Lenka Bul Bul itibaren Panayam, Kerala, India
Caitlin is a 5th grader with Aspergers who sees everything as either black or white. When her older brother, Devon, is killed in a school shooting, she tries to find closure for herself and her dad. This is a very sweet book. With Caitlin as the narrator, it is easy to understand her feelings and actions. I loved the inclusion of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, not just for the title of the book, but for the explanation of it, the references to the plot and characters and how that book/movie affected Caitlin and her brother, Devon. Great choice for the National Book Award. Appropriate for 4th graders and up.
I learned a lot about my faith in this book even though its characters have funny names such as "Much Afraid"