Nine-year-old Lenny is a gifted, restless boy without friends and a
preoccupied mother who is a hand model and always wears gloves to protect her hands. Lenny often ends up in the principal's office; his behavior isn't malicious but mostly annoying and spontaneous. He begins meeting regularly with Muriel, the school therapist. About the same time, he meets a small boy on the playground, Van, who becomes his friend. Lenny is self-absorbed by his own world and thoughts, proud that he and his mother are not people who cry. But in his meetings with Muriel and the discovery that Van has leukemia, Lenny finds a way outside his personal walls to empathy and possibilities. ( )

The is a good view into the mind of a child who is not neurotypical. Lenny has a hard time focusing and a brilliant mind. His teachers and principal have no idea how to handle him, not understanding why he "just won't grow up" and he has no idea what they mean when they say they WANT him to grow up. Why would anyone want to grow up? He can't match his own clothing and needs coaching to figure out what clothes are appropriate for certain circumstances.

As I read through the other reviews about this book I see why this kind of thing is necessary, and why it needs to be written like this. Short and sweet. How many people realize the traits in this child are so typical of asperger's/autism when they read this? And how many people look at a kid like Lenny in their community and don't have any patience left for him?

Beautiful. I gave this book 5 stars because I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about it... I will be looking for a copy to add to my bag of books I use with the children I work with. ( )

Banks, K. (2007). Lenny's space. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Grades 4 through 7

Nine-year-old Lenny has a hard time dealing with others. His mind is always working, and he cannot control the urge when one of his thoughts wants to come out. He is often found in the principal’s office because of his outbursts. At home, his single mother tries her best to work with Lenny, but sometimes he can read frustration in her expressions and words. When he is referred to Muriel, the school psychologist, Lenny learns to get in touch with his emotions and control his impulses. He finds a friend in Van, a seven-year-old with leukemia, and experiences the joys and pain of getting close to someone else. When Van does not survive his disease, Lenny has to face issues long buried—being abandoned by his father, losing his grandfather, and allowing his emotions to finally come to the surface. He learns to communicate his feelings and becomes closer to those whom he loves.

Lenny's space brings to light the wonders and difficulties of living with a disability. Banks’ portrayal of Lenny provides the reader with a close look at the mind of a child with Asperger Syndrome. As he works with Muriel, the school psychologist, Lenny learns to control his behavior and express his feelings—especially when it comes to loss. Very real situations such as growing up without a father, learning to accept new people into the family circle, and losing those whom one loves are dealt with honesty and respect. This is a great reading selection to teach tolerance and to represent children with disabilities into the curriculum. Van’s death can be upsetting to younger readers, but it opens the doors to discussion about death and loss. Teachers looking to enlarge students’ personal points of view will find in Lenny’s space a plethora of topics to explore. Children with disabilities will feel empowered that their experiences are present in the classroom in such a realistic and touching way. ( )

I loved this weepy read about Lenny, a boy who's bouncing off the walls at school and is desperate to connect with someone. A school counselor gains his trust, but it's a new friend with a terminal illness who shows Lenny how to take a risk to experience true feelings. The best part of this novel is Lenny's voice, his fresh ideas (he wants to be an inventor), and his ability to see the humor in every little thing around him (until he can't).
Recommended for grades 5+

Erica recommended this to me...and it was just amazing. I cried, too! ( )