Finding My Feet

This story is part of the book series 'Taylor's Tales' and they can be read in any order. The first story is about friendship 'Out of My Shell: Taylor's Tale of Friendship', the second is about exploring the sensory world 'Discovering the World: Taylor's Tale of Sensory Exploration'.

This story focuses on the main character Taylor the Turtle, who is autistic. As she embarks on her journey at a new school, she feels anxious because she doesn't know any of the teachers or students. Upon her arrival, she meets her fellow animal friends from both her autism class and the mainstream class, who make her feel at ease. Throughout her journey, Taylor discovers various techniques to help her manage her feelings and learns that it's perfectly fine to 'stim' as a way to express her energy and emotions. This can be by flapping her fins, making sounds like 'yee yee yee' or even tapping on surfaces.

Taylor the Turtle is also introduced to the classroom's sensory room, which is a safe calming space to take a break when she needs a quiet moment. Since Taylor is non-verbal, she explores new methods of communication and is introduced to using pictures (PECS) and a digital device to share her thoughts and feelings. She learns to use gestures to communicate with the other animals in the school and even does some actions during circle time when they sing nursery rhymes.

A key message I want to convey in this book is that it's completely normal for children to take their time adjusting to new situations. Each child's journey is unique, everyone has their own pace and way of doing things.

The book features characters inspired by the wonderful people in Taylor's life who provide her with immense support and have learned to connect with her world. I hope you find as much joy in reading this book as I did in writing it. Always remember to celebrate your uniqueness and embrace who you are!