Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork is about a boy with Asperger's Syndrome. An extremely high functioning boy with autism who goes to work at his father's law office over the summer. Marcelo had hoped to work with the ponies at his private school for kids with special needs but his father wants him to face the "real world" before his last year of high school so it's off to the mail room for Marcelo. Forced to leave the sheltered world of school and home, Marcelo finds himself confronted with more than just navigating the public transportation system and learning how the copy machine works. Instead he finds himself embroiled in moral dilemmas and personal relationships.
Marcelo is an extremely compelling character and his story is an unusual one in the world of teen literature. He may not be able to comfortably look people in the eye but his special interest in theology has given him a way to analyze situations that would be unusual for any teen but one that seems especially remarkable for a person who is unused to interacting with people. Recommended for mature middle school, high school and adults who work with children.
Made me think of:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time--another story about a boy on the autism spectrum
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork, 978-0-545-05474-4
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