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Lisa and the lacemaker ISBN: 9781843100713
Hoopman, Kathy and Medaglia, Mike
Published by Jessica Kingsley, 2002
Lisa is quite aware that she has Asperger's syndrome, and she explains it very clearly when she meets her Great Aunt Hannah at a family party. Great Aunt Hannah is a bit unusual too - into fluffy dresses and liking to be alone. They are soon getting on like a house-afire. When Lisa and her friend Ben (also an Aspie as they call themselves) find an old, disused cottage in Ben's garden, Lisa soon discovers there is a connection with Aunt Hannah, who lived there long ago. She had been a lace maker, as had Gwyneth, an old lady servant who had taught her the skill, and there appears to be a ghost flitting around the cottage.... Nevermind that the plot creaks mightily at the end; this is a great, very readable adventure, and Lisa makes a valid, interesting heroine. Full of obsessions and quirks, she shows us much about her life and how she feels. Ben too. They are very different in their Asperger-ness, a fact discussed by their mums at one point. Largish print on very white paper make the story easy to read. A new edition of this is in graphic novel form, and the ISBN is 9781785920288. I haven't seen this version. Both are available from Amazon, from bookshops, or from the publisher at www.jkp.com.
Age: 8+