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Kids Like Us

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( 786 ratings, 159 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl is a heartwarming story centred around Martin, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who moves from Los Angeles to a small French town. As he navigates the complexities of a new school and culture, he draws parallels between his life and the classic novel he's fond of. The book sensitively explores themes of identity, love, and understanding one's place in the world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you enjoy stories that explore the intersection of friendship, identity, and cultural adaptation through the eyes of a unique and authentic protagonist, this young adult novel will captivate you. It provides an insightful look into the experience of feeling different while longing to connect with others.

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A heartwarming and original story about acceptance, falling in love for the first time and learning that the line between reality and imagination does not have to be fixed.

A heartwarming and original story about acceptance, falling in love for the first time and learning that the line between reality and imagination does not have to be fixed.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Kids Like Us is the delightful, heartwarming story of Martin, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who falls for Gilberte-Alice, a ‘normal’ French girl. While spending summer in the French countryside with his mother, Martin mistakes Gilberte for a character in a novel he is obsessed with—Marcel Proust’s masterpiece In Search of Lost Time. He gradually realises she is not Gilberte, the fantasy girl, but a real person named Alice. Falling in love, in all its unpredictability, teaches Martin that he can, in fact, connect and get out of his bubble.

Offering a valuable window into the mind of a high-functioning autistic kid, Kids Like Us is also the ultimate book about acceptance. Perhaps we are all in our own bubble; perhaps the line between reality and imagination does not have to be fixed. We meet Martin’s adorable older sister, Elisabeth, his friend Layla and her very useful ‘moth’ theory. And there’s lots of great cooking. The prose is sharp, original, and brimming with empathy and humour.

For those who loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl is hailed for its unique narrative voice, with reviews likening it to a combination of captivating literature and heartfelt storytelling akin to The Fault in Our Stars. The novel is praised for its tender depiction of a young autistic protagonist, Martin, and his journey to connect his imaginative world with reality, filled with love, humour, and profound empathy. The writing is described as beautiful and evocative, with a strong emphasis on the authenticity of the autistic experience, capturing Martin's perspective with cinematic lucidity and making it an emotionally transporting read.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925498912

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 October 2017

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Hilary Reyl has spent several years working and studying in France. She lives in New York City with her husband and three daughters. Her adult novel Lessons in French, was an editor’s pick on Oprah.com. Kids Like Us is Hilary’s first young-adult novel.

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