Eye Can Write: A memoir of a child's silent soul emerging

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The story was broadly linear - articulating Johnathan's experience of the life events outlined by his mother in the Intro. The final chapter focuses on his charity work and impact in the education sector, which is so inspiring. Hearing how he felt when he met Michael Morpugo (who wrote the Foreword for the book) brought me to tears. His eyes were obscured by a mess of unruly hair, as if he was deliberately hiding from the world,” can suggest a character who is emotionally unavailable or in a state of internal chaos. Having struggled with cumbersome communication books which didn’t have the words he wanted to say Jonathan was introduced to an E Tran frame through which he learnt to use eye pointing to achieve literacy and numeracy. The motivation of his mother to adapt the national curriculum and the volunteer teacher who helped in his lessons coupled with Jonathan’s own intelligence enabled him to find his voice. During his many hospital stays his mother read to him constantly, resulting in a vocabulary far beyond his years. As the duet continued I spelt out an ‘m’then a ‘y’. Because the process was so exacting and tiring, and because I wanted to draw out the suspense, I closed my eyes. After the usual cajoling to open them, I started to enjoy the ensuing conversation:

With the sibilance of the oxygen silenced, I inhaled deeply, the fresh air revitalising my new body and filling my soul with joy… the atmosphere was saturated in a deep, contented peace.”No – Jonathan’s attitude is positive – desperate, maybe – about going to heaven and being wonderfully healed, restored, and enjoying an undamaged relationship with his Father God. While he is still on earth, however, he is determined to use his time to advocate for those who are the position he once was in.

The book is rich with Jonathan’s friendships, his family, his delight in life and his Christian faith. It is eye-opening and joyful. Jonathan is wiser than his years; his voice is courageous, determined and deeply kind. In part, the book is a testament also to his mother’s patience and steady convictions in her son’s abilities.I am so glad Jonathan and his family have put pen to paper. Yes, it was a painstakingly slow process using a spelling board, but we need to know and see that disability does not stop the brain from wanting to learn. And we should not see the broken body as an excuse to refuse proper education to creative minds that are trapped within. Being non-verbal and in a wheelchair, I come across a range of reactions from people uncertain how to react to me. Often people stare at me, but it’s not often they will come and talk to me. So I see children I would like to chat with, pulled away by embarrassed parents, and adults engaging my mother in conversation about how old I am and what’s wrong with me.

This is a powerful book from an incredible young writer whose writing ability defies age or physical disability - a truly inspirational figure. At the heart of his story, central to his very essence, is his faith. Poetically described, the precious proximity of Jesus is a clear strength, one that is inspirational to him but also to the reader. Her eyes dimmed, mirroring the dwindling campfire, as she heard the sad tale” can infuse additional layers of emotion into the situation.

12-year-old with cerebral palsy writes acclaimed memoir

Luminosity/Brightness: How bright or dull the eyes appear can reflect the character’s emotional state or overall personality. Luminous eyes might signify vitality or a strong spirit.

From almond-shaped to round, the geometry of eyes can offer readers clues about a character’s disposition.For example, instead of saying, “She had green eyes,” you might say, “Her eyes were the color of freshly mown grass, evoking an undeniable feeling of rebirth.” This Christmas I found another book which met all these requirements. Eye Can Write by 12-year-old Jonathan Bryan delivers his unique, one-in-a-million story with such warmth, courage, faith and self-deprecating humour that I couldn’t put it down. All of this was followed by the revelation that Jonathan’s writing ability was far more sophisticated than anyone would have believed. Mummy realised that Jonathan could spell everything he wanted to write, and he could also spell everything he wanted to say. In Eye Can Write, we read of 12-year-old Jonathan’s intense passion for life, his mischievous sense of fun, his hopes, his fears and what it’s like to be him. This is a powerful memoir from an incredible young author whose writing ability defies age or physical disability – a truly inspirational figure. Eye Can Write is not only a stunning human achievement but a beautiful piece of writing that will inspire you to find the joy in every moment.” Now it was my turn to be the custodian of the power of words. My challenge to capture delicately the image and bequeath it words that let it breathe. Like a bird let out of its cage, the picture that words can generate was free to fly in my reader’s mind and assume a new life of its own. PMLD