LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
April 2024 Book of the Month
Keedie is the prequel to Elle McNicoll’s award-winningA Kind of Spark, now also a successful BBC TV series, and stars its central character Addie’s much-loved big sister. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the earlier book, Keedie more than works as a stand-alone, though I guarantee that once you have read it, you’ll be searching out A Kind of Spark to read next.
Like Addie, Keedie is autistic and on one level the book is a superb, eye-opening and powerful account of what that means for her. It’s much more than that too however, with a cracking storyline, and themes of family, friendship, and fairness. It’s no surprise that Keedie is highly attuned to the bullying that is going on at her school, and indeed in the wider society, but unlike most of us, she is unafraid to call it out, whoever is responsible. This causes ructions at school, in her village and even in her own family, not all of them easy to resolve.
Well-plotted, full of nuance and characters we will all recognise, the story is compelling and thought-provoking and you may well find yourself reading it in one sitting, as I did.
Andrea Reece
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About
Keedie Synopsis
The highly-anticipated prequel to the award-winning A Kind of Spark.
Before there was Addie, there was Keedie.
Five years before the events of A Kind of Spark, Keedie is figuring out how to be her bold, brave self in a town that wants her to be quiet. Her twin sister Nina seems to care more about being popular, and Keedie knows her little sister Addie is more similar to her than her family knows.
When she starts standing up to people’s bullies for them, everyone wants her to pretend nothing is wrong with the way things are in Juniper. But firecracker Keedie wants things to change… and she wants things to be better for Addie. As she sets out to right wrongs and stand up for the truth, the sleepy town of Juniper is about to wake up and see that Keedie is one of a kind.
Set five years before the events of A Kind of Spark, Keedie is a powerful coming-of-age story that thoughtfully tackles bullying, navigating friendships, and the joys and difficulties of being an autistic teenager. Storylines from the book will feature in the second series of the live-action CBBC adaptation, due to air in summer 2024.
Cover Art by Kay Wilson
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781913311988 |
| Publication date: |
4th April 2024 |
| Author: |
Elle McNicoll |
| Publisher: |
Knights of Media |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
207 pages |
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Press Reviews
Elle McNicoll Press Reviews
Praise for A Kind of Spark:
'Definitive and funny' - Susin Nielsen
'A fabulous, brilliant debut' - Lisa Thompson
‘This intensely readable little book punches well above its weight.’ - The Guardian
‘Funny, astute debut...a big-hearted tale that shows compassion for all’ The Times ‘Remarkable debut...an involving story with a protagonist we root for’ - Sunday Times
‘Beautifully judged...explores autism with great sensitivity’ - iWeekend
‘Elle McNicoll’s touching story is for anyone who believes in friendship, family, being brave and making your voice heard.’ - The Week Junior
‘Heartbreaking and vital, it’s a book that every student and teacher should read.’ - Book Riot
Author
About Elle McNicoll
Elle McNicoll is an award-winning Scottish children’s author.
Her debut novel, A Kind of Spark, won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. A live action TV adaptation from BBC Children’s and 9 Story Media will be hitting UK screens in Spring 2023.
She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing and in 2022 founded The Adrien Prize, to recognise children’s fiction that explores the disability experience. She lives in London.
Photo credit Aashfaria A. Anwar
More About Elle McNicoll
