WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — As Chase Taylor reads to children at an Easterseals preschool in Waterbury, he makes eye contact, laughs, and interacts with the kids.

“I’d say I felt comfortable and willing to read to them,” said the young author with autism.

“Chase loves, just loves, to see children enjoying his books, it makes him feel so good,” noted his mom, Helen.

This 23-year-old has come a long way since News 8 first met him in 2018.

“He has, he really has. A lot of hard work, a lot of conversations with him saying, ‘You have to express yourself,'” Helen said.

Taylor is working on his fourth book about the Letter Critters, characters he created on his computer.

He gave a group of 3-and 4-year-olds a sneak peek at his latest work.

“My next book is called The Letter Critters Word Book and it would be a bunch of scenes with each Letter Critter and there will be a bunch of words that start with that certain letter,” Taylor explained.

“He’s a role model to the children, he really is just so special and so eloquent when he speaks,” said Kristie Baliciano, director of marketing and communications for Easterseals of Greater Waterbury, which wants to make Taylor’s visits a regular event.

“He really does get them engaged and involved and the bright colors of his book are perfect for children especially,” added Baliciano.

“We had a team of wonderful people, our family, school administration, behavioral therapists who I call Chase’s Angels,” said Helen.

Tayor just made the Dean’s List at Central Connecticut State University where he attends classes on his own, studying digital arts.

“I just feel in my heart there’s always something for them. There’s something inside them. We don’t know what’s going on, it’s hard for us to find that, but, once we do, I think they flourish,” added Helen.

Chase has more ideas for books and his goal is to launch a Letter Critters cartoon series.
His new book will be out within the year.

Click here for more information.