Ollie is a true account of a brave boy with autism who is later diagnosed with leukaemia. Ollie’s father, Stephen Venables, is a fantastic and experienced writer who is able to draw in the reader. The book is an honest portrayal of the difficulties faced by a family when a child is diagnosed with autism and subsequently leukaemia. It gives incredible insight into life with an autistic child, helping the reader imagine how the disorder takes over and dominates family life.

Frequently, trainees feel they have had very limited exposure to autism, their knowledge being based on the film Rain man. Reading this, I was able to empathise and see how a diagnosis of …