Manga Review: With The Light: Raising An Autistic Child Volume 1 by Keiko Tobe

With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child Volume 1
By Keiko Tobe

I previously read the third volume of this series, and it was good enough that I wanted to read the beginning of the story.

This is a fictional story, but it is based on research and interviews with actual parents of children with autism.

The story begins with the birth of Hikaru Azuma. Hikaru's name means "with the morning light" and his mother named him for the beautiful sunrise at the time of his birth. As Hikaru grows, his mother, Sachiko, notices that he seems detached and indifferent to her affection. Sachiko's mother-in-law blames Sachiko's parenting for the troubles that Hikaru seems to have. Then at a routine checkup, a doctor warns Sachiko that Hikaru may be deaf when he shows no reaction to sounds.

Eventually the real reason for Hikaru's difficulties become clear. Hikaru has autism. The difficulties that Sachiko encounters trying to get help and acceptance for her son strain her marriage to the breaking point.

But with the support she finds through programs for special-needs children, Sachiko begins to pull her life together, and is able to find a good daycare center and school for Hikaru. Along the way, there is plenty of drama including several situations in which Hikaru becomes lost, dealings with hostile parents of Hikaru's schoolmates, and the birth of Hikaru's younger sister during a typhoon.

This volume covers the Hikaru's life from birth to his early elementary school years. Tobe's writing is quick-paced, with a good understanding of autism, well-developed characters, and engaging dialogue. The action leans a bit toward soap-opera melodrama in a few moments, but generally the story is well thought-out and captivating. The depiction of autism is detailed and well researched, but in many ways this is really a great book about the joys and sorrows of parenting in general. The artwork is beautiful from start to finish.

With The Light: Raising An Autistic Child Volume 1 was book #13 in my goal of reading 50 books in 2010, and I give it a rating of 9 out of 10 on my review scale for comics.