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code_kobold's review against another edition
5.0
This really spoke to me as a kid. I was the oldest with an autistic younger brother. I still have it on my bookshelf to this day even though I haven't re-read it in a long time.
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
5.0
Read this for November mother/daughter bookclub - it was excellent!
brookey8888's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Idk this is hard for me to rate. This is a reread, but I read it when I was in elementary school so I remembered next to nothing about it. I do think this story is good for what it is, but i also think there’s some harmful things that aren’t fleshed out and this being a children’s/middle grade book I think that’s important. I get where she was coming from, but it was frustrating to read at times how embarrassed she would be about her brother and friend. Idk I think there’s a lot better books published now a days about autism and the family of someone with autism or a disability.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Bullying
roseleaf24's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this touching picture of family life with a child with autism. Catherine's struggles to fit in and to be a good friend and good sister while managing the self-consciousness of early adolescence we're relatable and engaging.
aiyanamarie's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.0
drbatfcc's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended to me by a young friend on the spectrum. He selected it as the best book about autism.
parentijulia5's review against another edition
3.0
I don't really remember it but I think I like it!!
breakfastgrey's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this one. According to the backmatter, Cynthia Lord set out to write a book about disabilities that wasn't sad and showed a wider range of experience. Mission accomplished.
kemetaur's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I really liked this book. It was sweet.
*Spoiler warning*
I thought that there would be a reveal towards the end about Christine being autistic. Maybe the author wanted to portray the common scenario of high masking autistic girls growing up undiagnosed and not receiving supports or understanding, kind of slipping through the cracks when they have a higher support needs sibling.
I loved the way Christine and David communicated with each other. It reminded me a lot of the way my family members and I often communicate with each other. It's like a different, special language. A secret, exclusive, deep-connection language where social small talk doesn't even exist.
I loved that Jason's mom gave him so much freedom to grow up and have independence with friends. The way she gave him PRIVACY even...
Even when she was nervous.
Each time she watched Christine and Jason interact, I was worried that she was going to cut off their friendship, that she would claim Christine was a bad influence on him or something.
It was cute listening to him bickering with his mom using the teenage "WHATever" words that Christine made for him. I appreciated how the author showed how normal their parent/son relationship actually was despite verbal communication limitations. And his mom never took away his words even when she didn't like them. Many parents do. I was so glad to see her self restraint and the respect she had for her son.
I also appreciated how normal and age appropriate his friendship/crush with Christine was in the same way. It sounded exactly like any other sweet young developing relationship- it was just the communication and mobility details that were different...and those details honestly are different for everyone anyway. Even for able bodied people.
*Spoiler warning*
I thought that there would be a reveal towards the end about Christine being autistic. Maybe the author wanted to portray the common scenario of high masking autistic girls growing up undiagnosed and not receiving supports or understanding, kind of slipping through the cracks when they have a higher support needs sibling.
I loved the way Christine and David communicated with each other. It reminded me a lot of the way my family members and I often communicate with each other. It's like a different, special language. A secret, exclusive, deep-connection language where social small talk doesn't even exist.
I loved that Jason's mom gave him so much freedom to grow up and have independence with friends. The way she gave him PRIVACY even...
Even when she was nervous.
Each time she watched Christine and Jason interact, I was worried that she was going to cut off their friendship, that she would claim Christine was a bad influence on him or something.
It was cute listening to him bickering with his mom using the teenage "WHATever" words that Christine made for him. I appreciated how the author showed how normal their parent/son relationship actually was despite verbal communication limitations. And his mom never took away his words even when she didn't like them. Many parents do. I was so glad to see her self restraint and the respect she had for her son.
I also appreciated how normal and age appropriate his friendship/crush with Christine was in the same way. It sounded exactly like any other sweet young developing relationship- it was just the communication and mobility details that were different...and those details honestly are different for everyone anyway. Even for able bodied people.
arlowisaghost's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.5