Eleven-year-old Aurora is bouncy, loud and impulsive — "a big old blurter." Making friends has never come easily. When Frenchie, who is autistic, silently chose Aurora as his person back in third grade, she chose him back. They make a good team, sharing their love of the natural world in coastal Maine. In the woods, Aurora and Frenchie encounter a piebald deer, a rare creature with a coat like a patchwork quilt. Whenever it appears, Aurora feels compelled to follow. And at school, Aurora looks out for Frenchie, who has been her classmate until this year.
One morning, Frenchie doesn’t make it to his classroom. Aurora feels she’s to blame. The entire town begins to search, and everyone wonders: how is it possible that nobody has seen Frenchie? Now Aurora must figure out how to use her voice to help find him, and lift him up when he is found. This is a big-hearted, beautiful, and funny novel told from multiple viewpoints about neurodiversity, friendship, and community.
"When Frenchie vanishes one day before school, Aurora, who feels bad about how often she messes up, realizes this is a 'Worst Possible' fear come true, and her understanding of their best friendship is put to the test. Where did he go? Could she have stopped him from disappearing — and did she cause him to go?... Aurora’s and Frenchie’s families build an ecosystem that sustains and encourages their friendship, and Aurora’s buoyant enthusiasm infuses the story with adventurous fun and a lack of preachiness while not undercutting real stakes." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 9 - 12 |
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Author | Leslie Connor |
ISBN | 0062999362 |
Publication Date | Feb 15, 2022 |
Publisher | Katherine Tegen Books |
Language | English |