The Boy Who Ate Stars

The Boy Who Ate Stars (2004) by Kochka and translated from French by Sarah Adams.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0038-2

Lucy is curious about the boy who lives upstairs. She meets Matthew, who is autistic, and lives with his single mom, Marie and nanny, Maougo. Lucy wants to understand and communicate with Matthew.

Marie provides insight into Matthew's mannerisms and idiosynchracies without patronizing to Lucy. Maougo, who is silent because she doesn't speak French, shows her understanding of Matthew through her actions. Matthew has some verbal language, enjoys the weather channel and a compulsion toward peoples' hair.

Lucy lives in an apartment with her parents, in Paris, France. They are visited weekly by the Marottes, who have a pampered little dog, Francois. Lucy also wants to turn Francois into a real dog.

With a desire to communicate with Matthew and expose Francois to different places, Lucy sets out, with her friend Theo, to show them the neighborhood. The girls log their experiences in a common notebook, noting their observations. They note definitions of words, and include their own interpretations as well. Parallels exist in their desire to bring Matthew and Francois out of their sheltered worlds.

A charming, lyrical story that about an out-going girl who wants to help and connect with others. It presents autism in a respectful manner and tells of the complexities of this disability. Autism adds an intersting dimension to the story without overpowering it. Good read for 9 to 12 year olds.