The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
praisethee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Brilliant Book detailing autistic experience I just wish it didn't focus so much of masking and emphasised more the need to unmask however I do feel like it is somewhat covered by towards the end by identifying the problems masking can have on an autistic person.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse
kshertz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A great book to explain the beauty of autistic people. I definitely felt the author wrote this authentically and there was so much I learned and felt from this story. It’s a great explanation for those who are neurotypical to understand others.Â
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail
myarae's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I can’t explain how much this book meant to me, reading it as an adult who is months into realizing they’ve been autistic their entire life. This was so deeply healing and cathartic to read; I see so much of my inner child and my younger self in the main character Addie, and my current self who just finished university and was destroyed by autistic burnout in the character of her older sister Keedie. I wish I had this book when I was younger and I’m so happy it exists <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
musingsofazebra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Ableism
Minor: Murder, Gaslighting, Sexism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, and Mental illness
bookswithlauren's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful. I loved this book and really related to this book as well.Â
We follow Addie who is a kind hearted, passionate, eleven year old autistic girl who loves sharks and reading. In school, Addie starts learning about the witch trials that occurred in her town and she is eager to learn everything she can about them but to show her town how wrong the actions of their past were.
'A Kind of Spark' is quite hard hitting as it explores bullying but also how wrongly treated people are for simply being different. One thing that really hit me is when Addie realises she would have been accused of being a witch if she lived during that time period because of her Autism. It is heartbreaking but also unfortunately true. I do not have Autism but I have Epilepsy and would also have been in the same situation as Addie and the entire book really resonates with me.
Everyone in this world is different and it is a wonderful thing but Elle McNicoll really explores how those differences can be viewed, in the past and during the present day. There are many countries and beliefs that would deem my Epilepsy a curse or the work of the devil. There are many countries and beliefs who do not understand different conditions, genders, sexualities and much more and 'A Kind of Spark' really makes you think about that harsh and heartbreaking reality.Â
We follow Addie who is a kind hearted, passionate, eleven year old autistic girl who loves sharks and reading. In school, Addie starts learning about the witch trials that occurred in her town and she is eager to learn everything she can about them but to show her town how wrong the actions of their past were.
'A Kind of Spark' is quite hard hitting as it explores bullying but also how wrongly treated people are for simply being different. One thing that really hit me is when Addie realises she would have been accused of being a witch if she lived during that time period because of her Autism. It is heartbreaking but also unfortunately true. I do not have Autism but I have Epilepsy and would also have been in the same situation as Addie and the entire book really resonates with me.
Everyone in this world is different and it is a wonderful thing but Elle McNicoll really explores how those differences can be viewed, in the past and during the present day. There are many countries and beliefs that would deem my Epilepsy a curse or the work of the devil. There are many countries and beliefs who do not understand different conditions, genders, sexualities and much more and 'A Kind of Spark' really makes you think about that harsh and heartbreaking reality.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was cute and had some fantastic characters! Deals with some real issues but is sensitive about it. Glad I read it and that it exists for kids to read!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Death
Death of witches and some minor descriptions of how they died or were torturedhayley_mariep's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Violence, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
someonelikeblue's review
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Ableism, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Physical abuse and Toxic friendship
seawarrior's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A Kind of Spark is a sparkling debut that will serve to make a whole generation of autistic kids feel less lonely, and never worthless. Addie's story is not only informative in the straightforward ways necessary to increase empathy for autistic people, but shows her learning to make sense of the depth of her emotions and why some narratives affect her so deeply, so that she may own her story and tell it for herself. I'll admit that it took me three tries to get through this book, as the bullying Addie experiences from both her teacher and her peers was so upsetting to read. Yet I think describing these expressions of bigotry is important to guide young people to grow into adults who are primed to recognize ableism in all its manifestations, and prepared to fight against it.
In her older sister Keedie, Addie has her own guide of how to recognize and respond to ableism. Keedie, also autistic, is hinted to have endured even more ableism as a young girl, and serves in her early adulthood as the protective figure Addie needs that she never had herself. I found their relationship extremely endearing and relevant, as there are a number of autistic adults who are so interested in improving the treatment of autistic children because we know that while some things are too late for us, these children still have an opportunity to grow up in a kinder world. Yet as Keedie aptly points out, autistic people of all ages have our valuable perspectives regularly dismissed or met with hatred for a number of paradoxical reasons, and some of us end up permanently institutionalized for our inability to mask as neurotypical. These are difficult and upsetting concepts for children to have to make sense of, but I don't think comprehension is beyond them. A Kind of Spark lays out an age appropriate foundation for young people to see the ableist injustices of today for what they are, an unwinnable system as nonsensical and unacceptable as the witch trials of hundreds of years prior.Â
I highly recommend this book to other readers of all ages, and would love to see it added to school reading lists and utilized in the classroom. Though Addie's story has a rough start, it ends on an empowering note reminding those of us who are persecuted for our differences that we are worth having our stories told and remembered.Â
In her older sister Keedie, Addie has her own guide of how to recognize and respond to ableism. Keedie, also autistic, is hinted to have endured even more ableism as a young girl, and serves in her early adulthood as the protective figure Addie needs that she never had herself. I found their relationship extremely endearing and relevant, as there are a number of autistic adults who are so interested in improving the treatment of autistic children because we know that while some things are too late for us, these children still have an opportunity to grow up in a kinder world. Yet as Keedie aptly points out, autistic people of all ages have our valuable perspectives regularly dismissed or met with hatred for a number of paradoxical reasons, and some of us end up permanently institutionalized for our inability to mask as neurotypical. These are difficult and upsetting concepts for children to have to make sense of, but I don't think comprehension is beyond them. A Kind of Spark lays out an age appropriate foundation for young people to see the ableist injustices of today for what they are, an unwinnable system as nonsensical and unacceptable as the witch trials of hundreds of years prior.Â
I highly recommend this book to other readers of all ages, and would love to see it added to school reading lists and utilized in the classroom. Though Addie's story has a rough start, it ends on an empowering note reminding those of us who are persecuted for our differences that we are worth having our stories told and remembered.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Confinement, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
cevec's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
An incredibly powerful and informative and lovable book about 11 year old Addie who is autistic. I adored this from start to finish, and the audiobook performance was amazing too.
It made me laugh, it made me cry, and I learnt so much along the way. Really couldn't recommend it more highly to everyone.Â
It made me laugh, it made me cry, and I learnt so much along the way. Really couldn't recommend it more highly to everyone.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Ableism and Emotional abuse
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