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Everyday Hero

Everyday Hero

Kathleen Cherry (Author) See More
CELA Library
FICTION
Family | Social Themes | Disabilities
General (see also headings under Social Themes) , Friendship , Disabilities
Orca Book Publishers
4 - 7
9 - 12
CELAAmazonIndigo
PDF [Fixed Format]
9781459809833
$8.99 CADAvailable
English
03/15/2016
EPUB [reflow]
9781459809840
$8.99 CADAvailable
English
03/15/2016
Paperback
9781459809826
$10.95 CADAvailable
English
03/15/2016
Braille
Available from CELA
English
View full details

Description

Alice doesn’t like noise, smells or strangers. She does like rules. Lots of rules.

Nobody at her new school knows she is autistic, and soon Alice finds herself in trouble because the rules here are different. When she meets Megan in detention, she doesn’t know what to make of her. Megan doesn’t smell, she’s not terribly noisy, and she’s not exactly a stranger. But is she a friend? Megan seems fearless to Alice; but also angry or maybe sad. Alice isn’t sure which. When Megan decides to run away, Alice decides that Megan is her friend and that she needs to help her, no matter how many rules she has to break or how bad it makes her feel.

Kathleen Cherry

Author Bio

Kathleen Cherry spends time in northern British Columbia and on Vancouver Island where she works as a school psychologist. Before becoming a psychologist, Kathleen worked as a school counselor as well as teaching English, social studies and special education. Kathleen loves working with children and empowering them to develop their creativity through writing.

Prizes

  • Chocolate Lily Book AwardWinner 2017
  • Young Readers' Choice Book Awards of British Columbia (YRCABC) Red Cedar Book AwardsNominated 2018
  • BC and Yukon Book Prizes - Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeShort-listed 2017
  • Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction AwardNominated 2017
  • Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Pacific Northwest Book AwardsNominated 2017
  • Hackmatack Children's Choice Book AwardShort-listed 2018
  • CCBC Best Books for Kids & TeensCommended 2016

Review Quotes

"Illuminating...Engaging."  — Booklist
"Cherry does a remarkable job of presenting Alice’s stream-of-consciousness thinking without letting it weigh down the story. The character’s tendency to focus on multiple definitions of words, in situations that perplex her, assists readers in understanding Alice’s point of view, and her reliance on previous experiences and rules when interpreting new situations captures an important aspect of autism...As Alice relates the story of her developing friendship with Megan, it unfolds as an honest account by an unfailingly accurate and likeable narrator. Her challenges with sensory stimulation and verbal communication are only part of her rich characterization, and readers will immediately perceive that there is a great deal more to Alice than any kind of diagnosis would suggest...While the short sentences and straightforward plot present this book as a story for younger readers, its characterization of Megan, a girl abused by her stepfather, may resonate more clearly with ages 10 to 12. Older children and adults, however, will overlook the intended audience in favour of the delightfully fresh perspective Alice provides...Highly Recommended."  — CM Magazine
"Readers look at life through the eyes of Asperger's. The author understands Alice and does an astounding job bringing her to life. Kids will understand and empathize with Alice by book's end. They will also understand a little more about kids like Megan. Understanding can go a long way toward kindness and acceptance, making Everyday Hero a brilliant debut."  — Kid Lit Reviews
"[Alice's] difficulties, along with her steadfast courage, are effectively depicted...The happy outcome of their connection, as Alice describes a 'tingling, bubbling feeling' in her body when their friendship is cemented, makes the journey worthwhile. Insightful and sometimes moving, Alice's evolving coming-of-age provides a perceptive exploration of unexpected friendship in the face of disability."  — Kirkus Reviews