In saying weirdos unite, I’m pointing out that when we become friends with another outsider, those parts of ourselves that are ostracized, can become a source of bonding.
One of the strong themes in my books is friendship and its transformational power. Friendship adds to an individual’s life in at least two ways: it brings the gift of intimacy with another, and it often brings a new awareness and appreciation of ourselves.
In The Curse of the Neverland, Piper gains seven new friends by the end of the book, along with new vital information about herself. In book two: Becoming Piper Pan, the fairy King Oberon shows up as part mentor, part friend to Piper, and the results are powerful to say the least.
Weirdos Unite through Connection and Conflict
Today’s book recommendation, Connect the Stars by Marissa de los Santos and David Teague, brings “wierdos unite” to life in a gorgeous and entertaining way.
“When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends. But as they trek through the challenging and unforgiving landscape, they learn that they each have what it takes to make the other whole.”
I loved the wacky true-to-life characters. Aaron Archer is way too smart for his own good. His something-like photographic memory makes him shine in the classroom, but tank on the social scene. Audrey Alcott always knows when someone is telling a lie. Unaware of complex emotional motivations, she takes it as a reason not to trust and has let go of all her friends. The story is told in viewpoints alternating between Audrey and Aaron.
It’s the weird characters, the ones who struggle, that gain a reader’s affection the fastest. Connect the Stars draws you right in through connection and conflict, then entertains with a mystery to be solved before the desert does them in.
Scurry to your library website and put Connect the Stars on hold! As always—happy reading!