Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy

Kate Swenson

Apr 2022 · Sold by Harlequin

About this ebook

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

With her popular blog, Finding Cooper's Voice, Kate Swenson has provided hope and comfort for hundreds of thousands of parents of children with Autism. Now, Kate shares her inspiring story in this powerful memoir about motherhood and unconditional love

When Kate Swenson’s son Cooper was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism, her world stopped. She had always dreamed of having the perfect family life. She hadn’t signed up for life as a mother raising a child with a disability.

At first, Kate experienced the grief of broken dreams. Then she felt the frustration and exhaustion of having to fight for your child in a world that is stacked against them. But through hard work, resilience and personal growth, she would come to learn that Cooper wasn’t the one who needed to change. She was. And it was this transformation that led Kate to acceptance—and ultimately joy. In Forever Boy, Kate shares her inspiring journey with honesty and compassion, offering solace and hope to others on this path and illuminating the strength and perseverance of mothers.

Ratings and reviews

This was lifetime of the most inspiring books I have ever read. It’s honestly astonishing to me how strong Kate and her family is. This book kind of hits close to home since my older is pretty sure she has Asperger’s, and she’s just now realizing how it’s affected her life and her relationships. It’s also taught me to have more compassion towards any person with disabilities, even if they look completely fine. It was so inspiring to read about how Cooper was able to get past a lot of difficulties and even start speaking a little bit. This book was so easy to read because I wanted to know more about Kate and her journey with Cooper. There were many times in the book I almost cried cause I could feel her pain even though I’m not even a mother myself. I also wanted to cry many times for Cooper and how unjust this world is for people with severe autism. Overall I think this book did a fantastic job spreading awareness about autism and disabilities in general. I personally think everyone should read it.

This is a poignant look at a mother’s love for her special needs child who has non-verbal autism. The author was very honest in portraying the challenges that she faced, including problems with going out in public or to any crowded space. Her descriptions of Cooper’s meltdowns were vivid and heart-tugging. With a sincere desire to tell others about her journey down this difficult road, the author wrote without holding back any punches. She was honest about her marital difficulties and her trouble relating to other parents who did not understand that her greatest desire was to see Cooper be all that he could be. Beginning with a normal pregnancy and describing the birth of little Cooper, Kate Swenson gives detailed insight into her path into the unknown. After all, no one expects to have a special needs child and her innate desire to be a mother with a child who could relate to other children was understandable as well as heartbreaking. Ms. Swenson describes her journey from denial to acceptance in a way that was realistic and forthright, compelling me to think about the repercussions that come in waves once a child is diagnosed with ASD. As the grandparent of a non-verbal autistic granddaughter, I could relate to many scenes that she was describing, most notably the ones in which Cooper was frustrated and withdrew into the world of his screen. This was a book that was hard to read at times because of my own experiences, but it is also a story that needs to be told and shared so that other parents of these very lovable children can feel the hope that comes from its pages. There were a lot of “aha” moments as I read and discovered new methods of dealing with ASD by the trial and error that the author and Cooper had to endure. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the perspective of the author in her dedicated quest on Cooper’s behalf. Teachers, parents and even siblings of children diagnosed with ASD should read this book and take to heart the lessons that the author learned. There is hope after the diagnosis, not for normal, but for a new normal and all kinds of love that come from the heart of a special needs child.

Autism is a tough subject though like a lot of stuff nowadays, it is easier to share and talk about it. This book does a good job in hitting the highs and lows of autism while still having a good personal touch. I enjoyed the book enough that I also went and looked up Kate Swenson's blog, just to see what it was about. The journey I followed Kate on with her life and hard times and how she adjusted to the new reality when Cooper was born was enlightening. I enjoyed this book very much.

About the author

Kate Swenson is the creator of the blog and Facebook page Finding Cooper’s Voice. She speaks regularly about autism, parenting, and motherhood, and is a contributor to TODAY Parents, The TODAY Show, and the Love What Matters blog. Her mission is to create a safe space for families of children and teens with special needs to come together and laugh, cry, and support each other. She lives in Minnesota with her family.