Autism Awareness April – My life as an alphabet – Barry Jonsberg

I know this might seem tacky to some but once I read this book, I struggled to work out how I could fit it into my blog.  Whilst it could be classified as a family relations novel – I was past February for it is to be family Feb so I wondered about April. Luckliy I struck gold as in fact April is worldwide Autism Awareness Month.

My Life as an Alpabet is a beautifully written story.  It is about a 12 year old  Candice who sees the world differently to others and is labelled special needs because of her possibly autistic behaviours.  In response to an English assignment Candice decides to write an A to Z of her life.  She considers her family, friends and teachers and in the process highlights their unhappiness and her desire to fix things.  There are many funny moments as well as ones that could be considered tissue box stories – like the account of the death of her sister and the subsequent impact on her family. A worthy start to April  – autism awareness month. It is for the Year 5 – 7 range.

Description

This isn’t just about me. It’s also about the other people in my life – my mother, my father, my dead sister Sky, my penpal Denille, Rich Uncle Brian, Earth-Pig Fish and Douglas Benson From Another Dimension. These are people [with the exception of Earth-Pig Fish, who is a fish] who have shaped me, made me what I am. I cannot recount my life without recounting elements of theirs. This is a big task, but I am confident I am up to it.
Introducing Candice Phee: twelve years old, hilariously honest and a little … odd. But she has a big heart, the very best of intentions and an unwavering determination to ensure everyone is happy. So she sets about trying to ‘fix’ all the problems of all the people [and pets] in her life.
Laugh-out-loud funny and wonderfully touching, My Life as an Alphabet is a delightful novel about an unusual girl who goes to great lengths to bring love and laughter into the lives of everyone she cares about.