Eli's Quiet Friend

Sarah Pedrozo reviews a new children’s book, recently released by Pauline Books & Media, written from the perspective of a young boy of the autism spectrum. 

Eli's Quiet Friend

By Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP; illustrated by Emily Boughton

Publisher: Pauline Books & Media

What do you do when every noise and creak, every woof and chirp, even any small whisper seems to reverberate 100 times more loudly inside your head?  This is the situation that young Eli deals with every day. He doesn’t just hear sounds. He hears the sounds that things make. From meowing kittens to buzzing phones, Eli is constantly sensitive to, and often overwhelmed by, all the daily sounds of life. 

But when the sounds get to be too much, Eli knows there’s one person in his house who understands, and that’s Grandma. Not only does Grandma never make any loud noises, but she also reads Eli stories from her Bible. Grandma teaches Eli that God also likes the quiet.  

One day, Grandma tells Eli that she has a special friend that she wants him to meet. They walk hand in hand through the city to the house of Grandma’s friend, but Eli finds the noises of the city too much and he runs away. Luckily, he runs into the church yard where Grandma’s friend lives. Together, Eli and Grandma enter the church and Grandma introduces Eli to her quiet friend, Jesus, who is present in the Eucharist and visible in the monstrance on the altar. They pray together in silence for a while, and Eli learns that there is a quiet place where he can talk to God. 

Support for parents with neurodivergent children 

Written by Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP, and illustrated by Emily Boughton, Eli’s Quiet Friend gives us a peek into the world of a young boy on the autism spectrum. One of the great things this book does is give support to parents and grandparents of children who are neurodivergent, whether that’s with ADD, ADHD or another difference. By sharing Eli’s perspective and showing that he interacts with the world in a way that is different from his siblings, as well as other children his own age, readers can better understand Eli and children like him.

Another good thing the book does is that it includes Eli in the life of the Church. When Grandma brings him to Eucharistic Adoration, she has the chance to explain the Real Presence to Eli and show him a way to relate to Christ. Attending Sunday Mass is typically difficult for families with neurodivergent children, so they often just don’t go. Eucharistic Adoration, on the other hand, is typically subdued and can offer a quiet space for children who are sensitive to sounds or have similar sensitivities. 

More resources available 

Besides Grandma, the book doesn’t go into any details about how the rest of the family interacts with Eli. I would have liked to see that praying with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is a source of strength and peace for Eli’s mom and family as well, especially when they feel overwhelmed with Eli’s sensory issues.  It’s also important to emphasize that Jesus is with us all the time and we can address Him in our hearts as well as in the Blessed Sacrament.

Having worked with children on the autism spectrum, I know that Eli will not be able to make the trip through the city every time. There will be days when he won’t even be able to leave his house, much less be able to compose himself once at church. The illustration of Eli’s bedroom shows that his family has set up a nice prayer space for Eli to use, and that’s a beautiful gift to give to any child, as well as an introduction to contemplative prayer, to practicing the presence of God.  

At the end of the book, there are several pages written in a Q and A fashion. The author answers questions like “Do I always have to be quiet to pray?” and “How can I hear Jesus?” These pages are a good opportunity for parents and children to talk about what the Eucharist is and the different ways that God can talk to us. Not every parish has regular Eucharistic Adoration, but families can make plans to visit a church that does.  

There are also some free resources available online from Pauline Books & Media that go into more detail on how to set up a sensory-friendly prayer space, as well as some general tips on teaching children to pray using other resources from Pauline. Eli's Quiet Friend can help kids learn a little bit about other children who see the world differently. 

Ask for Eli's Quiet Friend at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Pauline Books & Media.

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Copyright 2024 Sarah Pedrozo
Images: Canva
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