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myarae's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I can’t explain how much this book meant to me, reading it as an adult who is months into realizing they’ve been autistic their entire life. This was so deeply healing and cathartic to read; I see so much of my inner child and my younger self in the main character Addie, and my current self who just finished university and was destroyed by autistic burnout in the character of her older sister Keedie. I wish I had this book when I was younger and I’m so happy it exists <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
black_flamed_candle_b00ks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
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? No
5.0
A Kind of Spark is a book about an autistic girl who campaigns for a memorial when she learns that her small Scottish town used to burn witches simply because they were different. Ever since Ms. Murphy told the class about the witch trials that happened centuries ago, Addie can't stop thinking about them. 🧙🏼♀️
“Those people weren't magic. They were like me. Different like me. I'm autistic. I see things that others do not. I hear sounds that they can ignore. And sometimes I feel things all at once. I think about the witches, with no one to speak for them. Not everyone in our small town understands. But if I keep trying, maybe someone will. I won't let the witches be forgotten. Because there is more to their story. Just like there is more to mine.” ♾️
I absolutely loved this book! I loved the autistic representation of not only the main character but her sister too. I loved representation of special interests! Addie’s main special interest that was featured was the witch trials, which I could relate to, as I’m autistic too and one of my special interests is witchcraft. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed how it was narrated. A really great middle-grade novel with accurate autism representation and written really well. Also I love how the author is autistic too, as the novel comes across more personalised and realistic. I recommend this book all the time and it’s one of my new favourite books ever! 5 stars! ⭐️
“Those people weren't magic. They were like me. Different like me. I'm autistic. I see things that others do not. I hear sounds that they can ignore. And sometimes I feel things all at once. I think about the witches, with no one to speak for them. Not everyone in our small town understands. But if I keep trying, maybe someone will. I won't let the witches be forgotten. Because there is more to their story. Just like there is more to mine.” ♾️
I absolutely loved this book! I loved the autistic representation of not only the main character but her sister too. I loved representation of special interests! Addie’s main special interest that was featured was the witch trials, which I could relate to, as I’m autistic too and one of my special interests is witchcraft. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed how it was narrated. A really great middle-grade novel with accurate autism representation and written really well. Also I love how the author is autistic too, as the novel comes across more personalised and realistic. I recommend this book all the time and it’s one of my new favourite books ever! 5 stars! ⭐️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Ableism
vikkisgrotto's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The autistic representation in this book was incredible. I loved Addie and her family, and although there were some moments that were tough to read, the ending pulled everything together and made my heart happy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
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: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Ableism, and Bullying
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, Forced institutionalization, and Torture
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: Forced institutionalization, Torture, Murder, and Death
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: Bullying, Child abuse, and Ableism
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Torture
Minor: Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Violence
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, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness
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.