{"product_id":"could-try-harder-an-illustrated-journey-through-an-undiagnosed-autistic-adolescence","title":"Could Try Harder : An illustrated journey through an undiagnosed autistic adolescence","description":"\u003cp\u003eCould Try Harder: An Illustrated Journey Through an Undiagnosed Autistic Adolescence, by Eliza Fricker, is a graphic memoir tracing the author's teenage years through secondary school, college, and into early work life. Published by Little, Brown, with a foreword by Laura James and an afterword by Emma Offord, it explores what it meant to navigate adolescence as an autistic person without knowing why meeting other people's expectations felt so difficult.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFricker was diagnosed with autism as an adult, and the book reflects on her earlier experiences with what she describes as more understanding and compassion for her younger self. As a follow-up to her earlier book Thumbsucker, this illustrated memoir encourages readers to reflect empathetically on their own neurodivergent experiences, rather than presenting a single, tidy narrative of diagnosis and resolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFor parents and home use\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eGives parents of autistic or possibly-autistic teenagers an honest, first-hand account of what an undiagnosed autistic adolescence can feel like from the inside.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIts graphic memoir format makes it accessible for older teenagers themselves, not just the adults supporting them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eOffers a compassionate, non-judgemental perspective that can help families understand a teenager's experience without needing clinical language.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eUseful for families exploring a late or adult autism diagnosis, as the book reflects on that experience directly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFor schools\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eUseful for secondary and sixth-form settings supporting pupils who may be undiagnosed or newly diagnosed as autistic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eGives staff insight into how difficult it can be for an autistic pupil to meet expectations without understanding why, informing a more compassionate approach to behaviour and expectations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIts illustrated, graphic memoir format makes it more approachable for pupils and staff than a dense academic text on autism.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eCan support staff CPD on autism awareness, drawing on genuine lived experience rather than case study summaries alone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor autistic readers, particularly those who were diagnosed later in life or are still undiagnosed, Could Try Harder offers something rare: a first-hand account of adolescence that names the specific difficulty of trying to meet expectations without understanding why they felt so hard to meet. For parents and school staff, it offers insight into that same experience from the other side, which can inform a more compassionate, less judgement-led response to an autistic young person's behaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGraphic memoirs written by autistic authors are an increasingly recognised way to build genuine understanding of the autistic experience, offering a first-hand perspective that complements clinical and educational literature rather than replacing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you are a parent trying to understand a teenager's undiagnosed or newly diagnosed autism, or a school building genuine understanding of the autistic experience among staff and pupils, Could Try Harder is an honest, illustrated account worth considering.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57918424088958,"sku":"BK2598","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0653\/6560\/6649\/files\/9781472150097.jpg?v=1787740141","url":"https:\/\/www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk\/products\/could-try-harder-an-illustrated-journey-through-an-undiagnosed-autistic-adolescence","provider":"The Dyslexia Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}