Author: Kate Foster
Category: Middle Grade
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication date: 7 April 2021
Blurb: At home, Alex’s best friend is Kevin the cockapoo, although what he wants most of all is a friend at school. But that is harder than he ever expected. A touching story about learning that friendship isn’t one size fits all and is often found where you least expect it.
Everything is changing for 11-year-old Alex and, as an autistic person, change can be terrifying. With the first day of high school only a couple of months away, Alex is sure that having a friend by his side will help. So, he’s devised a plan – impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin. This should be a walk in the park . . . right?
Review: There is also a lot of talk about diversity in kids books and how important that kids see themselves in literature. Usually, they’re talking about race, however I realised that I didn’t see myself in many books. Then I read Paws by Kate Foster! This book had me in tears so many times and I’ve never felt so seen. So many of the feelings Alex has around friendships are the same as what I felt (and still feel).
One of the stand out thing about Paws is that it features an autistic character who is just navigating life. He has the same hopes and dreams of any other child. He just wants a friend, and to compete in the local dog show with his cockapoo, Kevin.
While this book features an autistic character, it’s not a story about autism. It’s a story about a kid in Grade Six trying to navigate life. He has the same worries about finishing primary school and moving to high school that almost every other kid in Grade Six has, as well as hopes and dreams for his future.
This is a book that should be in every school library and read widely as it’s a great story and goes a long way into breaking the stigma around autism.
I wanted to read this book so much that I ordered it from two different libraries! I’m currently reading it a second time.
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