Sass, A. J. Ellen Outside the Lines. Fiction. Little, 03/2022. 323 [+8]pp. $16.99. 978-0-7595-5627-0. HIGH ADDITIONAL. GRADES 4-8.
A school trip to Barcelona, Spain frames this unusual middle-grade novel, and central character Ellen Katz narrates the cultural, social, and personal progression of the trip from the perspective of a 13-year-old who is on the autism spectrum. The author sensitively explores emergent sexuality and its social implications as well as issues of sensory overload, learning to navigate group dynamics, and adjusting to changing friendships. A scavenger hunt makes a great base for the action of the book and keeps things moving briskly while allowing the reader age appropriate and insightful glimpses into the characters’ personalities and challenges. The book also gives a wonderful sense of the city of Barcelona.
Lesley Mandros Bell, Unaffiliate