Mockingbird

This award winning novel, Mockingbird, by Kathryn Erskine, received high praise through the literary magazines and the blogworld. Here's a brief synopsis:

In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white—the world is full of colors—messy and beautiful.

This is a beautiful book with the unique point of view of a child with Asperger's. The novel layers many issues: violence, disability, and loss. Though these themes sound like heavy issues, the book is light and uplifting. The protagonist, Caitlin, is charming, endearing and very believable. So believable in fact, that I found myself reading this novel in an afternoon. Erskine seamlessly weaves references from To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my all-time favorites. Though these references are likely lost on the young adult readers, adults reading it will appreciate the nostalgia of Scout, Boo Radley, Jem and Atticus.

I anxiously await student reviews on this text. I surely will be adding this to my collection.

Regards,

Mrs. Nelson