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With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child #7
With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child
For most parents, their child's teenage years are just as bad, if not worse, than the terrible twos. But for Sachiko and Masato Azuma, the situation is further complicated by their son Hikaru's autism. As puberty strikes, Hikaru's growing sexual awareness creates uncomfortable and embarrassing situations, and begins to affect his little sister, Kanon. The already-taxed Sachiko must find ways to alleviate the situation, while being mindful of the effects her approach may have on her children and on the people around them. But when Masato is told he has to relocate again for work, the pressure is really on Sachiko as the decision is made to move in with her mother-in-law, who has always been less-than-accommodating to Hikaru's needs. With new challenges arising daily - Hikaru tackling adolescence through the lens of autism, Kanon struggling with peer pressure, Masato throwing himself into the new job - will Sachiko, the Azuma family's rock, succumb to the cracks that have begun to form in her generally cheerful outlook on life?
528 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2010
About the author
Keiko Tobe
27 books35 followersKeiko Tobe (1957-January 28, 2010) was a mangaka who wrote primarily josei manga. She was best known for creating With the Light, which won an Excellence Prize in the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in 2004 from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and inspired a television drama.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 21, 2018
Why are they so proud of this little monster? They're raising a real snowflake, believe me. After I read this I threw the book at Barron and told him to read it. I told him that if he ever acts this fuckin' way we'll send him to China where they don't have Fortnite or Mountain Dew. He started spinning around and walking into walls, asking where I was. He's being testy, kids his age get that way, I know these things. But if he keeps pretending he can't see nothing, he'll be on a fuckin' bus to those Mexico cages.
May 4, 2018
Coming to the end of the journey with Hikaru. I appreciate bringing in the novelist at the end because it is opening our eyes to a larger spectrum of people with autism.
July 10, 2021
I’m glad that there’s more awareness for autism these days….
September 16, 2012
With the Light is the touching tale of Sachiko Azuma and her autistic son, Hikaru, and their daily life.
Hikaru has a lot to deal with this volume. Puberty strikes the Azuma household and a sudden transfer for Masato means the Azuma family needs to move in with grandma Azuma. Kanon-chan has a chance to prove she's made of the same strong stuff as her mother when she is bullied for her brother's behavior.
I'm so glad to see Kanon has learned well from her mother's example of quiet strength when she faces the bullies. She does a lot better than many girls her age would, but is also understandably upset as well. Sachiko finds her mettle tested by sharing a roof with Masato's mother who, while not a bad person, struggles to understand the complexities of dealing with Hikaru on top of suddenly sharing her previously empty house.
I must admit a feeling of trepidation on finishing this volume, since I know the next is the last and Tobe did not finished the series before her passing away.
I recommend this series to any manga fan or anyone wanting to try out manga as well as anyone interested in learning more about life with an autistic family member.
Hikaru has a lot to deal with this volume. Puberty strikes the Azuma household and a sudden transfer for Masato means the Azuma family needs to move in with grandma Azuma. Kanon-chan has a chance to prove she's made of the same strong stuff as her mother when she is bullied for her brother's behavior.
I'm so glad to see Kanon has learned well from her mother's example of quiet strength when she faces the bullies. She does a lot better than many girls her age would, but is also understandably upset as well. Sachiko finds her mettle tested by sharing a roof with Masato's mother who, while not a bad person, struggles to understand the complexities of dealing with Hikaru on top of suddenly sharing her previously empty house.
I must admit a feeling of trepidation on finishing this volume, since I know the next is the last and Tobe did not finished the series before her passing away.
I recommend this series to any manga fan or anyone wanting to try out manga as well as anyone interested in learning more about life with an autistic family member.
December 12, 2010
Still loving this heartfelt series. Hikaru is in junior high now and hitting puberty--leading to more, uh, "learning opportunities" for his mother to help him through. His little sister is being teased because her brother is "stupid" or "retarded" and it's taking a toll on her. Then the family moves to their unsupportive grandmother's house, and things really get dicey.
I've heard there's one more volume coming--half of it more of Hikaru's story, and half sketches/workbook-y stuff. Whether that's true or not, I choose to believe that Hikaru goes on to live a happy, productive life, thanks to his mother's patient teachings through the years. Unfortunately, the series author passed away without finishing, so all I can do is assume Hikaru would have grown up well.
I've heard there's one more volume coming--half of it more of Hikaru's story, and half sketches/workbook-y stuff. Whether that's true or not, I choose to believe that Hikaru goes on to live a happy, productive life, thanks to his mother's patient teachings through the years. Unfortunately, the series author passed away without finishing, so all I can do is assume Hikaru would have grown up well.
August 18, 2016
Excellent - as is the whole series. This volume deals with a boy in 7th grade. He is moving through puberty with his autism and his family needs to keep learning and adapting to help him. The family moved in with a reluctant and backwards thinking grandma who was embarrassed and cold to the boy. She wants him to just "get over" his autism or have the family put him in an institution. !!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews