Kids Like Us
By Darienne Stewart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Stirring, romantic first-love tale of boy with autism.
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What's the Story?
In KIDS LIKE US, Martin, 16, is spending a summer in France with his older sister and mother, who's directing a movie in a small town. At home he goes to a school for children on the autism spectrum, but this summer he's trying a "general-ed" school. Martin's hopes for a life-changing experience are heightened when he sees a girl he's certain is the very one from his favorite book, a 20th-century French epic he uses to interpret the world. Martin feels he's falling in love, but he has difficulty separating the real world from fantasy, and he's unsure whether his new friends are genuine or just using him to get close to his mom's glamorous work.
Is It Any Good?
Hilary Reyl's first teen novel brims with hope and heartache, exploring complex ideas about identity, relationships, and uncertainty through a boy on the autism spectrum who has a rich inner life. Kids Like Us is an insightful look at how our interior lives influence the way we engage with the world at large, for better and for worse. Martin has a distinctive voice, yet any reader can relate to his concerns: reconciling fantasy with reality, trying to fit in, worrying about how he's perceived, figuring out how to connect with others. Especially poignant are the glimpses of how hard he and his family work to help Martin unlock himself, from his mother's yoga breaths to his beloved father's devotion and their fierce support of his unique view of the world. Reyl skillfully weaves in themes and symbolism from Proust, infusing the book with complex layers of meaning. Kids who love literature will revel in Martin's adoration for Proust -- and might discover him themselves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Martin applies themes and ideas from his favorite book to his everyday experiences in Kids Like Us. Is there a book or movie that resonates strongly with you and connects to your life?
Does this book change your understanding of autism, or of people who in other ways are not neurotypical?
How would you answer Layla's recurring question: "Do you think our phones are instruments of communication or torture?"
Book Details
- Author: Hilary Reyl
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: November 14, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 288
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: March 20, 2019
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Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Books with Characters on the Autism Spectrum
Teen Romance Novels
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