Keep reading to find out how you can win a copy of Cowboy and Wills, by Monica Holloway.
I recently had the opportunity to read Cowboy and Wills, by Monica Holloway. This is the heartbreaking and heart-warming story of a mother struggling to coax her son out of the shell of autism.
From the cover:
The day Monica learns that her lovable, brilliant three-year-old on, Wills, has autism spectrum disorder, she takes him to buy an aquarium. It’s the first in a string of impulsive trips to the pet store to buy animals as a distraction from the uncontrollable, crushing reality of Will’s diagnosis. But while Wills diligently tends to the growing menagerie, what he really wants is a puppy. And one Christmas, when Wills is six, Cowboy Carol Lawrence joins their family.
Like all dynamic duos, Cowboy and Wills complement each other perfectly. Wills is cautious, fastidious, and irresistibly tenderhearted. Cowboy, a rambunctious golden retriever, is overeager, affectionate, and impulsive. And from the moment Cowboy enters their lives, Monica sees her son step a little farther into the world.
Soon, the boy who could hardly say hello to his classmates in kindergarten is sharing stories of his new “sister” Cowboy during morning circle. Children crowd around them at the park, and instead of running away, Wills, holding Cowboy’s leash in his sweaty fist, proudly answers all of their questions. With Cowboy, he finds the courage to invite kids over for playdates, overcomes his debilitating fear of water to swim along beside her in the family pool, and, after years of gentle coaxing, Wills finally sleeps in his own bed with Cowboy’s paws draped across his small chest.
Through it all, Cowboy is there, dragging him toward other children, giving him the confidence to try new things and the courage to face his worst fears. And when Cowboy turns out to need her new family as much as they need her, they discover just how much she has taught them – about devotion, about loyalty, and about never giving up.
Sometimes it’s what you don’t know to hope for that saves you. for Monica, her husband, Michael, and their son, Wills, salvation came in the form of a puppy with pale blond fur, chocolate brown eyes, a fondness for chewing the crotch out of underpants, and a limitless capacity for love.
This book had me laughing, crying, cheering and crying some more right through to the last page. It’s no secret that animals have a way of making things better and encouraging us to love and learn.
Monica had me glued to the pages of her story. I don’t know much about autism but her story is written in an insightful and helpful way. My heart goes out to this family. Monica is an extremely strong woman (as I’m sure all mothers with autistic children are).
This is definitely a good read for anyone who wants to learn more about the challenges and victories families with autism face.
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The Giveaway:
I have 2 copies of Monica Holloway’s Cowboy and Wills to give away. To enter, all you have to do is tell me why you would like to win a copy.
Giveaway finishes 19 January, 2010.
Giveaway open to Australia residents only.
