UBC Press Multicoloured Mayhem book Paperback 256 pages

Jacqui Jackson has seven children. Luke (author of Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome) has Asperger Syndrome, Joe has ADHD, and Ben has autism. Life is anything but straightforward, but the chaos of the Jacksons' lives is threaded through with humor and common sense. Full of anecdotes and lively thinking, the book explains vividly what it is like to parent young people with such a range of conditions, and provides a wealth of helpful and creative advice for other parents and carers. Anyone who has wondered what life in such a family might be like will be fascinated.

Jacqui Jackson is a single parent of seven lively children, three girls in the midst of adolescence and four boys all of whom are on the autistic spectrum. Along with her son Luke who wrote bestseller Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome, Jacqui is a frequent speaker and writer on autism. After gaining a first class honours degree in social science with the Open University, she is now studying for a PhD at Coventry University, researching into sensory issues in autistic children. In between her hectic schedule she manages to prepare gluten and casein free meals for her three younger boys and work as a volunteer on the allergy induced autism helpline.