Boy Underground

City exploration and mystery, with a unique and needed hero. Hugo thinks differently from other kids - he can remember a million facts but has trouble making friends. He used to be close with Alex and Julie, but they've stopped listening to his facts about maps and science, and everyone in Hugo's class calls him names and thinks he's strange. One day, Hugo hears about the forbidden catacombs beneath his city, and he's determined to join the ranks of the mysterious cataphiles, where he dreams of finally finding people like him. But there's a reason the underground is sealed, and Hugo soon finds himself faced with a lot more adventure than he bargained for, including navigating the darkness with his used-to-be friends and a centuries old mystery.

Seeing the world through Hugo's eyes gives a powerful perspective of what daily life can look like for someone who is neurodivergent. It's one thing to be told about it, but it's something else to witness first hand how someone like Hugo might view making friends, going to school, growing through therapy, and family's invaluable love. One thing that really stuck out to me was how, even though on paper Hugo might be receiving the highest level of support (great family, professional counseling, interesting hobbies), he is still miserable because of how he is treated at school.

For very empathetic readers, the beginning of the book might be a little tough, given that Hugo does have such a hard time at school. However, over time Hugo, Alex, and Julie are able to better understand one another, in a way that's uplifting but realistic for all of them, and the story ends with Hugo in a much better place.

So pick this up for a story of friends, maps, and a mystery weaving together fun facts about the Paris underground.