Mary Calhoun Brown
Award-winning Author and Speaker
Reviews of There Are No Words


"I can definitely say that your book will be chosen for the "Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2011" by the IBBY Documentation Centre in Norway. Usually about 120 titles from all over the world are submitted to these biennial projects, of which 50-60 are chosen for the annotated (and beautifully illustrated) catalogue and travelling exhibition, which will be launched at the Bologna International Bookfair. (The next catalogue comes in Spring of 2011.) Your book is a beautiful, genuine story about love and friendship, and I think you have captured the true hyper sensitivity to touch and sounds that so many autistic persons experience. I can honestly tell you that when Jaxon said goodbye to her new friends and slipped back through the painting and into her own world, it brought tears to my eyes."

Heidi Cortner Boiesen
IBBY DOCUMENTATION CENTRE
OF BOOKS FOR DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE
Haug School and Resource Centre
Bærum Kommune
N-1304 Sandvika
Norway



" I am so impressed with your  attention to detail and beautiful descriptions, not to mention your  stick-to-it-iveness in getting it published.  I'm taking a lesson!  It  is one thing to have empathy and another to be able to put across on  paper the super-sensitivity to sound and touch. Wow.  Your love of the  characters shines through and the use of photos is brilliant.  Boy, I  could sure smell those roses and the leaves on the forest path.  Great 
job!"


Sara Hunter,
Sara Hunter Productions
Award-Winning Author of "The Unbreakable Code,"
a Smithsonian Notable Book for Children 



"Your book, There Are No Words, is lovely.
 
A fascinating entry in the world of autism through an endearing character going back into time to rescue her grandfather's best friend. In addition to being a great piece of writing, this book is for anyone wanting to learn more about autism from an "inside" view. There Are No Words has my highest recommendation."
 
Stephen Shore, Author
Understanding Autism for Dummies
Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum

“Mary brings her characters to life with an infinite attention to detail and infuses them with depth, humor and selflessness. ‘There Are No Words’ propelled me into a time and place in which even children were faced with the realities of racism and war.”

Mike Grady,
CEO,

Autism Services Center



 

 

 

 I found “There Are No Words” to be a very interesting, informative and easy read. Jaxon MacKenzie is an autistic twelve year old girl living in the modern world and yet this story seems firmly rooted in a past era. I attribute this “feel” to two separate but intertwined   things. Jaxon lives with her grandparents who come from an older generation which encompasses a different set of values and she gets pulled into a painting that sends her back in time to July of 1918. “There Are No Words” is the story of Jaxon’s life here as well as her adventure in the past.

I definitely appreciated the historical facts which were used in the telling of this tale as it made the book very interesting to me. I also enjoyed the various photographs and pictures which were used throughout the book. They were an authentic touch and consequently they made the story that much more realistic. I am sure that the younger readers will greatly enjoy this aspect as well.

It was also wonderful to read the book from Jaxon’s perspective and to be present during her different stages. She starts out as an autistic child unable to really communicate with the world around her yet once she goes through the painting she suddenly finds she is able to interact with people in what we would consider a “normal” manner. How wonderful to finally have the ability to talk with people outside of her head! How amazing to have people treat her the same way they treat everyone else!

I give high praise to the author, Mary Calhoun Brown, for being able to help me understand and experience life in a way that an autistic child might. How many times do we overlook or simplify what Autism is simply because we do not understand it or have never experienced its effects in our lives? How frustrating it must be to be that child. To have to wonder about life every day and yet never have any answers to your questions. Jaxon was truly blessed to live with someone as intuitive as her grandparents.

“There Are No Words” is a charming and likeable story and I recommend it to readers of all ages.

Charline Ratcliff for
Rebecca's Reads


Feathered Quill Book Review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
status: Read in January, 2010


There Are No Words is narrated by Jaxon, a 12-year-old girl with autism who lives with her grandparents. Though she shares with the reader that she cannot speak and describes her intense reactions to sound and touch, this is not really a book about autism. It is an adventure whose protagonist happens to be autistic.

Jaxon also proves to be a strong, quick-thinking girl with a crush on a black boy and a friend who, in 1918, likes to wear boys' pants and shoes under her dresses. Author Mary Calhoun Brown defies many stereotypes. Teachers and parents looking for a book with strong female characters or gentle, nurturing men will find them here. The book also promotes awareness of autism without presenting it as a problem to be overcome. In fact the main problem from Jaxon's point of view is that other people do not understand autism and treat her as though she is stupid or, to use her word, unworthy.

We see the world through the eyes of someone who is extremely sensitive to touch and to sounds. Jaxon also pays close attention to details and colors. The descriptions of the world around her-- the feel of the carpet, the sounds of the rain-- are peaceful and poetic. Jaxon, who has much difficulty communicating with others, including her own mother, is still able to paint for us beautiful images of the world as she sees it.

When Jaxon is magically transported through a painting and back in time, she finds that she is able to speak. In fact she seems to have no trouble communicating whatsoever and to be unusually good at intuiting the feelings of others. In Tennessee in 1918 Jaxon's autism is not a problem, but she soon discovers that racism, an issue that she had been unaware of before her time-travel adventure, is a huge one.

Ms. Brown more than once compares racism to the discrimination that Jaxon faces as a person with autism. Brown's presentation of race issues in the United States does not go very deep. Happily the black character, Oliver, has three wonderful white friends who are willing to risk their lives for him. Also, Jaxon seems to believe that racism is all but gone in her modern world. We can forgive, perhaps, her surface-level observations on race, knowing that Jaxon almost never leaves her grandparents' house and interacts with few people outside of her family. Though readers may not feel convinced that the experience of a black person in the south parallels that of an autistic child so neatly, teachers and students will appreciate Brown's message of tolerance toward all others.

The strongest aspect of the story is the unfolding mystery and adventure as Jaxon and her friends race against time, hoping to stop a train wreck and to rescue Oliver. There is real suspense, and Brown describes the action with vivid images, employing the same poetic language that she uses for the pastoral scenes in the beginning of the book. Despite the excitement of a train hurtling toward tragedy in the hours before dawn, the book maintains its peaceful, dreamlike feel throughout.

There Are No Words is a quick read with thoroughly likable characters. The relationships between the characters are sweet while still being very real. Readers will be inspired by the patience of Jaxon's grandparents and the kindness of her friends.

Quill says: A dream-like adventure that reads like poetry while challenging stereotypes.

 
"The most terrifying future is a future you cannot change. "There Are No Words" tells the story of a mute girl who finds herself with a voice, but sent back decades ago. With the knowledge of a train wreck that will kill one of her grandfather's friends, Jaxon MacKenzie finds herself in a time before said accident. But a twelve year old girl can't do much to stop a government train...can she? "There Are No Words" is a charming story of determination and friendship, highly recommended. "

Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
 
 

 

 

 

 

“Mary Calhoun Brown has given us an unusual path in getting to the story of autism. Young teenagers, their teachers and parents will be happy to have this one in their library.”

Dr. Ruth C. Sullivan,
former President
Autism Society of America


"We loved this book and it made us stop and actually think about what our kids are seeing, feeling and going through in life.  Sometimes it is so easy to get wrapped up in all of the therapy of autism that we forget to stop and just see our kids.   
 
- Autism Treasure Chest


"There Are No Words by Mary Calhoun Brown, is a heartwarming tale of trials and triumph, judgment and acceptance; one that challenged my beliefs and brightened my day. It's short, it's sweet, and it's worth far more recognition that it will probably get."
 
"Jaxon's world is engaging from page one, the author's simple quiet style lending itself well to such a gentle, thoughtful read."
 
"...Lines feel like an interpretation of love my a misunderstood twelve-year-old, and a frankly more honest one that you can find in most fiction."
 
"...Love and tolerance are certainly abundant, but unlike most teen books in this niche, it is balanced with sorrow, anger and prejudice in real-life doses, which rescues it from sentimentality and gives it a whole new dimension of excellence."

Reader Views

 

“There Are No Words” tells the story of a 12-year-old autistic girl named Jaxon McKenzie. She is mute, but she secretly loves to read. After her father passed away, her mother left her to be raised by her grandparents.

Late one night, Jaxon went downstairs to look at the painting her uncle had made. The painting of a path in the woods with two small figures in the background. One of the figures moves closer. The figure is of a girl. The girl whispers, “Come with us. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Jaxon reaches out for the girl and steps into the painting. She is now out of her time and somehow able to talk. She befriends Sara, Dewey and Oliver. Soon she learns that she is in the year 1918. The year of the great train wreck.

“There Are No Words,” is a fun, exciting adventure. Author Mary Calhoun Brown has created a wonderful tale surrounded by actual events. The book includes a reader’s guide for parents and teachers. Children and adults will easily connect with the main character, Jaxon. I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

 

 

Reviewed on 02/11/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Billy Burgess

This book is one that makes the reader look at lives of others I a whole different light while it adds a bit of whimsy and “what if” to round it out. I suggest this book for readers of all ages, and especially those who want a more positive book about autism than they have previously read. It is a “keeper” in every sense of the word.

Review the Book
Susan Pettrone
Review the Book Susan Pettrone

Mary Calhoun Brown has provided a voice for the voiceless, in this riveting tale that draws attention to the plight of autism. An epic story that touches the heart “There Are No Words” is truly a story of love and devotion. With actual family photo’s scattered throughout the book and a carefully crafted story Mary Calhoun Brown has given “There Are No Words”, a heart beat of its own. The perfect blend of history and fiction, I would recommend this book to everyone.

Review the Book
Angela Simmons

"Mary Calhoun Brown is a very talented writer with the ability to narrate the story of Jaxon in a very beautiful way. Her use of language to describe how Jaxon feels and sees the word helps readers understand many of the sensory issues faced by people with autism and increases understanding and awareness of this condition. This is a very educational but also easy to read and entertaining book and I would like to recommend it to people of all ages."

Emma Martin Tobes
Helping Communicate
United Kingdom

http://helpingcommunicate.co.uk/blog/?p=33

http://www.wikio.com/shopping/core/viewreview.jsp?rp=9933944&pt=3&id=1001&rt=6008
"There Are No Words" is wonderful
Published by S. Harz - 01-2010

While the title of this book is "There Are No Words" I found Mary Calhoun Brown's delightful words to be very educational and uplifting. I had no prior knowledge of the train wreck that serves as the backdrop for this novel, and was intrigued enough to then do my own research on the this historical event - I thank Mrs. Brown for this inspiration. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, her handling of the characters was gentle and thought-provoking and the juxtaposition of race relations among a group of friends against the beliefs and actions of their elders was careful but meaningful. All in all I found this book to be wonderfully creative, enlightening, and inspirational. I have passed it along to my 12-year-old son and am confident that he will benefit from is just as I did.

"Your book is amazing- your discriptions are unbelievable! What a talent! Your book is a gift to the world!"

Betts Carpenter-Reed, MD, PhD
Medical Director
LabCorp Charleston Cytology Laboratory


 "Just finished the first chapter.... I am LOVING your book! I love the figurative language.... you are a Reading Teacher's dream come true!"

 Melanie Alley, M.A.
Fifth Grade Teacher
Columbus City Schools
Columbus, OH


"I enjoyed reading your book. I loved how you described the forsythia bush. I will never look at a forsythia bush again without thinking about your fabulous description."
 
Christina Foy Ellis
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Fayette County Schools

“I just finished There Are No Words, it was a wonderful story, it reminded me of The Wizard of Oz. The way it was written made me really believe the story.”

~Sarah Byrd, author of the upcoming book Guardian Spirits

"I didn't want it to end. I loved how you allowed the readers to experience autism, and your characters were so endearing. I admire your talent, and hope you plan to write more as I would love to read them. "

Mary Griffith
Avid Reader

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/life/schools/x1799858525/Huntington-author-honored-at-book-festival

http://www.examiner.com/x-10971-Education-Collaboration-Examiner~y2010m1d7-Autism-novel-There-Are-No-Words-by-Mary-Calhoun-Brown

http://www.diyreporter.com/news/news2.asp?news2_id=432


http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/fantasy-elucidates-autism.html
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