Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim is a well-written novel that is a mystery and much more. Two people die and several are injured due to a fire and explosion at the “Miracle Submarine,” a controversial treatment (extended exposure to high oxygen levels) for people with autism and other various medical issues. The author uses multiple narrators and aptly weaves the stories of the patients and their families with the history of the Korean immigrants (Pak Yoo, his wife, Young and daughter, Mary) who run the center. In addition, Kim introduces the courtroom setting where the mother (Elizabeth) of one of the children (Henry) is tried for intentionally setting the fire which killed her own son. 

There is certainly plenty of angst and guilt spread around: parents who experience a range of feelings towards their children, conflicts between spouses, questions of ethics for the lawyers, and actions by protesters who debate the medical efficacy of this treatment.  As the reader hurtles from one lie to another and flips back and forth between suspicion and empathy for possible perpetrators, Kim propels the story forward to its surprising conclusion. Miracle Creek was chosen as a LibraryReads selection for April and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal. An excellent choice for book groups.

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

I just finished WHAT TO SAY NEXT by Julie Buxbaum and I will definitely be recommending this Young Adult novel.  Buxbaum divides the first person narration between two high school juniors: Kit Lowell, whose father has recently died in a car accident and David Drucker, who has difficulty with social situations since he experiences symptoms of Asperger's syndrome and is socially isolated as a result.  As David explains, “we just assume other people understand what we are talking about. That we are, as the idiom goes, on the same wavelength.  In my experience, we are not.”    

After her father’s death, Kit finds that she cannot relate to her friends’ conversations about prom and clothes and chooses instead to have lunch with David (called Little D by his supportive sister, Lauren, whom he calls Miney).  Spending some time together gradually leads to Kit and David building trust, sharing concerns and battling the prejudices and shallowness of other students. Buxbaum does an excellent job of allowing the reader to develop empathy by viewing events from the perspective of each narrator. WHAT TO SAY NEXT is full of charm and humor, but it’s not easy. Kit’s grief and some personal revelations about her parents plus David’s candid perceptions of others cause significant drama. As one character says, “One of the few perks of the sh*t so monumentally hitting the fan is you discover who your real tribe is. It’s the only way through.”  Julie Buxbaum says that David and Kit were her favorite characters to write and that affection is obvious – I am looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

On a related note, Buxbaum refers to a famous expression that when you meet one person with autism, you meet one person with autism. We have to keep working to build bridges and make connections.  Perhaps this article and accompanying video, recently posted on The New York Times, will help add insight about the difficulty with eye contact which David and others experience:

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

GINNY MOON by Benjamin Ludwig is a must read book. I try not to say that very often and this debut novel is certainly uncomfortable to read at the beginning, but I became so enamored with the characters that I simply could not stop.   New Hampshire English and writing teacher Benjamin Ludwig was at The Book Stall last Wednesday afternoon (May 3rd) and I am really sorry to have missed that discussion about this story of an autistic teenage girl in a foster family.

It has been almost 5 years since Ginny Moon, then nine, was removed from an abusive and neglectful situation with her Birth Mother, Gloria.  Since then she has been in several foster homes and may have found her Forever Home with Maura and Brian who are expecting a child.  In an effort to help Ginny adjust to a sibling, she is given a plastic electronic baby, but it will not stop crying and Ginny wants her Baby Doll instead, obsessing over finding Gloria and making sure that her Baby Doll is safe.   

GINNY MOON is a coming of age story that is full of suspense and action as well as troubled relationships and several well-intentioned blunders and misunderstandings. In creating these situations and Ginny’s internal monologues, Ludwig aptly draws on his own experience as a foster parent of a teen with autism.  I, too, see Ginny in some of my students - in their sheer determination and certainness of purpose, their tendency to interpret most comments literally, and their sense of trust and wonder.  I am looking forward to sharing this book with teachers and students.  I think that our book group and class literature circles would benefit from reading and reflecting together on the title.  In addition, we should add it to our Junior Theme list. GINNY MOON received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Publishers Weekly; plus it is an Amazon Best Book of the Month for May and almost fifty percent of its ratings on Goodreads are 5 stars. Clearly, I am not the only one to say GINNY MOON is a must read book.

ADDED JUNE 10: Author interview with Benjamin Ludwig