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4.52 AVERAGE
4.52 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-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
Real is another recommendation from Beautifully Bookish Bethany, and I immediately wanted to read it based on her endorsement. While my situation (including my diagnosis) differs from that of both the protagonist, Charity, and one of the co-authors, Peyton Goddard, whose life serves as inspiration for the story, I still saw a bit of my younger self in this book and could empathize with many of the situations in the book.
I really like Charity’s characterization, and how the narrative navigates the experience of having the knowledge and intelligence, but not being able to convey it, and the misconceptions it leads people to believing.
I also appreciate the nuance with which the people around her are drawn, with all their assumptions. Many of her peers treat her as a non-person, an “Other,” but she also ends up finding teachers and aides who are willing to work with her and accommodate her needs, and there are a few good students who end up supporting her too. I also really loved her relationships with her parents, and how they constantly advocated for her. Her dad was especially amazing, because of how he was able to teach her to ride a bike or surf, while some of the doctors she saw said she wouldn’t be able to do those things, as well as having a negative attitude about her prospects in general.
I loved this book and appreciate how it tackles tough topics, like ableism and abuse with care while also conveying a message of hope to the young audience the book is primarily intended for. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
Having read Out Of My Mind, this book felt similar but updated with technology and parents that fought for their child's mainstream education. There are challenges that are overcome and friendships made, but in the end everyone grows. I definitely feel this a book that schools need to read together from the principal to the parents and everyone in between as we can all learn something from the "based on a true story".
Wow! Talk about insight into someone else's world! I started this a couple of days ago and picked it up to read a bit more last night and couldn't put down the last third of it.
Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard have done an absolutely amazing job of taking you into the life of the main character of the book: Charity. Charity is autistic and is labelled as "low functioning" as a result of body control issues and her lack of ability to communicate with the people in her life, including the "Thinkers" - all the doctors that have been testing her. Charity has two amazing parents that are doing their very, very best for her. There is some family who support her parents and then some that don't understand why they "waste" all their energy communicating with her and teaching her. Little do all of these people know, but Charity is so much more capable than they realize and once the right person find a way to allow her to begin to communicate, they realize exactly what she really is capable of and it's just the beginning.
This is a beautiful story of struggle and frustration, but also hope, joy, family, perseverance, friendship and the unstoppable spirit of an amazing girl. Be ready for all the feels in this one!
Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard have done an absolutely amazing job of taking you into the life of the main character of the book: Charity. Charity is autistic and is labelled as "low functioning" as a result of body control issues and her lack of ability to communicate with the people in her life, including the "Thinkers" - all the doctors that have been testing her. Charity has two amazing parents that are doing their very, very best for her. There is some family who support her parents and then some that don't understand why they "waste" all their energy communicating with her and teaching her. Little do all of these people know, but Charity is so much more capable than they realize and once the right person find a way to allow her to begin to communicate, they realize exactly what she really is capable of and it's just the beginning.
This is a beautiful story of struggle and frustration, but also hope, joy, family, perseverance, friendship and the unstoppable spirit of an amazing girl. Be ready for all the feels in this one!
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization
This book is so powerful and important that I feel insignificant writing a review for it. Real touched my heart in many ways. I loved learning about Charity, who has nonverbal autism, and her journey to find a voice and help others like her. Her story is utterly inspiring and brought me to tears many times through this book. I couldn't help but love all the kind, patient, and believing adults who helped her throughout. This book reminded me of all the sadness and horrible things these kids go through in this harsh world, but it also reminded me that there are kindhearted heroes who can help them, and that each of these kids has a voice and a place in our world. And I loved that it was based on a true story. I think everyone would benefit from reading this book.
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5
Thank you, Shadow Mountain, for the review copy!
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5
Thank you, Shadow Mountain, for the review copy!
“I AM INTELLIGENT” -the most powerful words I have read in a book in a long time. I cried, laughed, and felt anger all during this book. This should be a must-read book for all middle school students.
All too often in education we look at students and make judgements. This book shows the horrible things that not only students do to those that are different, but also what adults will do.
There are so many emotions running through me after reading this book. I highly recommend it!
All too often in education we look at students and make judgements. This book shows the horrible things that not only students do to those that are different, but also what adults will do.
There are so many emotions running through me after reading this book. I highly recommend it!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My feelings about this book are... complicated.
It is OwnVoices representation, and that's good. The representation is good.
Now, it is representation as plot--a book about a girl with autism who has autism. And that's fine, too, those books can be valuable, though it does sometimes feel a little on the clinical side. By that I mean, Charity doesn't have a lot going on outside being autistic. It's a book about humanizing autism, not a book about Charity.
What sat so poorly with me was how many people were allowed to abuse Charity and just get away with it. I get it with, for example, Mason and Kiki, who were just kind of awkward, but Elvi? What the hell? Elvi used slurs against her own niece and constantly demeaned her, and then suddenly realized, "Wow, you can talk you must have a brain!" and Charity immediately was okay with her. An adult used discriminatory cyber-bullying against a child and finding out who was behind it seemed the end of that. It just felt like Charity, a child, was called upon to display the grace of a Saint and the narrative tacitly forgave multiple adults for being incredibly ableist. That's kind of a side effect of writing a children's book about discrimination: the perpetrators are let far too easily off the hook.
Then there's the matter of savantism. This happens a lot in books with neurodivergent characters written for this age range and below. In MG/YA representation becomes more nuanced, but even if the character concludes that people matter because they're people, the narrative leads hard on, "Hah, you thought she was dumb, but actually she's the SMARTEST KID IN CLASS." Which, ffs. Let her be special but maybe let a kid with a disability just be a kid?
So... yeah. I guess I question who this book is for. Parents of autistic kids? People working in special ed? If so, it does its job. Those characters are constant cheerleaders, unwavering beacons of light. Actual autistic kids? Eh... it's okay. Allistic kids? Maybe.
It's good that more neurodiverse authors are publishing neurodivergent-representative books. But this wouldn't be super high on my list.
It is OwnVoices representation, and that's good. The representation is good.
Now, it is representation as plot--a book about a girl with autism who has autism. And that's fine, too, those books can be valuable, though it does sometimes feel a little on the clinical side. By that I mean, Charity doesn't have a lot going on outside being autistic. It's a book about humanizing autism, not a book about Charity.
What sat so poorly with me was how many people were allowed to abuse Charity and just get away with it. I get it with, for example, Mason and Kiki, who were just kind of awkward, but Elvi? What the hell? Elvi used slurs against her own niece and constantly demeaned her, and then suddenly realized, "Wow, you can talk you must have a brain!" and Charity immediately was okay with her. An adult used discriminatory cyber-bullying against a child and finding out who was behind it seemed the end of that. It just felt like Charity, a child, was called upon to display the grace of a Saint and the narrative tacitly forgave multiple adults for being incredibly ableist. That's kind of a side effect of writing a children's book about discrimination: the perpetrators are let far too easily off the hook.
Then there's the matter of savantism. This happens a lot in books with neurodivergent characters written for this age range and below. In MG/YA representation becomes more nuanced, but even if the character concludes that people matter because they're people, the narrative leads hard on, "Hah, you thought she was dumb, but actually she's the SMARTEST KID IN CLASS." Which, ffs. Let her be special but maybe let a kid with a disability just be a kid?
So... yeah. I guess I question who this book is for. Parents of autistic kids? People working in special ed? If so, it does its job. Those characters are constant cheerleaders, unwavering beacons of light. Actual autistic kids? Eh... it's okay. Allistic kids? Maybe.
It's good that more neurodiverse authors are publishing neurodivergent-representative books. But this wouldn't be super high on my list.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated