First book of 2022

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

I had seen this amazing book raved about all over Twitter and Instagram for weeks back in 2021, so decided to see what all the fuss was about and I was not disappointed!

For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past few months, A Kind of Spark tells the story of a young girl, Addie, who is autistic. She discovers that her small village on the edge of Edinburgh was a key part of the witch trials during the early 19th centaurs but the people in the village couldn’t care less. Addie begins a campaign to get a memorial built to honour all the women that died.

Something I really enjoyed about A Kind of Spark was the main character Addie. She speaks so freely about her autism and the way that her inner monologue is written gives the reader a massive insight into how people who are Neuro-Divergent think and view the world. I have worked with pupils who are autistic, both high functioning and those that have difficulty communicating, but it is very difficult to understand how they process the world until I read this book.

A Kind of Spark fills the gap in the publishing world that represent people that are not your typical person. Elle McNicoll has managed one of the greatest literary feats; giving readers someone they can see themselves in, to empathise with. I can see the books that Elle writes will inspire and comfort to generations to come. Elle’s storytelling shows how someone who is seen as different can help us all change the way we communicate and see the world around us with honesty and commitment.