Books and More with Jan Deane

As the book opens, Phoenix is about to end a period of extended leave, after having a complete meltdown in front of one of her classes.

This leads to Phoenix being diagnosed as autistic.

The diagnosis answers a lot of questions but deepens the dilemma that she faces.

How will Phoenix be able to make people understand what this means?

Especially an acting principal who has made it plain she has no interest in anyone’s problems — just get the job done, she says.

At the same time, one of Phoenix’s online support group, Olga, is diagnosed with terminal cancer and Phoenix flies to her remote cabin in Tasmania to help her re-home her menagerie, which includes an elderly dog, a Shetland pony that loves to drink coffee, two cats and a python.

Sadly Olga dies suddenly only two days into the task.

Phoenix decides the best thing she can do is hire an appropriate vehicle and drive the animals back to Brisbane, with the assistance of Lily, a 20-year-old woman with a mysterious background, who answered her ad for a helper.

What follows is an amazing adventure, with a serious and important message.

Phoenix, Zack and Lily are all autistic.

Author Josephine Moon, who is also autistic, explains in the book’s additional notes that the autistic community is diverse.

She says “when you meet one autistic person, you’ve met ONE autistic person”.

The book underlines the loneliness of those with autism because of being misjudged by others, and their efforts to appear as normal, for want of a better term, as possible.

The Wonderful Thing About Phoenix Rose is a masterful piece of writing for its humour, pathos and characters, but most of all for its revelations about a condition that continues to be misunderstood.

I encourage you to read it.

• The Wonderful Thing About Phoenix Rose by Josephine Moon is published by Michael Joseph, part of Penguin Random House.