A kind of Spark is the story of 11-year-old Addie and her campaign to have a memorial built in her village to commemorate women who were unjustly killed during the witch trials.
Addie is Autistic and she sees a similarity between the prejudice she lives under and the way the witch trials persecuted these women for being different. Her challenge is to make the people of the town see beyond that and listen to her ideas.
Elle McNicoll’s debut is an inspiring and beautifully written novel but it doesn’t shy away or compromise on the harsher realities of living with Autism. Bullying from teachers and her peers, narrow mindedness and the difficulty of living in a world where sensory overload is an everyday danger are all sensitively covered.
We live in a world that talks a lot about inclusivity but there is still a long way to go. Begin your education with Addie and let her introduce you to her world.
A Kind of Spark is the worthy winner of this years ‘Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.
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