Thumbsucker
An illustrated journey through an undiagnosed autistic childhood
Spoilt. Weirdo. Fussy. Hypochondriac. Chatterbox.
Eliza spent her childhood being told she was all of these until her autism diagnosis as an adult revealed why she had experienced the world so differently. But what does it mean to grow up knowing you are different, misunderstood, “difficult'?
Funny, witty and tender, Sunday Times bestselling author and illustrator Eliza Fricker, uses her own memories of growing up in the 80s to explore how neurodiversity presents itself in everyday life and what neurodivergent children really need from the people who love them.
Thumbsucker is a deeply moving and powerful book about what life can be like for children who don’t quite fit inside society’s rigid boxes. So many families will feel seen when they read Eliza Fricker’s beautiful portrayal of her own childhood. I adored it.
In Thumbsucker, Eliza Fricker shows us the complicated and often painful experiences that too-easy labels allow the people around us to dismiss, when what is needed is understanding.
A warm, funny and thought provoking account of growing up and feeling different.
Eliza Fricker is a neurodivergent illustrator, author and mother of a neurodivergent child. She is the writer and illustrator for her blog, Missing the Mark and is always looking for new ways to help parents feel seen and heard.
