Appeal Characteristics family, autism, occupational therapy, rules, coming of age, identity, friendship, relationshipsI love Claudia. I mean all those rules...she sounds like me! Anyway, I think what I thought was the most heart touching story was her relationship with Jason. There was something precious about how they developed into something that doesn't need to be defined--whether it could be friendship or more... I just loved their interactions. I just loved how realistic she was with her struggle in navigating her parents, her rules, and her relationship with the outside world reaction to her brother...just like Auggie's sister was in Wonder. I mean I could relate to her rule about dancing unless it's pitch-black...or the fact she had me laughing when one of her rules were not to deal with her brother being pantless. That's what moms's are for. :)
You could almost tell that this was a personal account of what Cynthia Lord has gone through. It just jumped out of the pages and connected you to Claudia & David's story. I'm glad that Claudia was able to rise above the pressure of her "so-called" friends...I think I have been on a role by reading this and watching the movie "A Joyful Noise." These books just make me appreciate the fact that I can run...that I don't need to sleep and dream about being "whole."
Red Flags None.
