A kind and realistic depiction of living with autism that will educate and engage young readers.
A middle-grade novel that focuses on the lives of a neurotypical middle schooler, his neurodiverse brother, and their classmates.
Rourke, the narrator, is starting seventh grade and feeling apprehensive about again being in the same school as his brother, Carson. Carson has autism, is fixated on stickers and keys, and is prone to seizures and unsocial behavior; as such, he’ll likely need assistance from others for the rest of his life. His condition makes him a target for bullies and draws heavily on family resources—particularly his and Rourke’s parents’ attention. Rourke has other concerns in his life, though, including a fascination with a new girl in school named Grace who clearly has secrets; she has strange bruises and scars, a stash of food in her locker, and impressive archery skills. Rourke also has an imaginary friend, Sam, who pops up whenever the boy is in trouble. The story notes some of the traits of Carson’s autism, including his need to focus on one task at a time and his struggles with reading body language and maintaining eye contact. The author also effectively explores the range of emotions that family members of people with autism have; for example, Rourke is reluctant to walk Carson to school even though he loves him deeply and wants to help him; he worries that his sibling has “no way to keep safe.” He also comes to realize that dealing with his own family’s issues might be preferable to dealing with those that Grace is facing. The writing style is appropriate for the target audience, and Rourke comes across as an emotionally aware but still immature teen. The weakest parts of the book, though, are the short, personal thoughts from various characters that start each chapter. While these give us insights into their minds and motives, readers may wish that these were shown through their actions instead of stated outright.
A kind and realistic depiction of living with autism that will educate and engage young readers.Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-953491-31-2
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Immortal Works Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
PLB 0-688-13166-2 King Midas And The Golden Touch ($16.00; PLB $15.63; Apr.; 32 pp.; 0-688-13165-4; PLB 0-688-13166-2): The familiar tale of King Midas gets the golden touch in the hands of Craft and Craft (Cupid and Psyche, 1996). The author takes her inspiration from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s retelling, capturing the essence of the tale with the use of pithy dialogue and colorful description. Enchanting in their own right, the illustrations summon the Middle Ages as a setting, and incorporate colors so lavish that when they are lost to the uniform gold spurred by King Midas’s touch, the point of the story is further burnished. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-13165-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
Lunge-Larsen and Preus debut with this story of a flower that blooms for the first time to commemorate the uncommon courage of a girl who saves her people from illness. The girl, an Ojibwe of the northern woodlands, knows she must journey to the next village to get the healing herb, mash-ki- ki, for her people, who have all fallen ill. After lining her moccasins with rabbit fur, she braves a raging snowstorm and crosses a dark frozen lake to reach the village. Then, rather than wait for morning, she sets out for home while the villagers sleep. When she loses her moccasins in the deep snow, her bare feet are cut by icy shards, and bleed with every step until she reaches her home. The next spring beautiful lady slippers bloom from the place where her moccasins were lost, and from every spot her injured feet touched. Drawing on Ojibwe sources, the authors of this fluid retelling have peppered the tale with native words and have used traditional elements, e.g., giving voice to the forces of nature. The accompanying watercolors, with flowing lines, jewel tones, and decorative motifs, give stately credence to the story’s iconic aspects. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-90512-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1999
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