents are inspirational
So sweet , such a great picture of living with a child with special needs. I learned a lot.
Absolutely wondeful!
Really brings home what everyday life with a severely autistic child entails.
The story is more about Iris Grace and less about the cat, but still a very inspirational and informative story. Well worth a read!