Autism, the Invisible Cord: A Sibling's Diary
Cain uses a diary format to tell the fictional story  (Dewey number notwithstanding) of 14-year-old Jenny, an ordinary teenager learning to live with—and, in some cases, without—her autistic 11-year-old brother, Ezra. Inspired by a teacher to write a term paper on her experiences, Jenny begins the journal, alternating day-to-day occurrences (trying out for the school play, etc.) with deeper reminiscences of Ezra’s difficulties as a child struggling to communicate and empathize with others. Ez is totally without artifice and hilariously honest: “Your hair looks like road kill,” he deadpans to a mail carrier. But Cain’s focus is solidly on Jenny as she navigates her “happy, splintered family” and realizes that “I have SPECIAL NEEDS too!!!” Occasionally, Jenny’s voice is oddly formal, but Cain does a splendid job juggling the different spheres of her life, lending this eight-month diary an understated, realistic feel. Four pages of tips for living with an autistic sibling conclude, driving home that this would be a fine, compassionate read for kids in Jenny’s position. Grades 4-7. --Daniel Kraus--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.