There is fear, disbelief, and togetherness but no anger as they bond to help the community as one, heal. The author shows the effect not only on the family of those murdered and the staff and students at the school, but staff at other schools, neighbours, and a boy who was the cousin of one of the killers.

A small community coping with this horrible violence that has entered its once thought serene boundaries. People want her to be more emotional and show more empathy (traits those with Asperger's do not always appear to show) and Caitlin finally finds the word 'CLOsure' and knows that is what both she and her father need. Now Caitlin's world revolves around seeing a councilor daily at school, coping with her father's sudden crying sessions and missing Devon in her own way. He'd tell her not to do stuff 'cause it wasn't cool or that people didn't like it when she did this or that and why and his advice helped her. He treated her well and knew how to deal with her as a person with Asperger's almost naturally. Their mother had died many years ago when Caitlin was a baby and Devon had really become her rock. One of the students who was shot is Caitlin's older brother, Devon. The local junior high was hit by two gun wielding students who managed to kill one teacher and two students before the police shot one perpetrator and apprehended the other. There can be wide differences in how males and females present and I think the author managed to bring those out in Caitlin, though the intense plot does put Caitlin in a situation above and beyond normal everyday life.Ī small town has been devastated. As a female with Asperger's I felt that Caitlin was portrayed realistically. I came away from this book very satisfied. Reason for Reading: I have Asperger's and when I saw a book that featured a female protagonist with Asperger's I was elated and HAD to read the book. 'Allusions to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the portrayal of a whole community's healing process, and the sharp insights into Caitlyn's behavior enhance this fine addition to the recent group of books with narrators with autism and Asbergers.'- Booklist 'A strong and complex character study.'- The Horn Book And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be so black and white after all. Then she comes across the word closure-and she realizes this is what she needs. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that.

But Devon was killed in a school shooting, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. The world according to her is black and white anything in between is confusing. THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER and ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NOVELS OF OUR TIME FOR YOUNG READERSĬaitlin has Asperger's.

Mockingbird kathryn erskine audiobook