OUR BOOK
The Secret Life of Rose
Rose Smitten & Jodie Clarke
Inside An Autistic Head
In 2021 I co-authored a book with my daughter, Rose, who was then aged 10.
Each section is written from two perspectives; Rose's as an Autistic child and mine as an Autistic adult and parent of an Autistic child.
With over 7300 books sold, over 300 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4.8 out of 5, we were so incredibly touched and honoured that our book had supported so many Autistic children to understand themselves.
NEW EDITION NOW AVAILABLE!
In August 2024 we published a revised edition with Jessica Kingsley Publishers
From the publisher;
"The Secret Life of Rose covers a range of topics that are central to the autistic experience. While Rose writes peer-to-peer, her mum Jodie adds the perspective of an adult who is also a professional in the field.
This is an updated and expanded edition based on a successfully self-published version, offering new content on burnout, shutdown and monotropism."
"A beautifully and honestly written book, shown from the perspectice of an incredibly insightful Autistic child. This books provides and incredible learning opportunity for parents and professionals and is not one to be missed."
Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate
"Rose and Jodie's guide to Autistic life will be a blessing for children everywhere. It answers all the questions you might feel too embarassed or scared to ask, explains things in a way that actually make sense and is full of practical tips for coping and managing every day."
Dr Pooky Knightsmith
"Both Rose and Jodie provide such honest opinions which go someway towards dispelling those pesky autism myths; it was refreshing to
say the least to read about Rose’s empathic abilities! It is impressive
how many gems of wisdom are packed into this book; I found myself
devouring it at speed – and immediately returning to the beginning to
allow myself more time to digest what I was reading."
Dr Luke Beardon
A note from Jodie & Rose about the updated Edition
"We originally self-published this book in 2021, and we were blown away by the warm reception it received. Many readers, both adults and children, have contacted us to say how much our words gelped them to understand their autistic self or the lived experiences of someone they know or support. To say this was unexpected is an understatement, and we have loved hearing the impact the book has had on so many lives.
We're delighted to have had the opportunity to put together this revised and expanded edition, bringing in new information on monotropism, burnout and school. We've also created a new running order and brought in new design elements - so you're reading the same voices but in an even more user-friendly package! We hope the information we've provided will continue to help others on their journeys of discovery."
Rose and Jodie
If you have the original should you buy the new edition?
If you were a fan of the original book we'd love you to buy the new version too!
We've;
- Added new information about Monotropism, Burnout and school
- Made it more user friendly with new design elements
If you, your young person, are older you might like gift a copy of the new book to someone you think will benefit. Or maybe buy a copy or two for a local school or support group.
We don't make huge amounts of money from the book, but every sale does help support our family.
And, much more importantantly, each new book in the hands of a young autistic person (and the people who support them) could really positive impact on so many lives.
The reason I’m writing this book is because I want people to understand autism from my perspective. This means that I will be telling you about my autism and how it affects me.
Rose Smitten
What our readers love about our book
4.8 out of 5 stars
"The combined level of insight here is so important, so valuable, because it provides the bit that's usually missing: insight."
"The best book on autism for girls I've found so far. Really insightful. Love the child and adult perspectives given."
"We loved it included a section on masking! Our son related to this and this has helped him greatly, he was fascinated in Rose and that she had made this book!"
"This book is wonderful. I love how you clearly (& importantly!) hear the child’s voice first, through Rose, then also get further explanation from her mum, who also works in the field and is autistic herself."
"This is the first book I have found that I am happy to give my younger children to read as it is written by a child for children and, whilst it discusses some of the challenges of being autistic, it primarily focuses on the strengths."
"I was recommended this book by #actuallyautistic friends online and it has been by far the best book to read with my kiddo! My 9yo and I have read other books but none have left quite the impression. My kid sees herself in Rose's words, she gets really happy and exclaims “Yes! That’s what it feels like!”"
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© Copyright Jodie Clarke 2026 | All Rights Reserved
During 2024 I moved to using Jodie Clarke for all of my work (website, training, research etc).
