by Carlene Phillips ·
Friday, April 24, 2026
Jaxon Souza holds a children’s book featuring an elephant who is his namesake, written by his mom, Debbie Souza. (Courtesy photo)
“Jaxon the Elephant: Finding his way in the Jungle” is a young children’s book written by Harvard resident Deborah Souza. The “jungle” in this case is the world seen through the eyes of an autistic child; and the story, written for classrooms and families, provides suggestions for helping a child manage that world. The fictional Jaxon is based on Souza’s 12-year-old autistic son of the same name. Souza’s personal experiences and her 14 years of working as a therapist with children on the spectrum qualify her as a perfect guide through this jungle.
When Jaxon the elephant arrives for the first day of school, he is feeling excited but also very anxious. What helps him is that his support teacher meets him right away and gives him a step-by-step plan for how the day will go. Souza said knowing what comes next, including possible movements and noises, helps a child feel calm. With her son, Souza said, “I have to be 10 steps ahead of how I think he will react.”
She described a family trip to New York City. One of Jaxon’s favorite movies is “Home Alone,” and he wanted to stay at the Plaza, like Kevin in the movie. He was upset when Souza explained that it was too expensive, but she promised him they could visit the hotel. To avoid a scene if things did not go as expected, Souza called the hotel, explained the situation, and asked if the family could visit. Not only did they visit, the hotel insisted the family spend the night, and they gave Jaxon a backpack.
In the book, Jaxon had things around him that made him feel safe and ready—headphones to block noise and his tablet to use for voice-to-text when he was having trouble expressing himself. At one point in the day, Jaxon accidentally knocked his pencil case off his desk, and the other kids looked to see what the noise was. Pencils scattered and Jaxon became overwhelmed with embarrassment and self-blame, and he “forgot how to stay calm.” A loud noise burst from him and tears filled his eyes. Jaxon’s support teacher helped his body feel safe again, and it helped to walk away and get calm.
Souza said other kids can think an upset child is trying to scare them, and it helps them to know that the child’s feelings “were just too big all at once.” A teacher can tell other students that they may ask when a good time to play with Jaxon is. With support, everyone can feel safe and included. Souza said it’s usually best to remove an overwhelmed child from the situation and de-escalate in private. The book also helps children who may wonder why a teacher is always working with only the same child to understand that some people’s brains work differently.
Souza said having worked as a behavioral therapist made her better prepared to have an autistic child than someone without that experience. Still it’s a lot, and with Jaxon, “It’s like walking on eggshells.” She helps her husband, Eduardo, with his business, Beyond Construction Masonry; “I do everything except the labor,” she said. They have 9-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. She said what is hardest for her is the judgment of other people. At a restaurant or the grocery store, if Jaxon suddenly screams or swears, she feels other people are thinking what a bad parent she is. “There are no external hints that show a brain wired differently.”
Jaxon Souza is now attending the Nashoba Learning Group in Bedford where kids practice all kinds of situations—they cook, do laundry, sit in a mock barbershop chair, and go to the grocery store. He is comfortable and outgoing there and even tries to lead a tour when a new family is being shown the school, said Souza with a smile. Jaxon loves movies, and last year he watched scenes of two movies being filmed in town. Both times he was invited onto the set. Using YouTube tutorials, he has made his own films based on Jurassic Park and Star Wars, drawing characters, animating them, and doing voice-overs. “I have no idea how he does it,” said Souza. He’s building things on a 3-D printer, which also astounds his mom. She said Jaxon has a big personality and parents in town have been “super supportive.”
Souza had been thinking about writing a book for two years. She wasn’t sure how successful her finished book might be, so she used AI for illustrations rather than paying a lot of money for an illustrator. She told the program exactly what she wanted. Jaxon the elephant is much larger than his animal friends—perhaps to show that he can sometimes seem threatening until they understand him.
The illustrations dominate the pages, with only a couple of short sentences on each. Souza said she wanted kids to really take in the words, so there are more pages with fewer words on each. Currently, the book is available on Amazon and at the General Store. Her husband, who is Brazilian, helped Souza translate the book into Portuguese.
Souza is hoping to write a series of Jaxon books, what she calls “social stories.” The next social situation she has planned is Jaxon going on a trip, and it will have step-by-step descriptions of what will happen, pictures of what he’ll see, and what noises he might hear. Meanwhile, she is planning a Christmas package of the current book along with a plush elephant with the name Jaxon on each ear.
Souza has read the book to third-graders at Hildreth Elementary School. It is her goal to have Jaxon himself read the book to other students. Souza said he can’t really read, but he can memorize a book. “We’re working on it,” she said.