Show Us Who You Are

“Grief is just love asking for more time.”

***

“Grief is like rain. When you're standing in the street, drenched and freezing cold, it's hard to remember what it's like to feel warm and dry. It's hard to imagine feeling warm and dry ever again. But some people are umbrellas. And they keep away the worst of the storm.”


There is something so special about the way that Elle McNicoll writes. A lot of people turn their noses up at middle grade (I could go on a tangent on why the genre is so important and fantastic but I will save that for another time) but the way that McNicoll portrays neurodivergency is raw and honest. I have often seen television shows, movies or books represent us in unrealistic ways but I am yet to be let down by this author.

Books such as this and her debut A Kind Of Spark are important to the community, especially the usual target audience of middle grade because of the lesson behind it. We are often made to feel different, misunderstood and told that we need to change to make it in this neurotypical dominant world but the beautiful message behind Show Us Who You Are is that there is nothing wrong with being different and that if given the chance, we wouldn't change it.

The highlight for me would have to be the friendship between Adrien and Cora. Both of them have experienced the highs and the lows of being neurodivergent and I loved that they were both able to find comfort and safety in one another and advocate their right to exist just as they are.

Another fantastic read from a great author.