A Kind of Spark tells the story of 11-year-old Addie as she campaigns for a local memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown. Supported by her older sister, Keedie, Addie hopes to challenge how people see her, and her autism, and make a difference.

Addie is a really strong character despite everything she has to deal with. She’s bullied by her classmates and bullied by her teacher but has devised lots of coping mechanisms to help her survive in a hostile environment.

Elle McNicoll has done a brilliant job of telling a story that opens the reader’s eyes to the struggles one young autistic girl goes through day after day. Looking in from the outside and understanding what’s going on in Addie’s head, the reader can appreciate just how far empathy and compassion can go to make a difference.

A brilliant book for starting conversations around resilience, empathy, compassion and understanding.

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