Where Are You, Little Giulio? | Review

With sensitivity and care, Colaneri's picture book takes on the complex subject of neurodiversity by following a day in the life of a boy with autism. She does this by choosing each word with tailored precision, leaving eloquent white space around pastel-colored drawings. The narrator is Giulio's mother, and with her, page by page, we search for the small boy. Each search ends with a period—as if to say he is here, waiting for us to see him. Giulio doesn't put his worlds into words, or his emotions, or his many struggles. When something goes wrong, he runs and hides. We must be patient, approach slowly, catch the right moment to sit beside him. Colaneri brings us into the center of Giulio's universe without explaining it. She lets us feel it in all its complexity and richness, dismantling the assumption that a person with a disability is unknowable, without charm or imagination. A book that is both profound and light, open to all ages and all perspectives. "Giulio, I see you. You're right here in front of me."