‘I have been waiting for this book for four years. Not that I knew that it would come into existence; I just hoped, quietly confident, that it would.’
‘She writes in a voice that is calm and measured, which makes the revelations – once a topic has been edged around, brought into focus, unpicked, and then considered from a different angle or in different circumstances – seem like small, profound gifts. The narrator is intelligent and searching, and self-conscious in that she interrogates herself and her motives, which contributes to the book’s strong moral core.’
‘The picture that Reaching One Thousand paints is one of an intelligent, humorous, loving boy who must navigate a confounding, unsympathetic world that is not simply unsuited and indifferent to his needs, but often actively works against them. It’s a loving portrayal, delivered with a set writerly skills that don’t appear often and should be savoured when they do.’
– Extracts from review by Elizabeth Bryer of Reaching One Thousand in Crikey.com, 29 June 2012.
‘There are many tender moments in this searching and intimate memoir.’
‘This book moves in a special space that is honest about emotion and also wise about it.’
‘A love of numbers and making patterns out of sensory experience seem to be part of Ben’s experience of autism but Robertson is also dealing with something that beguiles all parents: namely, the way in which the future of our children is shaped by our own pasts. This is a deeply enriching book about being human.’
– Extracts from review by Michael McGirr of Reaching One Thousand in the Sydney Morning Herald, 9 June 2012.
‘The world as Ben knows it has been faithfully recreated by Robertson in this refreshing tale of a mother and her autistic child. It will be welcomed by parents and teachers of children labelled autistic, because it delivers a great deal of common sense and clear-headed information, because of its frankness, and because of its vivid enactment of beauty at the heart of the relationship. It offers to the general reader insights into the life of a carer, and into the mysterious life and world of an autistic child.’
– Extract from review by Carmel Bird of Reaching One Thousand in Australian Book Review, March 2012.
‘This is a very beautiful story, but it is also funny, touching and thought-provoking. It raises a thousand questions about the self, the way the mind and emotions work, and about how we relate to each other. … Read this one, you’ll be delighted, moved and wanting to know more.’
– Extract from blog review by Christina Houen, March 2012.
‘Never sentimental, it is moving and also often very funny. Robertson draws on a wide range of references as she writes, to books on autism as well as many others. Rewarding on many levels, this is an exceptional book.’
– Extract from review by WritingWA in The West Australian, 27 March 2012.
‘Firstly, I read Reaching One Thousand because I’m the mother of a child with learning differences, and love another child with autism. I think there are many of us out there that love someone who is a tad different to others. Is this enough of a reason to read this book? No, it’s not, but if you enjoy beautifully crafted writing about someone’s life, then there is another reason. Robertson’s writing is superb.’
– Extract from Christine Gordon’s review of Reaching One Thousand in Readings, February 2012.