Autism: My Invisible Backpack
- Paola Dell Acqua
- Nov 13
- 8 min read
by Dalisse Sequeiros
I received a copy of this book to share my opinion.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for the chance to win one of 10 paperback copies of Autism: My Invisible Backpack by Dalisse Sequeiros. Plus, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a complete set of books from Loving Pieces Books!
Click here for the entry form: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/autism-my-invisible-backpack-awareness-tour/
ABOUT THE BOOK
Written by Dalisse Sequeiros
Ages: 6-12 | 87 Pages
Publisher: Loving Pieces Books (2025) | ISBN: 978-8409767816
Publisher’s Book Summary: Autism: My Invisible Backpack is a heartwarming story that follows two autistic brothers, Adrián and Guillermo, on a mountain hike. Along the way, children discover that everyone carries an invisible backpack filled with feelings and thoughts, sometimes light, sometimes too heavy to carry alone.
Through this powerful metaphor, kids explore four common challenges —masking, hyper-empathy, literal thinking, and emotional overload —while also learning that therapy can be a safe place to unpack and rest.
With simple language, hand-drawn illustrations, and practical tools, this book helps children and families:
Recognize emotional overload and name feelings Create mask-free zones to feel safe and authentic See therapy as a trusted space to share openly Celebrate moments of being truly seen and valued
A supportive resource for families, educators, and therapists, this story brings comfort, connection, and real strategies to make the autism journey feel lighter.
INTERVIEW Q & A
Dalisse: mother of Adrián (11) and Guillermo (5), co-author of Loving Pieces Books
1. How did you feel when you were diagnosed? Have you ever thought the way you felt could have a name and a therapy?
When I finally received my autism and dyslexia diagnosis this year, it felt like someone had gently handed me a mirror that made everything make sense. I always knew I was dyslexic , that’s been part of my story since childhood, but understanding that I’m also autistic brought a deep sense of peace, both to my present self and to my inner child.
Adrián was diagnosed when he was just 17 months old, so for years I’d noticed similarities between my children and myself: the way we process the world, our little quirks, and our sensory sensitivities. Watching them helped me recognize parts of myself that I had learned to mask (and now I can finally name those concepts) or hide.
My diagnosis didn’t come as a shock, we already knew it in our hearts before it was confirmed. Honestly, it felt like an aha! moment. It gave language to what I had always known inside, and it offered me tools, compassion, and empathy not only for myself but, most importantly, for my two children. It also connected me with a community I never had before, one where I finally feel understood and seen.
2. How / Why / When were your children diagnosed? How much did your experience help you?
Both of our boys were diagnosed at a young age. Adrián, our oldest, was about 17 months when we began noticing that his social and emotional experiences were unique. With Guillermo, who’s now 5, we already had experience from Adrián, so as soon as the words weren’t coming, we recognized it as a red flag and moved quickly toward diagnosis. He’s non-verbal and just beginning to speak word by word, every sound and new word feels like a little victory.
Looking back, I realize my own school years were full of silent struggles, not just for me, but also for my mother, who was a widow mother of two and had no understanding of what autism was. Our invisible backpacks were full of the unknown, and even though we didn’t speak about it, that silence didn’t make them any lighter. There were tutoring sessions, extra help, and constant effort to “catch up.” Math was (and still is) a huge challenge for me because of dyslexia. I’ve tried learning multiplication tables even as an adult, but they never seem to stick! Yet I’ve learned to celebrate the many other things I can do so much: learning new languages, programming, designing, creating, connecting deeply with others and hey, I'm even a Children’s Book author!
My lived experience has helped me understand my children so much better. I can see that their way of learning isn’t wrong, it’s just different. And that realization has shaped everything, even how I approach my own daily life. I tell Adrián and Guillermo we are autistic and they feel a sense of relatability and peace knowing that their mommy is also autistic. That’s really the heart of our books: honoring different ways of thinking, feeling, and communicating.
Just like our story talks about the invisible backpack our kids carry, we as parents carry one too. Through our book Autism: My Invisible Backpack, we want to remind families that it’s okay, and that we don’t have to carry it alone.
3. In the book, it is Adrián that talks. Why him?
We wanted to start the book series with Adrián’s voice because it felt like the most natural way to introduce our family’s journey. Adrián talks, but he communicates in a unique way. Since he became verbal around age five or six, his communication isn’t quite like that of a neurotypical eleven-year-old. He often needs support through images, videos, gestures, infodumping, or patterns of thought that don’t always translate easily into words.
Visual stories have been a lifeline for us. His therapist, Berta, first introduced us to the idea of doodle-based social stories, and that’s where it all began. For years, we used simple drawings to help Adrián understand and express his feelings, which later evolved into PowerPoints we made together. From there, Loving Pieces Books was born. In our books, we continue to use hand-drawn illustrations with clear, direct colors that reflect Adrián’s way of seeing the world.
Through Adrián’s voice, we wanted to create a character that autistic children could truly relate to, a boy who processes and expresses feelings in his own way, and a story that parents could recognize in their own homes and hearts.
4. Many children in this condition cannot express their feelings; how could you know what Adrián might be feeling?
We always say that parenting our boys has made us detectives of love. Over the years, we’ve learned to read physical cues, body language, and subtle signals that reveal so much more than words ever could. With Adrián, it’s never enough to simply ask “How are you feeling?” He would often answer “fine,” even when he wasn’t. So we use tools to help solve this mystery. Emotion pictograms, cards, and stories help him describe what he is feeling, and with practice, he’s now able to recognize more emotions, just in time for the teen years!
We do the same all over again with Guillermo. Because he is non-verbal, meltdowns can happen, especially when he feels misunderstood. Emotions, when not understood, can feel too heavy to carry alone.
In our book, we show that Adrián isn’t alone in carrying the feelings, thoughts, and experiences in his invisible backpack. His parents, his brother Guillermo, and his therapist Berta are all part of his support circle, the “safe people” who help him unpack what he’s feeling. That’s exactly what happens in real life.
We believe every child deserves safe spaces where they can share all the emotions they carry inside, whether through words, art, play, or even silence.
5. How can the book help children with a more severe degree of autism?
We know that autism is a spectrum, and we wrote this book with all children in mind. It wasn’t always easy, but we did our best to create a story that is relatable and meaningful. Our books work best when read together, with an adult guiding the conversation. Every child is different, and we can only share our perspective based on our experiences with Adrián and Guillermo. They might not grasp every concept at first, but over time, as we read the book together again and again, they begin to understand the ideas behind each story.
Children who have significant support needs might need extra help when reading any book in our series, not just this one. That’s where parents, teachers, or therapists can step in to guide the conversation and bring the story to life. We’ve heard from families that when reading the story, they recognize gestures, behaviors, or emotions that mirror their own experiences, and this recognition helps them feel seen and understood.
By creating stories that reflect real-life moments and inner experiences, our goal is to offer a gentle, relatable way for children to explore their feelings, while giving adults tools to support and connect with them. Over time, these shared readings can open doors to conversations about emotions, differences, and empathy, helping children carry their invisible backpacks with a little less weight.
6. How do you expect the book to be used in class to foster inclusivity?
Our hope is that Autism: My Invisible Backpack, and all five books in our series, become gentle conversation starters in classrooms. School is where children socialize, learn, and make friends, so it’s the perfect place for stories that spark understanding and connection.
This book, in particular, helps neurotypical children see that everyone carries invisible backpacks filled with thoughts, emotions, and challenges. It opens up space for conversations about confidence, friendships, social events, meltdowns, and even bullying, which is one of our biggest concerns as parents.
Teachers can use the story to encourage empathy by asking questions like:
What might be inside your invisible backpack?How can we help a classmate when their backpack feels heavy?
Many of the stories in our series take place in classroom settings or are inspired by Adrián’s real-life friends. They are not only about autism, they are about humanity, compassion, and the invisible things we all carry.
Reading these books together in class can help create a culture where every child, autistic or not, feels seen and valued. I’ve heard from other parents that even neurotypical children respond deeply to Adrián’s story. One mother shared that her son recognized himself in Adrián’s experiences and said he felt the same way, even though he is not autistic.
We hope these books can be a small but meaningful tool to foster understanding, kindness, and connection in every classroom.
At the end of the day, this series was born from our kitchen table, from real moments with our sons. We’re not experts; we’re parents learning, unlearning, and growing alongside our children.
If our books help one family feel more understood or one classroom see a child with new eyes then all the late nights and heart work behind Loving Pieces Books have been worth it.
Thank you Dalisse for your kindness to all families in need of support.
Dedicated to our beloved Benjamin C.!
PURCHASE LINK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dalisse Sequeiros is a devoted mom raising two incredible autistic boys. As a passionate autism advocate, she understands both the joys and challenges that come with parenting autistic children. Dalisse thoughtfully creates books for children ages 6–12, offering stories that celebrate their strengths, differences, and unique ways of connecting with the world.
Her mission is to offer resources that foster understanding, empathy, and confidence, helping autistic children feel seen, valued, and empowered. With every story, Dalisse hopes to create meaningful moments of connection for families navigating the world of autism.
She cherishes every milestone and dedicates herself to promoting acceptance and belonging through her writing.
For more information, visit www.lovingpiecesbooks.com.
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