Welcome to Autism: My Invisible Backpack by Dalisse Dequeiros Book Tour hosted by The Children’s Book Review. 

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. I enjoyed twenty years as the Special Populations Director of our city – the joy they brought to my life was invaluable. Sixty-five of us went bowling every week; I supervised, they bowled – because while I would be grumbling about not getting a strike, they would cheer for their team when they knocked a single pin down. Oh, the lessons I learned! I could share stories about our excursions, but let’s get back to the book!

About Autism: My Invisible Backpack

Autism: My Invisible Backpack is a heartwarming story that follows two autistic brothers, Adrián and Guillermo, on a mountain hike. Along the way, children discover that everyone carries an invisible backpack filled with feelings and thoughts, sometimes light, sometimes too heavy to carry alone.

Through this powerful metaphor, kids explore four common challenges —masking, hyper-empathy, literal thinking, and emotional overload —while also learning that therapy can be a safe place to unpack and rest.

With simple language, hand-drawn illustrations, and practical tools, this book helps children and families:
✔️ Recognize emotional overload and name feelings
✔️ Create mask-free zones to feel safe and authentic
✔️ See therapy as a trusted space to share openly
✔️ Celebrate moments of being truly seen and valued

A supportive resource for families, educators, and therapists, this story brings comfort, connection, and real strategies to make the autism journey feel lighter.

About the Author

Dalisse Sequeiros is a devoted mom raising two incredible autistic boys. As a passionate autism advocate, she understands both the joys and challenges that come with parenting autistic children. Dalisse thoughtfully creates books for children ages 6–12, offering stories that celebrate their strengths, differences, and unique ways of connecting with the world.

Her mission is to offer resources that foster understanding, empathy, and confidence, helping autistic children feel seen, valued, and empowered. With every story, Dalisse hopes to create meaningful moments of connection for families navigating autism. She cherishes every milestone and dedicates herself to promoting acceptance and belonging through her writing.

Website – Instagram – Facebook – Amazon 

Giveaway for Autism: My Invisible Backpack

Enter for the chance to win one of 10 paperback copies  by Dalisse Sequeiros. Plus, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a complete set of books from Loving Pieces Books!

  Autism: My Invisible Backpack: Book Giveaway

Click here for the entry form:

Guest Post from the Author

When BIG feelings get heavy: Helping our kids feel grounded

Hi, I’m Dalisse, co-author of Autism: My Invisible Backpack and mom to two amazing autistic boys, Adrián and Guillermo. Along with my husband Luis, we created Loving Pieces Books to help families like ours navigate the beautiful, messy, emotional world of parenting through stories that heal and connect.

If you’ve ever watched your child’s emotions swell until they seem ready to burst, you know the feeling, that helpless ache when you just want to make the world feel a little softer for them. I’ve been there more times than I can count.

When we were writing our book, there was one scene that felt especially close to home. Adrián, our main character, has been climbing the mountain trail, carrying both his real and invisible backpack, the one filled with thoughts, feelings, and sensory overload. By the time he reached the fork in the path, everything inside him felt too full.

A Grounding Excercise

That’s when I gently guide him to pause and use one of his “tools”. He stops, breathes, and begins to find five specific things around him. With every detail he names, his invisible backpack feels a little lighter.

• A red leaf.
• Dad’s boots.
• A smooth stone.
• Guillermo’s smile.
• A tiny ant.

What Really Happens When We Ground

Grounding exercises are small, sensory-based tools that help bring our children (and us) back to the present moment, especially when anxiety, overwhelm, or sensory overload take over.

When emotions run high, the body’s stress response activates. Breathing becomes shallow, thoughts race, and it’s as if we’re no longer in our bodies. Grounding helps reverse that. By noticing what we can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste, we remind the brain:You are safe, right here, right now. Therapists sometimes call this a “bottom-up regulation” strategy, meaning we calm the body first, and the mind follows. But in our home, we just call it a “come back to now” moment.

Our Favorite “Five Senses” Grounding Exercise

You can try this the way Adrián does on the mountain:

1. Look for 5 things you can see.
Encourage your child to name them out loud or in their head. (We like to make it playful, “Let’s find five Blue colored things”.)

2. Find 4 things you can touch.
The texture of a rock, the smoothness of their sleeve, the cool air on their cheek.

3. Listen for 3 things you can hear.
Birds, cars, footsteps, or even their own breath.

4. Notice 2 things you can smell.
Maybe the grass, lunch cooking, or a familiar soap.

5. And finally, one thing you can taste.
Even if it’s just a sip of water, the act of noticing it slows everything down.

Other Grounding Tools That Help Our Family

Because every child (and nervous system) is unique, grounding can look different for each of us. Here are a few others that have helped us, and families we’ve met along this journey:

The Weighted Hug: Sometimes all it takes is a firm, steady squeeze. Pressure signals safety to the body. Weighted blankets or a parent’s arms both count. Guillermo, my youngest, loves this!

The “Name 3 Colors” Game: When we’re out in public, I’ll quietly ask, “Can you find three blue things?” It gives focus and predictability without drawing attention. I usually give them time to process this. 

The Breathing Tool: We use imagery like blowing bubbles: Inhale slowly through your nose, exhale like you’re sending bubbles into the sky.

The Movement Reset: Jumping, stretching, or taking a few steps outside can help release built-up energy. Adrián’s hike scene reminds us that grounding doesn’t have to be still; it can happen in motion, too.

What Grounding Really Teaches

More than anything, grounding helps our kids understand that their feelings are not too much.
They have tools inside them, invisible but powerful, they can reach for anytime. And truthfully? We parents need those tools, too. I’ve used the same “five things” exercise on anxious mornings, during meltdowns, or even while waiting at therapy appointments. It’s become a quiet reminder that emotional regulation starts with us, not just our children. Because that’s what our book Autism: My Invisible Backpack is really about, learning that we all carry invisible backpacks, full of thoughts and emotions, and we don’t have to carry them alone.

Take a sneak peek of Autism: My Invisible Backpack

 

So today, whether you’re walking an actual trail or just navigating a hard day: 

• Pause for a moment.
• Look around.
• Breathe in.
• Notice five things.
• And feel your backpack get just a little lighter.

My husband and I created the Loving Pieces Books series. Stories that celebrate neurodivergent characters living, learning, and loving exactly as they are. Books where being different isn’t something to overcome, but something to embrace.

Autism: My Invisible Backpack Book Tour

Follow along on the book tour hosted by The Children’s Book Review to see what others are saying!

Email – Website

Thursday, October 30, 2025 The Children’s Book Review Book Review

Friday, October 31, 2025 avainbookland Instagram Post

Monday, November 3, 2025 Lisa’s Reading Book Review

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 Deliciously Savvy Guest Post

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Country Mamas With Kids Guest Post

Thursday, November 6, 2025 icefairy’s Treasure Chest Book Review

Friday, November 7, 2025 Crafty Moms Share Book Review

Monday, November 10, 2025 The Fairview Review Book Review

Tuesday, November 11, 2025 @tinks_books_and_fosters Author Interview

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 Q&As with Deborah Kalb Author Interview

Thursday, November 13, 2025 Un Viaje en Libro Author Interview

Friday, November 14, 2025 Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog Book Review

Sunday, November 16, 2025 @nissa_the.bookworm Instagram Post

Monday, November 17, 2025 One More Exclamation  Guest Post

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 A Blue Box Full of Books Instagram Post

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 @FroggyReadTeach Instagram Post

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