2 out of 4 stars
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A warm afternoon swim leads to an adventure via an underwater passage to a secret city, Ancient Greece; a place where you can relax and be you, a place where time stands still. Prefect for uplifting and thought-provoking conversations, a great place for curious minds.
While in Ancient Greece, Philip introduces Sabre to the philosopher Aristotle. Philip and Aristotle share a desire to learn and find happiness, the topics of their many conversations. They gain great insight and knowledge about life from Aristotle, changing how he sees his world.
On one of their trips to Ancient Greece, Sabre and Philip come to several corridors. Each corridor represent a different topic of study; math, science, etc. Aristotle helps Philip understand how the different “types of knowledge” are connected. This is representative of Philip’s ever growing mind and the different aspects of life. Philip learns that just because some things are different doesn’t mean that they are any less important. Philip also learns that it is okay to disagree with people, as long as you keep an open mind about it.
That Place of Knowledge, by Philip Shalka is written in the perspective/narrative of an autism assistance dog, named Sabre, about his autistic, non-verbal partner, Philip, and their adventures together. In this short read, Sabre and Philip go on an adventure to find happiness and acceptance, a reoccurring theme throughout the book.
The story is about not being limited by who or what you are and that acceptance of yourself is the key to happiness. The things that make you unhappy are not important if you know who you are and that you shouldn’t let these differences or (dis)abilities stand in your way of growing or learning all that you can.
I, unfortunately, can only rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. There a few spelling/grammar mistakes, double words, and repetitiveness, however, some people may not notice if they are absorbed in the material. The story progressed too slowly for my liking and I actually had to go back and reread some of it because I could not retain what I had previously read. All that being said, the author shows wisdom beyond his childhood years. I believe that if the author keeps up and continues trying, he will be able to write more fantastic books, about his life, or anything else that pleases him. I recommend this book to middle-school children and anyone looking for a different perspective of a person(s) on the spectrum.
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That Place of Knowledge
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