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Wishing on the midnight star ISBN: 9781843107576
Ogaz, Nancy
Published by Jessica Kingsley, 2004
Alexander Stone has a brother with Asperger's syndrome, and this story is told from Alex's point of view. Set in California, out in the sticks, the book tells us a lot about the wildlife and countryside, including a particularly horrific encounter with coyotes at the end. Nic, at 14, is a year older than Alex, but often acts younger. He displays the usual Asperger tendencies of being obsessive and finding it difficult to relate in acceptable ways in social contexts. Alex finds him intensely embarrassing, particularly when Nic makes friends easily with Brianna on the school bus. Brianna is someone Alex would like to know better. In fact, he's besotted with her, but can't be natural around her - which Nic can. In an outrageously funny episode, during which Alex has to remove most of his clothes in front of Brianna because of an encounter with a red ant nest, we see the height of poor Alex's suffering. All does come well, and Alex learns that he does love his 'different' brother and that it is he who has had to change his attitudes. Well written, with some really lovely descriptive writing, this is aimed at siblings of those with an autistic spectrum disorder. Available from Amazon, from good bookshops, or from the publisher at www.jkp.com.
Age: 11+