A tear-jerking, thought provoking, eye-opening, engaging, pleasurable and inspiring story about how an autistic child learned to read, write, speak, and do other basic life functions that we take for granted. Like any other young mother, Goretti Rerri is delighted and excited to embrace child-rearing and family life with all of its usual ups and downs. She emigrates to the USA with her three children to join her husband who is already in a medical residency program in New York City. However, when her youngest child, Teresa, begins exhibiting atypical behaviors as a toddler, Rerri grows highly concerned. When Teresa is diagnosed at 3 years old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rerri is stunned. And so begins their exceptional journey. Mother and daughter must work together to navigate a wide range of learning and behavioral issues that at times seem insurmountable. Autism also has a significant impact on day-to-day family life, as well as social and community connections. Through it all the family sticks together and Rerri holds an unflagging hope that Teresa can and must achieve the greatest level of personhood possible, which means finding the best interventions and cultivating the conditions where Teresa's bright humorous spirit can shine.