How do you determine if someone counts as a friend or not? Do you care more about the quantity or the quality of your friends? That's what Alex tries to figure out in All the Small Wonderful Things written by Kate Foster. Learn about this unique book and enter to win a signed copy, along with a $100 donation to a rescue dog charity of your choice!
My Review:
Written with love and insights, All the Small Wonderful Things is an engaging and heartwarming middle grade novel exploring the essence of friendship while exhibiting the remarkable power of kindness. It revolves around an autistic boy named Alex, who believes that winning a trophy at the dog show is his only shot at befriending the most popular kids at school. But there's only five days left and so many things could go wrong, from training his beloved furry friend Kevin to registering for the desired categories in the contest. Will everything turn out just fine despite all the unexpected changes that keep popping up to mess up Alex's plan? Will a trophy really bring in more friends as he hopes?
Adopting a first person point of view, the book leads us inside the mind of an autistic child, letting us see, hear and feel things from his angle. This approach allows the readers to get a better knowledge of the concerns and challenges the protagonist has to deal with on a daily basis, and thus a better understanding of his actions and reactions. His intolerance of loud sounds is caused by his acute sense of hearing. He avoids making eye contact because he thinks it's rude to stare at people. He makes constant, conscious efforts to regulate his emotions and to perfect his self-soothing strategies, although he hasn't always been successful. I enjoyed reading the story from cover to cover. My eyes welled up with tears when I reached the ending.
His kind heart, artistic talent, and tenacity make Alex a lovable character. He is lucky to be surrounded by nice people like Angel, Derek, and the adult figures, who set great examples for how we could offer help to those struggling with communication or social interaction. I feel his joy and excitement when Alex comes to the realization that he has more friends than he thinks. Friendship may take different forms. Alex's story urges young readers to be more considerate and caring to autistic kids, and to accept them as who they are.
What stands out from the book is the incredible friendship between Alex and Kevin, who loves him unconditionally, provides comfort and calms him down whenever necessary. The emotional support from such a loyal friend is powerful and priceless.
Easy to follow and fun to read, this is a delightful book for all dog lovers and anyone who cares to discover and cherish all the small wonderful things in life.
About the Book:
Ages 8+ | 240 Pages
Publisher: Candlewick | ISBN-13: 9781536225808
In an endearing story about an autistic boy and his steadfast furry pal, Alex is convinced that winning a trophy at the dog show will help him make a real friend at last.
Eleven-year-old Alex knows that starting middle school will be a big change, and for an autistic person, change can be terrifying. He is sure that having a friend by his side will help. But how can he make one? Alex devises a plan to impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin the Cockapoo. This should be a walk in the park, right? If only. It turns out that finding a friend is harder than Alex thought—unless, maybe, friendship is about something more than popularity.
This charming story, told through Alex’s clear and honest voice, navigates relationships of all stripes between classmates, new neighbors, family, and, of course, a kid and his dog. After all, friendship isn’t one-size-fits-all—maybe it’s found in the small things where you least expect it.
Purchase links: Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes and Noble
About the Author:
Kate Foster is a children’s author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the southeast of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs. She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.
For more information, visit kfosterbooks.com.
One lucky reader will win an autographed hardcover copy of All the Small Wonderful Things and a $100 donation made to a rescue dog charity of their choice!
Giveaway ends 11/24. Open to US and Canada only. Please enter below. Good luck!
All the Small Wonderful Things: Book GiveawayDisclosure: This post is sponsored by Kate Foster. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.
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