Source: Sunshine State Reader 2019-2020
Age Range: 8-12
Evaluation of Quality: This story is told from the perspective of an autistic child going to school for the first time; it is very endearing and heartwarming.
Assessment of Potential Use: This book has positive messages about neurodiverse kids and can be used to engender empathy for students with autism.
Assessment of Appeal to Children: Children will sympathize with Lester's struggles to understand the world and the bewildering environment of public school.

This uplifting debut novel from Mandy Davis follows space-obsessed Lester Musselbaum as he experiences the challenges of his first days of public school: making friends, facing bullies, finding his "thing," and accidentally learning of his autism-spectrum diagnosis.

Ten-year-old Lester Musselbaum loves things exactly as they are: homeschooling with his mom as his teacher, watching for the Perseid meteor shower every August, visiting the library for research, etc. But his mother announces one day that she needs to return to work and he'll be attending public school for the first time in his life. Right off the bat, Lester meets a bully, can't handle how loud the cafeteria is, doesn't like how his teacher deviates from the schedule, etc. Will Lester ever be able to adjust to his new school and make friends?

This book was very well written, with a fantastic job done for Lester's voice in his first-person narration. My only tiny complaint is that it isn't until pretty far along in the book that we actually learn that Lester is on the autism spectrum. As an adult, it was obvious to me from the outset, but I'm not sure that children will get there right away as they are reading this (unless they themselves are autistic or know someone who is). What bothers me more about it, however, is from a storytelling perspective. Perhaps it's because we are hearing from Lester's point of view, but it seems like this is the first time he's being tested and diagnosed. I have trouble believing that his intelligent, involved mother would not have suspected this much sooner and had this knowledge long before Lester is sent to public school.

Besides that one point, this book does an excellent job of talking about autism without being didactic. We see the why behind some of Lester's actions, which I think can be very helpful for children to learn about so they don't judge others harshly when they see them doing something differently than they do themselves. The author also makes a point of saying that not everyone who is on the autism spectrum will act exactly the same way as Lester.

A lot of what happens to Lester in the text is actually rather typical middle grades issues -- working on a science fair project, dealing with a bully, negotiating friendships, etc. -- so that part will be very relatable to young readers. I also appreciated that, especially in the beginning, not all of the teachers and school staff were particularly understanding or helpful. Sometimes it seems like every middle-grade novel features incredibly amazing teachers who help the protagonists with all their struggles, school-wise and otherwise. While there are some truly spectacular teachers out there, I'm sure most of us can recall some teachers that weren't so great, and possibly even some that were detrimental. It's nice to see that being address in a book for young readers so that they can read something that might validate their own experience.

In addition to being a new kid at school and learning about being on the autism spectrum, Lester also is dealing with the death of his father several years earlier. This leads to some very poignant scenes between him and his mother. This is not the main focus on the book, but it is certainly dealt with in a deft manner.

Last but not least, the author includes a diverse cast of people in Lester's life. She manages to convey this without reducing every character to simply a skin color or ethnicity at their introduction into the plot. Even minor characters in this book seem well-rounded.

All in all, I would very much recommend this book to young (and even old) readers for a heartfelt story that tackles a number of issues, most importantly giving some insight and understanding to what it's like to be a child on the autism spectrum. ( )