Saturday, December 28, 2019

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught - OPTIOANL

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught, 304 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2019. $18. 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Jesse is on the autism spectrum which makes her a target for a trio of relentless bullies she refers to as the cockroaches. Her dog Sam-Sam is her comfort animal. Springer is the shy, new kid and Jesse’s best friend. When Jesse’s dad, a high school teacher, is accused of stealing the library fund, she and Springer begin an investigation to clear his name. During their investigation, a tornado hits town, leveling their neighborhood. Jesse becomes obsessed with finding her dog and learns that he has abilities she never knew, just like people with disabilities.

The biggest problem with this book is the back and forth between the days leading up to the tornado and the day of the tornado itself. It’s confusing. It tries to bring two unrelated plots together, but it isn’t successful. The story would have been stronger without the tornado angle. The books best attribute is the accurate depiction of Jesse’s autistic character, especially her lack of filter and uncontrollable outbursts. There are some morals as well, such as don’t try to be who you are not. All in all, there are better books about autism that kids will find more readable.

Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, MLIS

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