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From Silence to the Spotlight
This book tells the story of Bradley’s life so far. It is a journey that began with significant challenges; Bradley was diagnosed at age nine and didn't use words to communicate until he was ten years old. It was through drama classes and his incredible imagination that he finally "freed his words". He’s since starred in Heartstopper, Emmerdale and Celebrity Big Brother. Now he’s an ambassador for the autism research and campaigning charity, Autistica.
The book includes plenty of information and advice about many aspects of life with autism, such as sensory overload, relationships, getting a diagnosis, succeeding in education and work, finding your community and more. The book is structured into ten thoughtful chapters that guide the reader through the various stages of Bradley’s life and the lessons he’s learned along the way:
1. Let’s Start At The Beginning
2. Decoding The Diagnosis
3. Finding My Voice
4. It’s Never Too Late For A Diagnosis
5. Exploring The Spectrum Beyond Autism
6. The Art Of Believing In Yourself
7. How To Human (Autistic Edition)
8. Building Bridges
9. Tuning In
10. Flourishing In Your Environment
9. Tuning In
10. Flourishing In Your Environment
Bradley begins the book by sharing what he remembers of his early years before he had words to communicate, and the challenges that school posed. There’s a lovely couple of pages where he talks movingly about his family and the love and support that he received from them, and how they felt like a team at the beginning of a journey after the autism diagnosis.
I think my favourite part of the book was about half way through, in the Finding My Voice chapter. Bradley writes about the power of special interests:
Following this there are tips for parents about how to encourage creative expression, and tips for autistic individuals on how to grow your confidence.
Bradley introduces a concept later in the book that I think is absolutely genius and a suggestion that I think everyone should take on board: the "Ta-da list". We are all familiar with the overwhelming "to-do" list, which can often feel like a mountain of demands (especially for those of us with PDA profiles in the family!).
A "Ta-da list" is the opposite: it’s a record of everything you have achieved. Whether it’s getting through a difficult sensory experience, completing a task at work, or simply making it through a challenging day, writing it down is a positive way of seeing everything we have done, and being able to recognise the progress. I can see this being an incredible tool for children and young adults to build their confidence, celebrate their wins and protect their mental health.
Bradley is an awesome role model for young autistic people. He describes his book as “a declaration, a toolkit and a love letter to every autistic and “different” soul who’s ever had to apologize for existing in this world.” He also explains:
I recently had the absolute pleasure of attending the book launch event, where the dress code was colourful and flamboyant. I was keen to comply with that brief but stepping out at the station amongst a sea of grey-suited commuters heading home from London, I definitely felt like lots of eyes were on me! In my twenties, I might have shrunk back, but there is a certain liberation that comes with age, and with being a parent to a PDAer - I have definitely stopped caring so much about society’s expectations. My PDAer (Pathological Demand Avoidance) daughter, however, wasn't quite as convinced by my fashion bravery. She spent a good ten minutes debating whether my outfit was an "atrocity" or a "monstrosity." I’ll let you decide!
Special Interests as Lifelines
I think my favourite part of the book was about half way through, in the Finding My Voice chapter. Bradley writes about the power of special interests:
For autistic and Neurodivergent people like me, special interests aren’t just hobbies – they are lifelines. They aren’t something we can live without, they are something we live for. These special interests are how we process the world, build routines and find our joy.
Following this there are tips for parents about how to encourage creative expression, and tips for autistic individuals on how to grow your confidence.
The "Ta-da" List: A New Perspective on Progress
Bradley introduces a concept later in the book that I think is absolutely genius and a suggestion that I think everyone should take on board: the "Ta-da list". We are all familiar with the overwhelming "to-do" list, which can often feel like a mountain of demands (especially for those of us with PDA profiles in the family!).
A "Ta-da list" is the opposite: it’s a record of everything you have achieved. Whether it’s getting through a difficult sensory experience, completing a task at work, or simply making it through a challenging day, writing it down is a positive way of seeing everything we have done, and being able to recognise the progress. I can see this being an incredible tool for children and young adults to build their confidence, celebrate their wins and protect their mental health.
Bradley is an awesome role model for young autistic people. He describes his book as “a declaration, a toolkit and a love letter to every autistic and “different” soul who’s ever had to apologize for existing in this world.” He also explains:
It’s exhausting and tiring, shrinking myself to fit into rooms and spaces that were never designed for our minds. I’m tired of being labelled, of people saying we are, “too sensitive”, “too intense” and “too much”, when the whole time I was just being me – full of life and colour. I have spent so much of my life trying to make sense of the world and decoding social norms, which just felt impossible, like an invisible maze.
The Colourful Journey to a Book Launch
I recently had the absolute pleasure of attending the book launch event, where the dress code was colourful and flamboyant. I was keen to comply with that brief but stepping out at the station amongst a sea of grey-suited commuters heading home from London, I definitely felt like lots of eyes were on me! In my twenties, I might have shrunk back, but there is a certain liberation that comes with age, and with being a parent to a PDAer - I have definitely stopped caring so much about society’s expectations. My PDAer (Pathological Demand Avoidance) daughter, however, wasn't quite as convinced by my fashion bravery. She spent a good ten minutes debating whether my outfit was an "atrocity" or a "monstrosity." I’ll let you decide!
The launch venue was filled with warmth, inclusivity, and so many lovely people. It was especially wonderful to catch up with Danielle from PDA Parenting. We briefly chatted about the effort it takes for parents of PDAers to even leave the house - her girls are younger than mine, and it brought back so many memories of how difficult those early years can be. But thoughts of that were quickly banished as we had a good few laughs, soaking up the atmosphere.
Why You Should Read This Book
Bradley Riches is authentic, genuine, and incredibly lovable, and those qualities shine through every page of Autistically Me. Whether you are a young autistic person looking for a role model, a parent trying to better understand your child’s world, or a professional working within the neurodiverse community, this book is an essential read.
It’s positive, enlightening, and ultimately, a celebration of the unique minds that make our world a more vibrant place. I highly recommend it - and if you prefer listening, Bradley has also recorded an audiobook version that I’m sure is just as wonderful.
Available now from Amazon: Autistically Me
(For the Audiobook version, use this link: Autistically Me Audiobook)
For more resources and book reviews on autism and PDA, feel free to browse my blog archive or follow this link: Steph’s Two Girls Book Reviews. And remember, sometimes an "atrocity" of an outfit is exactly what the world needs!
* The pictures and underlined book titles in this post contain Amazon affiliate links
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