Review Detail

Ten-year-old Caitlin's world is forever changed after the tragic shooting death of her beloved brother Devon. Her brother helped her make sense of the world around her and how to not stand out so much at school. Now that Devon's gone, she has a harder time with school. Her Asberger's has her see the world in black and white terms. Caitlin tries to find closure with the shooting. And how she does this will have your cheering for Caitlin.

I totally loved this book and Caitlin! My own son has sensory issues and I know how challenging the world can be to him. Erskine's descriptions of what's its like to be Caitlin are so very true. What I really love about Caitlin is she's a character who's not a victim. Sure, she looks at the world a tad bit different than others but she's able to arc and bring closure to a very terrible incident in both her life and the community.

This is a must read book! Caitlin is alot like Scout, from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Both are courageous and not afraid to confront harsh realities around them. I applaud Erskine for writing this story. We need more books that break down the stereotypes and cliches of autism. Not all are the Rainman. Highly recommended for classroom libraries.