Cinderella with Wrong Shoes: Poems by a Young Woman with Autism

Champagne sparkles. Champagne has a tiny bit of bitterness When swallowed. Our lives are like that. Many struggles lead to sparkle. from A Brighter Tomorrow by Jennifer Fan Since childhood Jennifer Fan has been unique. She had trouble concentrating and struggled to keep up with kids her age. After a psychotic episode in April 2000, Jen was diagnosed with Asperger's disorder which is also called higher fuctioning autism. As Jen recovered from her mental breakdown, her mother, Autumn Fan, strived to see the world through Jen's eyes. At Autumn's urging, Jen recorded all her fears, pain, joy, love, and her appreciation of life in a collection of poems. Through poetry, both mother and daughter are learning more about living with autism and how beautiful, simple and special that life can be.