  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2020 Starting middle school is a daunting prospect for anyone, but for Tally, who is autistic, it is terrifying. Every day is a struggle for her as she navigates the social structure, tries to decipher idioms that make no sense to her literal mind, and endures overwhelming sensory input. Her best friend, Layla, the only other student who knows about Tally's autism, provides as much support as possible, but Tally's unconventional behavior puts a strain on the friendship. When other students see Tally as weird or crazy, her fragile support system breaks down. A subplot concerning a three-legged dog her family has taken in for a neighbor underscores Tally's troubles. One of the outstanding features of this novel is that the third-person narrative is punctuated by Tally's first-person journal, where she discusses different aspects of autism, such as meltdowns, stimming, and masking, without disrupting the page-turning narrative. Scott, the middle-grade-aged coauthor, has autism herself, and her portrayal of Tally is thoughtful and authentic. - Copyright 2020 Booklist. Loading...
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