Iris Grace: The Painting Tiger Who Taught a Little Girl to Speak

Iris Grace is six years old, and she has autism. In her first years of life, she wouldn’t look up when her parents entered the room, she smiled rarely, and she rarely spoke. When Iris was given a diagnosis, her mother made a firm decision to find a way to reach the girl and do everything possible so that Iris could feel happy. The first breakthrough came through drawing. By the age of three, Iris had become a real sensation in the art world: her amazing works in the style of impressionism attracted the attention of well-known art critics, and her fans included Angelina Jolie, Ashton Kutcher, and Zooey Deschanel. And Iris also got a cat, Tula—a devoted friend and guide. Thanks to Tula, Iris dared to take the boldest step possible for a child with autism: she learned to trust the world around her—sleep soundly, ride a bicycle, and not be afraid of water. Iris’s talent and her touching friendship with Tula conquered the world: European and American publications write about her, and TV channels film programs about her. The book, written by Iris’s mother, is about how parental love, their determination to search for a solution, and their belief in their child are more important than any diagnosis.