A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy

Title: A Boy Named Queen
Author: Sara Cassidy
Format: Novel (middle grade)
Length: 77 pages
Publication Date: August 2016

The Story

In this very short novel, a grade 5 girl named Evelyn learns a lot from a boy named Queen, the new kid in her school. Queen is different from everyone else, and so becomes the target of school bullies, but he never lets the bullies get to him, always remaining positive and enthusiastically himself.

My Thoughts

I love this book's message of acceptance, both of oneself and of others. Queen is a great character; he's clearly different from his peers, and that makes it hard for him to make friends, but he knows who he is and isn't afraid to show it. Evelyn struggles with that at times, but ultimately learns a lot about friendship and being yourself from Queen.

The story is very short, perhaps disappointing very plot-focused readers, but personally I very much enjoyed this brief glimpse into Evelyn's life. The shortness of the book also means this could be a good choice for struggling readers; for more advanced readers it could be a one-day read.

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Title: Anything but Typical
Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Format: Novel (middle grade)
Length: 195 pages

The Story

Jason Blake is a 12 year old autistic boy. He struggles to fit in with his neurotypical classmates, but has more success interacting on a website called Storyboard, where he writes short stories and talks to other young writers. There, he meets a girl named PhoenixBird, who he thinks of as his girlfriend, but when the chance to meet her in person comes along, he panics.

My Thoughts

I picked this book up because it is written from an autistic perspective and seemed to make use of the concept of neurodiversity (the idea that autistic people just have a different sort of brain rather than having something wrong with them). Different perspectives are present in the book: Jason's dad is an accepting, understanding parent, who sometimes struggles but ultimately accepts Jason as he is. His mom is another story, having a lot of difficulty understanding her son and interacting with him in a way that works for him. Jason himself is sort of in between, uncertain at times whether or not he would choose to be neurotypical if he could.

I would have liked to see more of a transformation in how the characters came to view autism by the end of the story. I found it to be pretty subtle. But there is a positive message in there and overall I still enjoyed the story and was rooting for Jason all the way.

This book is good for middle grade readers. I think autistic kids and teens may enjoy the relatable character, and neurotypicals who have autistic friends or family members could gain some insight from Jason's narrative.

From Anna by Jean Little

Title: From Anna
Author: Jean Little
Length: 205 pages

The Story

Anna doesn't fit in with her family, or at school. She's clumsy, can't read, and can't knit or do other household chores. Her siblings nickname her Awkward Anna, and her teachers constantly scold her. The story begins in Germany, just before World War II, and the Solden family is worried about the changes happening to their country. When the opportunity arises, the family moves to Toronto.

When the Soldens arrive in Canada, Anna soon learns the reason for her clumsiness, and with the help of a friendly doctor, a caring teacher, and great new friends, she begins to learn that she can have a better life than she'd ever imagined.

My Thoughts

I couldn't put this book down, and read it in a single day. I felt so sad for Anna right from the beginning, and then so happy for her as her life improved. This is a really heartwarming story. It has a main character who has a disability, and addresses the issue of bullying.

From Anna is a middle grade novel, so it's aimed at ages 8-12. However, the story is a good one for any age group.