Real is inspired by the real life story of Peyton Goddard, who co-wrote this book. In the book, the main character, Charity, was labeled as low functioning as a child and was placed in a special education school where the staff treated the students horribly. Her mother fought to get her admitted back into her public school, where she was surrounded by supportive staff who gave her her voice by teaching her how to type to communicate. It was not always easy, as she struggled to control her body and had to deal with other students and their families that were not as accepting of her.

This book needs to be put into the hands of every single person who works in education. It is such an important message to presume competence with all students, no matter what. As a certified occupational therapy assistant who has worked with people of all ages and abilities across many settings, I really wish I had this book when I was first starting out my career. As I read this, I thought about specific children I worked with, and how I would do things differently knowing what I know now.

Charity Wood is 13 years old. She has been labeled to be “low-functioning Autistic “ as among other characteristics, she cannot talk. Her mind and body don’t connect. It makes life difficult when you can’t be sure your body will obey what you tell it to do. She goes to a special school where she is suppose to be educated but is not. When her parents find out how Charity is treated, she is taken out of the school. Her mother is determined to get Charity into the local public school. The Special Ed teacher “interviews” Charity and says yes, she can go to school. In the junior high school, she ends up eating lunch with other kids with different disabilities yet similar. As Charity goes to school, she learns to communicate by using a keyboard. She becomes accepted by her classmates except for the bullies. Will she be able to deal with the bullies? When accused of plagiarism, will Charity be able to stay in school or not?

The authors wrote this novel jointly as it is based on the author Peyton Goddard’s life. It shows the problems that kids like Charity experience. I enjoyed reading this book as questions that I had were answered. Charity’s path goes beyond finding her voice but also letting otherwise ers know that all kids should have an education. Behind this inspiring book, there are also several different themes such as friendship, bullying, self acceptance and civil rights.

Brief Review:

Because thirteen-year-old Charity Wood doesn’t talk and has limited motor skills, everyone assumes that she is mentally challenged. But when her parents discover the abusive conditions at Charity’s special needs school and enroll her in public school, she quickly learns new ways to communicate. With the help of the special needs coordinator and an aide, Charity suddenly starts to type. Many of the people who have doubted her, including family members, the principal, the basketball coach, and numerous fellow students all learn that she is intelligent and articulate. But a few students and parents don’t welcome Charity to the public school. Someone keeps posting hurtful comments on an anonymous gossip app, and eventually, people start questioning whether Charity is really typing for herself. Charity must defend herself not only against stereotypes but also against specific accusations of plagiarism. Inspired by the real-life experiences of one of the book’s two authors, this story explains the importance of respecting everyone, including people with disabilities, and not underestimating someone’s intelligence or potential based upon their limitations. Unfortunately, despite the book’s important message and (eventually) uplifting tone, the plot and characters simply aren’t interesting enough to appeal to a wide audience.

Long Review:

Thirteen-year-old Charity Wood doesn’t talk. No one knows that she loves sour gummies and pepperoni pizza or that she hates oatmeal and the pink dresses her mother makes her wear. No one except her parents truly believes that she is intelligent and knows how to read and do junior-high-level math. And even her family has no idea that she suffers from neglect and abuse at Borden Academy, the school that is supposed to accommodate and support her special needs. But then one day her mother goes into Borden to try to meet with a teacher and observes the unsatisfactory conditions that have always been covered up on Parents Day. She immediately pulls Charity out of Borden Academy and starts the process of getting her admitted to public school.

The principal, Mr. Jergen, is skeptical of Charity’s ability to function and participate in the public school curriculum given her limited motor skills and the fact that she’s nonverbal. But the special needs coordinator, who introduces herself as Celia, quickly realizes that Charity is much more intelligent than any doctor or educator has realized in the past. In fact, under the guidance of Celia and an aide named Ana, Charity quickly learns how to type. She suddenly is able to communicate with her family, her new friends, and her teachers. She excels in academics, makes friends, and even joins the basketball team.

But not everyone welcomes Charity to public school. The majority of the popular-girl clique takes a dislike to her, with the possible exception of Grace, who was Charity’s friend when they were little. And someone keeps saying hurtful things on an anonymous gossip app. Later, when Ana has to take time off unexpectedly for a family emergency, Charity is given a substitute aide who types her own words with Charity’s keyboard, raising questions about whether Charity was really communicating on her own in the first place. After Charity submits a research paper about the negative environment at Borden Academy, she is even accused of plagiarism.

Inspired by the real-life experiences of one of the book’s two authors, this story explains the importance of respecting everyone, including people with disabilities, and not underestimating someone’s intelligence or potential based upon their limitations. The message is important and the eventual outcome of Charity’s story is positive, but the book unfortunately lacks the appeal factors to reach a wide audience, especially not within the 8-11 age range for which retailers recommend it. The story isn’t exciting or humorous, few of the characters are well-developed or likable, and much of the plot revolves around the adult-oriented topic of best practices in special needs education.

Real is a well-done view into the life of a young teen with autism. It is heartfelt and heartbreaking and as one who has an autistic brother, it rings so very true. I love the depth of Charity and her wonderfully supportive parents. There is so much to love here.

First, I have to say how excited I was to read Real once I found out it was #OwnVoices. I know there are social media movements calling for more books by #ActuallyAutistic authors, so I really appreciated reading this book. Peyton Goddard is an inclusion advocate who had a similar experience to Charity.

I think Real is a lovely story that a lot of kids could benefit from or appreciate. The authors make it clear that children, especially children with disabilities, are vulnerable and deserving of advocacy and the stage to advocate for themselves. I loved how Charity drew inspiration from the Civil Rights movement and the chapter that detailed music therapy and other techniques Charity, her teachers, and her parents used. While scenes of abuse at Charity's old school, Borden, were heart-breaking, this does happen and kids should be aware of it, or might see this book as a mirror for their own unjust experiences. Finally, this book shows that adults can be bullies too.

On the other hand, I did find a lot of this book to be unrealistic. As a former teacher, I know Charity would have an IEP that her teachers at her new school would have to honor, whether they felt like it or not. Also, the final trial scene would never happen in real life. Students' privacy is very important. I also felt like some of the portrayals of women, especially cheerleaders, were bordering on misogynistic.

Overall, this was a heartwarming and empowering read, and I am thankful for the chance from NetGalley, the authors, and the publishers to read it. I rate it 3 stars.

An excellent example of neurodiverse fiction in the middle grade sphere. Great characters, great goals, really easy for kids to understand. Would love to have this one in middle school classroom!

Inspired by a true story, this book takes us on a journey of an autistic, non-verbal teenage girl's life through her mind. Her mind is her voice - a voice that is desperate to communicate with others. What I love most about Charity is the unconditional love and support she has from her mother and father. They are her advocates who encourage and cheer her on, even when she wants to give up. It's heartbreaking to see Charity dealing with the bullies at school, when all she wants to do is fit in and make friends. She also has family members who are uncomfortable being around her and don't know what to do or how to act. But through her daily struggles she pushes forward, battling each obstacle as best she can. With the help of teachers and new friends, she's finally able to learn to speak through a tablet. Her voice can finally be heard. And people are listening.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand autism better. And who better to understand it than from someone who lives with it every day. As a mother to an 8 year old autistic son, I will always worry about how others see him or if they treat him differently. My fear is that I can't always protect him from the bullies or people whispering behind their back. But I will forever be his advocate and I will let him know every day how very much loved he is. Charity is a strong, courageous girl who is making a difference in the world by being the voice for others who can't speak. Hopefully others who read this book can understand and learn not to judge a book by its cover.

Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
Wow this book is a good one as well as important. I loved the MC, she was so real, relatable and lovable at the same time. This book challenges preconceptions and predujudices well without taking down to readers. The writing is well done and the story deals with some important topics.
A good read.

Everyone who thinks Autistic children and adults are dumb or "retarded" needs to read this book. This book shows what's it like to live locked in your own body with out being able to communicate, the struggles of living with a disability, and the joy of finally being seen as a person.

This book does put you through the ringer of emotions, so if you are a crier, have some tissues ready. Learning how Charity is treated at school will make you angry, and then you'll cry right along with her mom when she finds out what's going on. You'll want to yell at her aunt along with her mom. When she finally communicates you'll want to cheer and cry at the same time. With every accomplishment and set back you will feel for Charity.

While the main character is Autistic, she has friends with Down's Syndrome, one who uses a wheel chair, and other disabilities. I'm not sure if Jazzmine as supposed to have Cerebral Palsy or Muscular Dystrophy, but either are possible. A classmate also uses assistive type and is possibly Autistic, and another has an unspecified developmental disorder.

Excellent representation, relatable story about bullying and making friends, an overcoming obstacles makes this a Five Lightsaber review.

Charity is 13 years old, she likes pizza, strawberry shakes, music, swimming, and puzzles. She is highly intelligent and has an almost perfect memory, but no one knows that because she has never spoken.
Her mom picks out her outfits, which are usually an all pink mess that Charity despises. She goes to a 'school' for mentally handicapped children where abuse happens, she gets shut in the 'time-out' closet at least once a week for hours at a time. All of that changes one day when Charity's mom stops by the school unannounced and see's all the ridiculous things happening there. She is then on a quest to have Charity attend an actual school that will support her learning.
Charity is accepted into a regular middle school, where she has a wonderful aide that helps her with motor skills, meditation to help her control her body, and she finds friends who don't care that she can't talk. She slowly finds her place in school and with her peers and thoroughly enjoys learning. When she is finally given the means to communicate for herself, she is beyond happy, but still unfulfilled. She realizes that she needs to be the voice for others like her who can't express themselves verbally.
Real by Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard was a tear-jerker. I loved that the viewpoint of the story is Charity's and that we can hear her 'voice'. It made me wonder how many times I may have treated someone in Charity's shoes differently. This would be a phenomenal book for a discussion group, a classroom, or for a parent and children. It starts a conversation that should be happening regularly, but most likely isn't.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I was given a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Wow. Wow, I just finished this book moments ago. It’s 4:45 AM. I got up early because I couldn’t sleep because I wanted to finish the book. Imagine being brilliant but trapped in your body, like Charity was. Imagine finally having a way to communicate and going to a public high school. Dealing with the nerds and the jocks and the mean girls. You are autistic. You can’t make your body do what you need it to do. That’s what this book is about.

It written in the first person. It is fantastic. I always wondered if my mom, who lost most of her ability to speak and move after a series of strokes, was stuck inside herself. If she’s anything like Charity, the answer is yes. The book is so well written, so convincing, I wondered how the authors could do it. How did they know? They knew because it was based on Peyton Goddard’s life! And now I want to meet her. What a outstanding book. It is a great way to teach kids about empathy. I love this book. If this book were a man, my husband would be in trouble!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley.com to read and review.

Charity thinks of herself as a charity case. Trapped inside a body that doesn't listen and unable to speak, she is often seen as a hopeless case. But Charity isn't hopeless, and she's brilliant, she simply has autism. Based on Peyton Goddard's own struggles and successes, Charity's story is filled with laughter and tears and ultimately it leaves you with open eyes and a real sense of hope.

There are depictions of abusive behavior from a school Charity attends which are hard to read, but knowing those things happen in institutional settings makes it an important part if the story. There is also bullying shown, so if you are particularly sensitive, you should prepare yourself.

I often find it hard to rate things based on true stories, but this one was engrossing and important, so I ranked it as high as possible. If you are at all interested in the subjects presented, I encourage you to read it when it is published!

Real is a book that I always wanted. Not to get too personal, but I am on the Spectrum with NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder). A therapist told me that it is like Autism and Aspergers (more on the Aspergers side) put together. Charity and I have variations of differences (i.e. experiences, characteristics. ) _ I was horrible at math (for example) _ I felt so connected to her. It is so wonderful to see a book bring representation and the authentic emotion of what it is like to feel different, an outsider, to others. The book itself is beautifully hopefully. I wish I had this book when I was younger, but I am so glad that people like Charity and Me could recognize themselves with such sensitivity and warmth. Plus, I feel like kids and families alike would get a better understanding of how people are different and that's perfectly okay. More than okay. As you could see, I really loved the book.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for this book for my Honest Review.

An amazing story.
This book tells us a very moving story, the story of Charity, a thirteen year old girl who suffers from autism. She is super smart, but because of her problem, she cannot show the world all she can do. Everyone thinks she doesn't understand, that her mind is useless, but they have no idea how much she can do.
The truth is that there are few books that deal with mental health and disorders. And the fact that this story tells us this, and even more so that it is based on a true story, brings us closer to the idea of all that these people go through because they are the way they are.
It was a book that I enjoyed very much. The truth is that Charity's story left me super moved, all that she had to go through. It gave me a lot of courage every time she was treated like a baby or a creature incapable of reasoning.
It is quite an experience reading this book. The way it is written catches you and makes you connect more and more with Charity.
It's a book that's worth reading, so that we can become a little more aware and begin to put ourselves in the shoes of these people, to try to understand them, not to push them aside.
I highly recommend that you give this book a chance.

"I AM INTELLIGENT."

As an educator and one-time inclusion teacher, I have had first-hand experiences with children like Charity. I have always felt that many of these children were "locked", for lack of a better word, in a body that would not cooperate with their mind. Reading Real only solidified that thought. The fact that it was based on a true story solidified it even more. Seeing the world through Charity's eyes was often heartbreaking at times, but as the story progressed, that feeling changed to triumph. I feel that anybody thinking of going into education, whether you choose to specialize in Special Education or not, should read this story. I feel that the story is also appropriate for upper elementary through high school students. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is one of the benefits of reading a variety of stories. This book can help us deepen our understandings of those who may not have the ability to speak to us in traditional ways. We just have to learn how to listen.

This book compels you to keep reading without taking breaks and when you read the last page, it stays with you. There are so many good life lessons in this book that your brain will ponder over for a long time. This is fitting because the book is about autism and the inner workings of the brain. Charity is the protagonist and she is defined by doctors (the Thinkers as they are referred to) as a non-verbal girl with low-functioning autism. She attends one public school as a very young child and then a private school. When she is expelled from the private school, the Thinkers want to put her in an institution but by a miracle she is enrolled in a special program at Jefferson Middle School.

It is a beautiful story about Charity learning how to be verbal through typing and overcoming her out-of-control body. She shows how she is more than than her physical limitations. Even more, the story tells about all the relationships she develops with people and how those relationships impact her and others. From her parents, her grandparents, her aunt and cousin to the teachers and other students at school, Charity develops and grows in her relationships. Some relationships are not good at all and some relationships are healed. It makes you realize the impact you have on others and how others impact you. This is what stays with you long after you finish reading the last page.

My Rating: 5 Stars

"I AM INTELLIGENT"

Charity is 13 years old, loves strawberry milkshakes, learning new facts about animals, and hanging out with her dad and grandpa. She also cannot control her body, cannot speak, and, although people on the outside don't realize it, she cannot stand that she receives constant judgment and pity from everyone around her. She wants to be seen as the real person that she is. When she enrolls in public school, she must choose to either be defeated by the judgement of peers and faculty, or persevere to show them how she, despite her physical challenges, is real--just like them.

Wow. Wow! This book was incredible. It's a short read, but it conveys a powerful message! I found myself re-evaluating how I interact with people who are physically and neurologically different from me. Charity has so much soul, and yet people assume that she is mentally inferior and incapable of learning because, despite all her efforts and willpower, she is unable to control her body. This book brings so much to light about what people with neurological or physical challenges are dealt by other people. Pity, neglect, lack of respect, embarrassment, even abuse. It also highlights how simple kindness and just trying to understand can literally make all the difference, especially when backed by the support of loving family and a few good friends.

I highly recommend this book. I wish I had read this book when I was a teenager myself, because I think it would have changed the way I saw people. I would recommend this book for upper elementary through middle school students, although it would benefit everyone of every age to read this book or understand its message: everyone deserves to have opportunities to learn and to be included, even if they are different.

Content guide:

Sex & Affection: A girl and a boy hold hands, tokens of affection exchanged between family members (i.e. hugs, kisses on the cheek, handshakes, etc.)

Language: One character says "h**l," insults and unkind remarks are directed toward a character.

Drugs, Alcohol, and Substance Use: Coffee is consumed.

Crime & Violence: Children experience abuse or neglect at the hands of their educators, cyber bullying is directed toward a character.

I received a free ARC from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.

Wow. Have some tissues handy. And cancel all of your other plans, because you won't want to put this book down until you finish it. At least that's what happened with me, anyway.
What a captivating, heartbreaking, heartwarming, all of the emotions rolled in to one story. There was such a contrast between how Charity's parents treated her, and how most other people treated her, especially at first. I LOVED her dad. He was amazing and such an example on how to treat people who have differences.
This story shows how people can change and continually learn - and I'm not referring to Charity here, although she did do both. I'm referring to her peers and teachers, who were given that chance to change as well.
This is a book that everyone should read.

I received an electronic ARC from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley.
Powerful story told by an Own Voices author. Readers see the world through Charity's eyes and experiences. She is diagnosed as low-functioning autistic. Since she has no voice, she is regarded as unable to learn or unintelligent. Her struggles to be recognized come through clearly. I felt anger at several of the people in this young girl's life - extended family members, educators. It was appalling to see their actions through the protagonist's eyes. Highly recommend this book for those who work with differently abled students.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Charity as a character. Her way of viewing the world was really unique and I loved watching her quest for justice for herself and her friends at Borden. This book made me look at myself and wonder about what people I have misjudged or made false assumptions about. This was a really thought provoking title for kids.