The State of Grace

Starred review from June 18, 2018
With enormous insight, British writer Lucas (My Box-Shaped Heart) shares the thoughts of high schooler Grace and brings readers into the experiences of a teen with Asperger’s. Grace is fine when she’s at the stables with her beloved horse, Mabel; it’s when she’s in public that she starts having trouble. While Grace’s best friend, Anna, and younger sister, Leah, seem to know instinctively what to say and how to act in every situation, Grace is always making blunders: “Sometimes I feel like everyone else was handed a copy of the rules and mine got lost,” she says. Nonetheless, her crush, Gabe, has become interested in her, and being around him is a lot less awkward than Grace expects. Things are looking up, but there are still people who make her miserable, particularly her long-time nemesis, Holly, and her mother’s obnoxious friend Eve. Grace’s keen sense of humor and honesty are irresistible, and the book exudes positivity and warmth, with a whole crew of individuals—Grace’s family, Anna, ever-patient Gabe, and stable-owner Polly—respectfully walking alongside Grace. Ages 13–18.

July 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Grace has Asperger's syndrome, which makes navigating the social labyrinth of high school challenging. Understanding her family is just as tricky with her dad away on a filming assignment, her mom rekindling a relationship with a college friend, and her sister, Leah, withdrawing from her friends and being secretive. On the upside, things with her best friend have never been better, she still has her beloved horse, and it seems as though Gabe, the cute boy in school, has a romantic interest in Grace. In an effort to impress Gabe and his friends, Grace decides to takes a risk with her horse, which turns into a disaster. That same night, Leah's mysterious behavior comes to light, and suddenly Grace is having a full meltdown. While shipped off to her grandmother's to recover, she is convinced that she is all alone after the mistakes she has made. The plot moves along at an easy pace and Grace's voice is authentic and witty, giving readers a relatable and sympathetic protagonist. VERDICT Some hand-selling may be necessary for this quiet, unassuming work, but the heartwarming title is worth the extra effort.-Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2018
For British teen Grace, life with Asperger's syndrome, as she describes it, feels like walking in step, but with someone trying to trip you up?and you're juggling at the same time, with people pelting more and more balls at you. Her loving mother, her reliable best friend, and her beloved horse, Mabel, provide a support system, but the unpredictability of high school tests even her sturdiest routines. In a distinct and endearingly sarcastic voice, Grace tells the story of her tenth-grade year. She faces disruptive changes at home (her parents may be splitting up) and at school, where teachers are skeptical about her need for accommodation, and peer relationships become more nuanced and complex. Increased social demands prove especially exhausting. Loud parties are terrifying, crowds are suffocating, and a trip to the bowling alley is sensory hell ?but she sees the benefits when classmate Gabe starts paying her special attention. Their relationship blooms into a sweet, hopeful sort-of romance that inspires Grace to take more social risks; some of her ideas prove unwise?in a particularly cringe-making scene, Grace brings her horse to a public beach?but most come to tender resolutions. This gentle, sensitive slice-of-life story seamlessly weaves Grace's unique neurological worldview with the universal angst of coming-of-age. jessica tackett macdonald

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2019
In an endearingly sarcastic voice, a British teen with Asperger's syndrome tells of her tenth-grade year. Grace faces disruptive changes at home (her parents may be splitting up) and at school, where peer relationships become more nuanced and complex. A sweet sort-of romance with classmate Gabe inspires Grace to take more social risks. This gentle, sensitive slice-of-life story seamlessly weaves Grace's unique neurological worldview with the universal angst of coming-of-age.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)