Cowboy & Wills Paperback – 8 July 2010 by Monica Holloway
Monica Holloway . Simon & Schuster Ltd . English
The day Monica learns that her loveable, brilliant three-year-old son, Wills, has Autism, she takes him to buy an aquarium. It's the first in a string of impulsive trips to the pet store to buy animals as a distraction from the uncontrollable, crushing reality of Wills's diagnosis. But while Wills diligently tends to the growing menagerie, what he really wants is a puppy. And one Christmas, when Wills is six, Cowboy Carol Lawrence joins their family. Like all dynamic duos, Cowboy and Wills complement each other perfectly. Wills is cautious, fastidious, and irresistibly tender-hearted. Cowboy, a rambunctious golden retriever, is over-eager, affectionate, and impulsive. And from the moment Cowboy enters their lives, Monica sees her son step a little further into the world. Soon, the boy who could barely say hello to his classmates in kindergarten is sharing stories during morning circle. With Cowboy, he finds the courage to invite kids over for play dates, overcomes his debilitating fear of water to swim alongside her in the family pool, and, after years of gentle coaxing, Wills finally sleeps in his own bed with Cowboy's paws draped across his small chest. And when Cowboy turns out to need her new family as much as they need her, they discover just how much she has taught them -- about devotion, about loyalty, and about never giving up.
Categories: Literary Fiction
About the Author
Monica Holloway is the critically acclaimed author of the memoir "Driving With Dead People," described by Newsweek as "unforgettable," Glamour christened this work "a classic," and the Washington Post deemed it "irresistible." Holloway contributed to the anthology "The Bigger the Better the Tighter the Sweater" and "Mommy Wars," from which her essay "Red Boots and Cole Haans" was described by Newsday as "brilliant, grimly hilarious." Holloway’s new bestselling memoir, "Cowboy & Wills," is the story of her lovable, brilliant autistic son, Wills, and the remarkable dog that coaxes him into the world. PEOPLE magazine commented: "Readers would do well to listen to this sweet and heartbreaking tale of boy-dog love. There are so many of us, with or without autism, who have our animals to thank for helping us connect." The Washington Post called "Cowboy & Wills" "charming" and the author "forthright and winning." "Cowboy & Wills" is the prestigious Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient for 2010. Monica is an official spokesperson for the National Center for Family Literacy and Autism Speaks, raising awareness and participation for two issues she cares about deeply as a mother and author. She is the recipient of 2011 Women of Distinction Award from the Special Needs Network for work in the community. Holloway lives in Los Angeles with her family and two golden retrievers, a hamster, four hermit crabs, three dumpy frogs, two rabbits and six neon tetras.
