Fabulous Finds: Mockingbird

Do you ever come across a book that affects you more than you had anticipated? The book Mockingbird by Kathryn Erkine did that to me. I decided to read it because (1) it was on the list of books to possibly review and (2) it was given decent reviews by a few of my classmates. I did not realize how fabulous it would be.

 

This is the book description given to Mockingbird from Amazon.com:

 

Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon has died, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure- and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be black and white after all.

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Below is my personal book review of Mockingbird:

This book introduces a fifth grader named Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome. After a devastating and tragic occurrence, Caitlin is forced to continue their lives without her older brother Devon. Devon used to help her through social situations but now he is dead and she is left to figure it out by herself. With the help of her school counselor and her new friend, first grader Michael, Caitlin is slowly learning how to understand other people's feelings and develop relationships.

My younger brother has Asperger's and after reading this book, I understand what my brother has been going through all of his life. This book also delves deeply into the uncomfortable topic of school violence. It was heartbreaking to read certain parts but I am very grateful to have been introduced to such a wonderful book. This book would open up a multitude of topics for classroom discussions and debates. I loved the book very much.

Happy Reading!
-CM (reading The Maze Runner by J. Dashner)