Reviewed by
Debra Williams
Kids on the
edge. Kids who are different. Kids who don’t seem to “fit in.” But just the
same, they have much to offer by seeing the world in individualistic ways.
Children
with autism have brains that are wired differently. Often seen as “uncool” due
to their quirky ways and actions, the world can be difficult to navigate,
especially socially. The author of this book has a son with autism, an avid
reader, who told his dad there were not any books out there who feature “kids
like me.” So, they have teamed up to create a a fun and fast-paced story.
Craig’s son is the storyteller and Dr Craig the scribe.
The sports
teacher has lost the spare key to the sports shed. In fact, it’s not only lost,
but is discovered mangled. He’s already lost the original key. This can only
mean one thing: endless maths instead! Oh no! What can be done?
Enter Max,
Daniel and Natalie. Each one has unique abilities which they turn to
superpowers to unite and find a solution to the missing key dilemma. Using
senses such as heightened memory and attention to detail, they set out on a
quest to find a replacement key among the hundreds of lost keys sitting in a
bucket.
This book
seeks to normalize the experience of autistic children. In making them heroes,
there is insight into their perspectives and personal experiences which is fun
and engaging. This is a story which is sure to resonate with many young readers
in the 8-12 age group.
Dr Craig
Cormick OAM is the author of over 30 books for adults and children, several of
them winning awards. Based in Canberra, he is a member of the Children’s Book
Council of Australia. The illustrator, Lauren Mullinder has a degree in Visual
Communication.
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