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themelodyofspring's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Good book that talks a lot about Autism, but the plot wasn't strong enough. I liked the witches storyline, but that was it? Kinda needed the book to have a bit more plot and to be more engaging or fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting
rivercat0338's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Forced institutionalization
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
“People aren't like books. A familiar book is always the same, always comforting and full of the same words and pictures. A familiar person can be new and challenging, no matter how many times you try to read them.”
➽ A Kind of Spark follows Addie, an autistic girl who is campaigning for her town to build a monument to the witch hunts that occurred in the past! I heard a lot of good things about this book and was excited to finally check it out. I really felt for Addie, she doesn't have it easy as most people don't understand her autism and judge her for not fitting into their neurotypical norms. Between friends abandoning her, bullying from her classmates and a super ableist teacher, this was hard to read at times! I just wanted to protect Keedie! I'm glad that she could find a new friend and was able to make her passion for the victims of the witch hunts heard. Addie has a strong sense of justice and is fixated on the witch hunts that happened in her town centuries ago. I also loved the close bond with her older sister Keedie who is also autistic and understands her best!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Cried a couple of times. Its the first kids book ive read with such explicit autistic rep. I felt very jealous at the mc for having so many words to explain her autism to others. I could relate alot to her experiences but not the way she could express herself and stand up for herself. I did not have those words as a kid. Im glad some kids do and that this book could be meaningful for them. I did not like the whiteness of the autism rep though, it talked about how its more difficult for high support needs autistics but not about intersectionality of ableism and racism and that was a pity. There was not enough intersectionality in the advocacy of this book in general and I also did not like the language policing; two times the mc says that autism is not something you have but autistic is something you are and the mc says it like that is a fact. But not all autistics feel that way so it felt a bit exclusive :/ also at the end the mc says everyone in the town is good now bcs they recognised one wrong thing in history but that is very simplified and again I feel like thats such a white perspective that largely ignores how dangerous it still is to be poc and autistic or having intersecting disabilities etc. I still rate it 4 stars despite these issues bcs its a really special book and I wish I had it as a child. It made me feel closer to my self and it made me feel validated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Genocide, Physical abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Meltodowns, shutdown, harmful stimming, ableist slurs, unjust school system & teacher bullystaceyinthesticks's review against another edition
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
alisazhup's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Autistic."
He stops. "What's that?"
"I'm autistic. I don't have autism; I am autistic."
It's better to be open about who you really are, what you're really like, and be disliked by a few than it is to hide who you are and be tolerated by many.
It was refreshing to read a book with an autistic protagonist written by an autistic author! I hope that it will be a new trend for explicitly neurodivergent characters to be included in literature. It is going to be so important for this book to be on shelves available for elementary and middle school children to read.
This book depicts:
-Ableism (comments like "You don't look autistic" and "You must be high functioning," the r slur, bullying)
-Autistic burnout
-Sensory issues (bright lights, loud noises, touch)
-Autistic meltdowns
-Special interests
-Difficulties with socializing (friendships, reading faces, understanding emotions, eye contact, hyper-empathy)
-Systemic issues with the school system and autistic people being taken away to psychiatric hospitals
-Common autistic misconceptions (that autistic people don't have empathy or can't think for themselves, that autism is a disease or a mental illness, that autistic people want to be cured, person first vs identity first language)
-Families with autistic children
He stops. "What's that?"
"I'm autistic. I don't have autism; I am autistic."
It's better to be open about who you really are, what you're really like, and be disliked by a few than it is to hide who you are and be tolerated by many.
It was refreshing to read a book with an autistic protagonist written by an autistic author! I hope that it will be a new trend for explicitly neurodivergent characters to be included in literature. It is going to be so important for this book to be on shelves available for elementary and middle school children to read.
This book depicts:
-Ableism (comments like "You don't look autistic" and "You must be high functioning," the r slur, bullying)
-Autistic burnout
-Sensory issues (bright lights, loud noises, touch)
-Autistic meltdowns
-Special interests
-Difficulties with socializing (friendships, reading faces, understanding emotions, eye contact, hyper-empathy)
-Systemic issues with the school system and autistic people being taken away to psychiatric hospitals
-Common autistic misconceptions (that autistic people don't have empathy or can't think for themselves, that autism is a disease or a mental illness, that autistic people want to be cured, person first vs identity first language)
-Families with autistic children
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
loquitacass's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
The issues are resolved to an extent. But the main character is horribly bullied by her teacher and classmates.koreykit's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A sweet Own Voices book about an autistic girl trying to change her small Scottish town. It was a bit difficult to read because it mirrored some of my own trauma as an Autistic person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Addie's teacher is virulently ableist and one character uses the r-slurserotiny11's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I loved Addie so much and resonated strongly with her character. Very accurate discussion of what masking feels like, and of sensory issues, between Addie and her other autistic sister, and I liked the exploration of the ‘eccentric old lady who lives in the woods and everyone is wary of’ trope. Plus, witches and social justice…not much not to love here!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Cw for ablism and bullying of children from teachers and other adultshollyheartless's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Bullying