Real

December 15, 2020
A nonverbal autistic girl stands up for herself and others after she finds a way to communicate. Thirteen-year-old Charity Wood has a brilliant mind and a photographic memory but has no way of saying so. Labeled "low-functioning autistic," she's relegated to Borden Academy, where students with disabilities are mistreated and their education neglected. When Charity's supportive parents enroll her in a mainstream school, Charity is introduced to facilitated communication; she types on an iPad keyboard while an aide supports her arm. Charity vows to use her newfound voice to help other students with disabilities, but uncontrollable meltdowns, bullying classmates, and skeptical adults threaten to silence her. Charity's anger at being infantilized and spoken over is vividly conveyed, as is her frustration with her uncooperative body. Unfortunately, emotion and suspense are blunted by heavy-handed, clich�d characterization--doctors are callous and physically unappealing while special educators are doting and beautiful. Students with Down syndrome are joyful and loving. Occasionally, stilted dialogue perpetuates the trope that autistic people are preternaturally wise or mystical, as when a teacher comments that Charity possesses "the wisdom of many lifetimes." An afterword explains that the book was inspired by the experiences of co-author Goddard but does not mention facilitated communication's controversial history. Most characters, including Charity, default to White; there is some diversity in the supporting cast. Well-meaning but one-dimensional. (Fiction. 9-13)

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