I loved this book. I was engaged, interested in the characters, and immersed in the story. The characters felt like real people to me and I felt like the protagonist's autism was portrayed respectfully. There is a movement in the autistic community to seek acceptance, not just awareness. This book portrays Kiara as a real person with agency who learns coping skills and grows to accept herself more by the end of the book. Her autism is not just used as a plot device. ( )

Autistic representation matters to me in fiction, and the fact that this book's author is, herself, on the autism spectrum made it even more appealing to read.

Currently one-third through, I am finding a lot to relate to with Kiara, the protagonist. Like her, I struggled with making friends in school. I would pin my hope on new arrivals to the school, people not yet indoctrinated to the "norm" that I was to be ostracized and shunned -- only to have them abandon me once they figured out that I was the kid no one liked.

Kiara's desperation to make friends makes her vulnerable to bad influence.

A new boy, Chad, is forced by his parents to help them manufacture drugs. They set him or his little brother to keep look-out for them, hours at a time, in the park, even during extreme weather.

Chad's father also makes unscrupulous use of Kiara's isolation from other kids. He pressures Chad to involve Kiara in illegal activities -- and so the two of them go from pharmacy to pharmacy, purchasing supplies for making drugs.

Kiara catches on and stands up for herself, but on the very next occasion, Chad goes with her on a bike ride to explore local trails ... only to pack hazardous chemicals for disposal in both bikes' saddlebags.

This story is populated with well-developed characters. Chad, for example, hates what he has to do, but doesn't really see a way out of it. If it was just him, he would be glad to run away, but he feels that he has to protect his younger brother.

Because of its mature theme of drug-manufacturing, this book would be best for readers in middle-grade and older. Its themes of struggling to connect with people are ones that many readers will be able to relate to. ( )

Lyn Miller-Lachmann, author of “Gringolandia” enters the world of middle schoolers with “Rogue.” In “Rogue,” readers learn to empathize with Kiara, an 8th grader who tries hard to have friends. No one ever wants to be her friend because they think she’s weird. She keeps track of all new kids hoping one will be her friend, but it never happens.

Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/rogue-lyn-miller-lachmann/ ( )

From Amazon, a very well-rated story for older children: "Kiara has Asperger’s syndrome, and it’s hard for her to make friends. So whenever her world doesn’t make sense—which is often—she relies on Mr. Internet for answers. But there are some questions he can’t answer, like why she always gets into trouble, and how do kids with Asperger’s syndrome make friends? Kiara has a difficult time with other kids. They taunt her and she fights back. Now she’s been kicked out of school. She wishes she could be like her hero Rogue—a misunderstood X-Men mutant who used to hurt anyone she touched until she learned how to control her special power.

When Chad moves in across the street, Kiara hopes that, for once, she’ll be able to make friendship stick. When she learns his secret, she’s so determined to keep Chad as a friend that she agrees not to tell. But being a true friend is more complicated than Mr. Internet could ever explain, and it might be just the thing that leads Kiara to find her own special power.

In Rogue, author Lyn Miller-Lachmann celebrates everyone’s ability to discover and use whatever it is that makes them different.

One of the best books I've read this year. Highly recommended for middle and high school. ( )