Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas - Jacqueline Houtman

Publisher:  Front Street, March, 2010
Pages:  189
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

When Eddy doesn't win the science fair he is astounded.  How could he not have won?  Eddy suffers from autism and to some he seems very strange.  He has trouble in crowds and with loud noises.  He is socially out of touch.  What I mean is when the school bully picks on him he doesn't understand he is being picked on.  With a head full of scientific facts he tends to ignore those who are interested in the things he is interested in and trying to be a true friend.  It takes one persistent person to show Eddy who his true friends are, what friendship is  and how to stand up to Mitch the bully.  He learns that sometimes change is good.  I found this book to be very realistic.  As a middle school teacher I run across people like Mitch and Edison.  It has been my pleasure to work the few autistic kids that have crossed my path.  They have taught me  so much.  I think this should be required reading for all teachers since  so many of them are clueless about kids like Eddy and don't really try to figure them out.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

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