A Kind of Spark
Elle McNicoll
Subjects
- Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
A KIND OF SPARK tells the story of 11-year-old Addie as she campaigns for a memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown. Addie knows there's more to the story of these 'witches', just like there is more to hers. Can Addie challenge how the people in her town see her, and her autism, and make her voice heard? A story about friendship, courage and self-belief, perfect for fans of The Goldfish Boy. ""Definitive and funny"" Susin Nielsen ""A fabulous, brilliant debut"" Lisa Thompson
Reviews
Excellent from start to finish. Amazing story. Heart wrenching moments where you learn the ins and outs of Addie and her troubles being autistic but also how so many children like her are misunderstood and pushed down. It brought many tears to my eyes and is a modern children’s classic.
ThePoeticTeach
Perfect read for Year 6/7/8 and a good book to choose for transition into Year 7 and empathy. Addie, the main character is unstoppabke in her sense of justice for the witches who were put on trial in her home town in Scotland in the past. She is autistic and has her own experience of people judging her wrongly. With strong family characters, friendship and courage plus an insightful portrayal of living with autism this is a book that will expand horizons
MrsWheater
Great book! Loved that it was from the point of view from someone who is neurodivergent. They share the daily difficulties they face but accomplish something great at the end
Dillip89
Loved this! A powerful book to show the superpower of Autism and to celebrate diversity! Loved Addie and the other characters too!
VCook1978
Incredible book giving in insight into the world of someone with ALN. I've recommended it to every parent I know!
GemZee
I really loved this book! It's told from the perspective of an autistic girl who after learning about witches at school campaigns for a memorial to remember those wrongly killed. It tells the story of the witches so well alongside Addie's own personal story. You feel like you know the characters right from the start and the historical aspect adds another layer to the story. I would highly recommend this book.
SZig
Fantastic insight to autism and how it can affect children and how they often get treated. Sad but lovely story!
emma.dunkin
A great middle grade book about a young autistic girl and her family. It follows her crusade for her council to put up a memorial for women who were accused of witchcraft and killed in her village on the outskirts of Edinburgh. She suffers at the hands of a school bully and draws parallels between what happened in the past with the treatment of autistic and neurodiverse people now. There are lots of insights into autism and ways it can affect how people interact with the world and those around them.
austun
I really enjoyed reading this book from the point of view of Addie, an eleven year old autistic girl. The comparison between witches killed in her village and the way in which people with neurodiversity are treated was thought-provoking. I would recommend it to children in Year 5 and above.
BeckyLF
Great book, dealing with lots of themes and I love the way history and nature (sharks) was thread through the narrative. Really enjoyed reading it with my child.
ClareH
Great read for raising awareness of being autistic from an 11 year old girl's perspective. Should be read by anyone working with children. Saddens me slightly that the teacher is portrayed as a bullying adult with no awareness of autism as in my experience this certainly isn't the case but I do realise that this is done as part of the story. I would also recommend this book for children from the age of 10 or 11 as it would give them insight into the world of autistic students among them.
DawnBatchelor
A beautiful book that all teachers and children should read!
rebeccaatlas
So interesting for the protagonist to be a female with autism. Hope it will help some girls to come forward if they need support, and make others in the classroom think. An excellent read, a good book for Year 7 or transitioning Year 6s.
HollyLC81
Highly recommended. Addie represents those children that fill our classrooms and some adults still fear. Beautifully written. It has allowed me to understand neurodiversity from a child's perspective
Montse
A fascinating portrayal of autism from Elle McNicoll, a neurodivergent writer. Important for representation for young autistic people and to promote understanding in neurotypical young (and not-so-young!) people. I read it in one sitting!
MrsE29
Absolutely loved this insight into what it is like for an autistic child trying to navigate the social nuances of school and the world in general! Very emotive!
starrettk
I felt totally caught up in Addie's world and it was hugely helpful in understanding my own autistic children better, especially my daughter. The story is full of poignant moments and made me quite sad at times as I know the misunderstandings there can be around autism but left me full of hope.
LCorin
A fantastic read which was excellently written. This text is written from the perspective of a neurodivergent teen and shows how passion and drive can lead to difficult battles personally, physically and socially being overcome. I read this book in two days as I couldn’t put it down and shed a tear as I read the closing chapter. Moving and brilliant! I would recommend to anyone educating about neurodivergence and to children year 6 and above.
Teden
Easy to read and to relate to. I enjoyed the main character and the exploration of how her friendships changed.
Cavecookie
An excellent insight into an autistic child's mind, from a neuro-divergent author. There is an interested analogy between how people were viewed as different in the past (witches) and in the present age (autism). All teachers should read this if only to avoid being like Miss Murphy.