A fictional account of parents of SEN children pulling together through their support group.
On turning to the first page, I was delighted to find that nonSENse by Rosie Sully was a fiction book – I love a good story! This one follows the lives of a group of parents as they fight the system to get the best for their SEN children, painting a picture of their lives, drawing us into their individual situations, and then bringing them together to interact as part of the SEN support group they all attend.
Plot summary (no spoilers!)
As a SEN parent herself, author Rosie Sully has first-hand knowledge and experience of fighting the system she describes so well in this book. There are frustrations a-plenty as each parent tries to make progress through the obstacles of bureaucracy, scant funding, lack of school places and a system that is clearly understaffed and near breaking point. Her own experiences inform this story, and that’s evident in her knowledge of intricacies of the system. I loved the warmth of her writing and the different characters who pull together through each other’s battles and celebrate each other’s wins.
Book structure
There are separate chapters dedicated to telling each character’s story – and several more covering the events of the group’s respite weekend away. This format works really well, as, by the time we get to the weekend event, the reader has bonded with everyone attending and can empathise with just how greatly anticipated and appreciated this break is for them all!
The only very minor thing that tripped me up was that I got used to relying on the names of the chapters – named after each character. This way, when I came back to the book, I could go straight to ‘Marsha’ or wherever I had reached. However, there are several chapters simply called ‘Saltmere’ – and that had me momentarily confused until I switched to using the chapter numbers instead of the names. (Lesson learned – I now have a bookmark. 😉)
Summary
nonSENse is a book that will draw you in and keep you reading – and isn’t that what everyone wants from a good story?! Regardless of whether you’re an SEN parent or not, it’s an ideal book to read under a blanket and with a cuppa on a rainy weekend – each chapter rolls along to create an easy, satisfying and thought-provoking read. It’s actually part of a series too, so, if you enjoy this one, you can follow the continuation of the characters’ stories in the next book!
