A SELF-taught single mother of an autistic son has written and illustrated a children’s book to help encourage speech and language for young readers and those on the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Michelle, 31, who is from Yateley near Hartley Wintney, said she wrote the book for her kids and herself and later decided to publish it for other children after her autistic son, eight-year-old Kalum, enjoyed it very much.

The book titled Penguin in the Window is based on a real toy penguin that she saw when she was a little girl.

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“When I was a little girl, I used to see this toy penguin in the window of a house in Surrey [where she grew up],” said Michelle, who goes by the pen name M M Hobs.

“I used to walk past it every day and I wave at it. To my surprise, 25 years later, when I took my kids through the same road we spotted the same penguin in the same window. It was so wonderful to see the penguin after so many years.

“My mum told me I should write a children’s book, and I did it. I have written it in a repetitive text format, so that my son with autism could read it. I thought this could be a book for other children too who have speech delays.”

The book has Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson coming as passing characters. She is also planning to send the copies of her book to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Michelle has already done a few school readings – one in a special needs school. She said the children were so excited to hear the story, and some of them who have reading difficulties repeated the words from her book.

“It was an incredible experience,” she added.

“I am so enthusiastic and passionate about this book. It teaches about different emotions to kids. The schools have told me they want to adapt my book to their lessons plan.”

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Michelle, who has two more kids, created the book while home-schooling her kids and giving birth to the youngest one.

“I am a young single mother, on my own and on benefits – and I have accomplished this. I want to be an inspiration to other people as well,” Michelle said.

She has self-published the book through Amazon and is now looking for a formal publisher representation.

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