A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll 

Published by Knights Of

ISBN: 978 1 91331 105 6

£6.99

Review by Kayleigh

I loved this book. Yes, it is aimed at children, but it is the first time I have read a good, genuine representation of autism! This isn’t even disclosed until you start reading the book, nothing on the blurb or cover, so I am sure many people will pick this up having no idea and finally learn something about it. Elle McNicoll is Autistic herself and says she wrote this during an incredibly angry time in her life; she is brutally honest and that is why I love her so much. (Some of the best work comes from the strongest emotions, anger, sadness, love, joy!).

I fell in love with Addie in the first chapter, my heart broke for her knowing the pain being bullied can cause. I was rooting for her and her new friend Audrey to raise awareness and money for the memorial.

The bond Addie had with her sister Keedie was beautiful and their ability to speak to each other in a way that no one else could understand. Keedie guides Addie through her struggles with autism as Keedie has already gone through it. Keedie’s twin Nina isn’t like them, she doesn’t really understand them and honestly I didn’t like her all that much at the start but when an incident at Addie’s school means both sisters are called in (as Addie’s parents were both working) I began to see her in a different light.

It was an amazingly easy read (regardless that it is a children’s book) and quite emotional for me as I have never felt so well-represented. I read it in about an hour spread over a few days! I also think it is a really good length for this type of book somewhere around 200 pages with a comfortably sized font.

This gets all of the stars, if you ask me, unique, exciting, and many doors opened for disability representation in books (that isn’t just for comedy or to humanise someone else)! I want more books like this, and I really hope that autistic kids can pick this up and finally see the representation that they deserve! I think the author and Addie are incredibly inspiring, so I know I will read this time and time again.

"I really hope that autistic kids can pick this up and finally see the representation that they deserve!"

That’s what my autism is. It’s like a kind of spark.