Some books you pick up and read, enjoy, maybe learn a thing or two. Then there are those books that grab you and won’t let go, as they take hold of you – laughing, crying, and learning – from the first page right straight through to the stunning end.  

“The Chicken Who Saved Us: The Remarkable Story of Andrew and Frightful” is the second kind of book.  

The book tells the story of Andrew, an autistic teenager who describes himself as bilingual – he speaks both English and Chicken. With verbal skills limited by autism, Andrew has created a world in his imagination where his real-world limitations don’t exist. Favorite superheroes come to life, and chickens speak.  

Written with stunning authenticity by his mom, the book lays open Andrew’s struggle with a rare disease that threatens his life … and tests his family’s capacity to cope with it. The full extent of Andrew’s illness becomes terrifyingly clear one day, as she overhears Andrew telling his faithful chicken friend Frightful, “I think my body is trying to kill me.” 

From there, the family careens into a whirlwind of non-stop symptom management, relentless medical tests and procedures, hospitalizations, and ultimately a risky medical procedure that taxes their limits as a family. 

 “My son couldn't tell me what was happening to his body—but he could tell his chicken, Frightful.” - Kristin Jarvis Adams 

The author’s writing is courageous and direct. She lays open the harsh realities of their lives without flinching, with so much honesty it’s gut-wrenching. Anyone who has waited by the bedside of a seriously ill loved one will quickly connect with Kristin and the rest of Andrew’s family, as they search for answers and cling to the tiniest shreds of hope in the midst of exhaustion and overwhelm.  

Ultimately, the family discovers that not all healing comes in scrubs, and not all support comes in the form of family, friends, and even loving strangers. Indeed, the relationship between Andrew and Frightful has a language of love and caring all its own.  

“The Chicken Who Saved Us: The Story of Andrew and Frightful” is published by Behler Publications and available here in paperback, audiobook, and e-book formats. 

About the author: Kristin Jarvis Adams is a fierce advocate for children and adults with special needs. You can find her at kristinjarvisadams.com, or on Facebook. She is also a frequent contributor to The Journey. Her latest article, Mad Knife Skills, appears in this issue of The Journey.