Penguin Days

November 15, 2018
Lauren, who has autism spectrum disorder, is back for a second outing following Slug Days (2017).Lauren, her parents, and her baby sister have made the long car trip ("two days, eight movies, four chapter books, and three throw-ups") to get to Auntie Joss' North Dakota farm. Lauren is--very reluctantly--going to be one of three flower girls in her aunt's wedding. A scratchy dress, a little vomit, and an accidental fall into the calves' stall will all get in the way, although Lauren's dislike of new situations and a bad case of stage fright are the biggest challenges. Lauren relates her prickly feelings in a believably forthright voice that offers readers welcome insight into her perspective. Her emerging understanding of facial expressions helps her relate her parents' and teacher's periodic frustrations with her difficulties, yet their occasional annoyance is neatly juxtaposed against her thoughts and feelings. Just when she's feeling the most vulnerable and alone, her cousins find the perfect way to smooth her bumpy path, cementing their role in her life. Bender's soft, gentle illustrations expand and illuminate Lauren's narrative. Plenty of white space and short chapters make this empathetic effort extra accessible to a broad audience. Lauren and her family present white; her cousins, who all have straight, black hair, are biracial, but their ethnicity is unspecified.Another fine and enlightening peek into Lauren's unique, often challenging world that displays her differences but highlights the needs she shares with all children: love, acceptance and friendship. (Fiction. 5-9)

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December 15, 2018
Grades 2-4 A trip to a North Dakota farm for Auntie Joss' wedding? That's not easy for eight-year-old Lauren, who has autism spectrum disorder, as she must deal with unwelcome changes in her routine, as well as boisterous cousins and other unfamiliar family members. Remembering suggestions from her special-helper teacher, she tries to be polite while controlling the tension building within her. When she freezes before walking down the aisle as flower girl, her cousins rally to give her just the help she needs, and Lauren decides that she likes having them as relatives after all. In this sequel to Slug Days (2017), Lauren again narrates the story, offering insights into how she sees the world and what helps her cope with stressful situations. While she faces particular challenges, Lauren's misadventures (dealing with loud relatives, letting calves out of their stall, throwing up on her flower girl dress) could have happened to any kid. Other kids will enjoy reading about them from her point of view. Bender's winsome pencil drawings with gray shading illustrate the story with sensitivity and humor.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)