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Saturday, April 2, 2022

Wonderful middle-grade novel about neuro-diversity

 

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor

Aurora Petrequin, boisterous middle-grade girl has a best friend, her neighbor Frenchie Livernois.  Never mind that Frenchie is non-verbal.  Aurora says what needs to be said.  As the story begins, she finds out that she and Frenchie are in different classrooms in their Maine elementary school.  She wonders how either one of them will survive without the other.  All goes well until one day when Frenchie disappears.  Aurora is heartbroken and wonders where he is and why he isn’t coming home.

I totally enjoyed this book and the tenderness with which the author examined a friendship between a “normal” girl and her autistic friend.  The characters were fascinating and well-written. The ending was satisfying.  It is totally appropriate for a middle-grade reader and may enhance their understanding of their autistic classmates.

As a teacher and a parent and grandparent, I can enthusiastically recommend this book to young readers.  I am grateful to the publisher for a copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

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