About

The Tale of Tom the Tomato tells the tale of a tomato on a quest for acceptance in an apple-world! 

​

One day Tom finds himself alone in a bowl full of apples and at once feels out of place. Tom does not understand why he is treated like a 'broken apple' rather than being accepted as a 'whole' tomato. Tom struggles with being rejected and feeling unwanted and when the 'tomato expert' (an apple) starts talking about 'vegetable spectrum disorder' and a 'cure', Tom starts to wonder if there is something wrong with him after all. However, Tom shows that a tomato is still a fruit even if others don't accept this and shows that ultimately tomatoness can be an asset in an apple world.

​

The Tale of Tom the Tomato promotes understanding and acceptance towards autistic children and highlights how it feels to be a tomato in a world of apples! Tom the Tomato was originally written for autistic children aged around 5-10 but the book is suitable for all children. The story is most suited for those who may feel different or as though they don't fit in and the book aims to help children see that we are all unique and there is a place in the world for all of us.

​

I experienced bullying growing up, was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2012 at the age of 22 and graduated with a Psychology degree from the University of Aberdeen in the same year. The story was inspired by personal experience and has been handwritten and illustrated using watercolour. Inverness Charity, For The Right Reasons published the book in 2021.

​

The Tale of Tom the Tomato 2 - The Friend Ship was published in December 2025 and is about Tom's quest to find a Friend Ship, which Tom believes is a literal, giant boat filled with friends. As Tom searches for the Friend Ship, he  discovers that the best way to find a 'Friend Ship' is to be one. The book highlights the social, communication and sensory challenges that autistic people face in addition to raising awareness about bullying, the importance of asking for support when you need this and looking out for others. 

 

If you have any questions or would like any further information, please get in touch via the contact form on this website.

​

Thank-you for reading and best wishes,

​

Nicola 

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​