Review: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
Although the book was fun and interesting in places, the disability aspect was very much a freak-show presentation of disability and the disabled experience.
Although the book was fun and interesting in places, the disability aspect was very much a freak-show presentation of disability and the disabled experience.
The writing and characters are wonderful, but if you’re looking for a book about depression, I’d pass on this one.
Any time I pick up a book about addiction and recovery, I do so with equal parts hope and trepidation. Despite our differences, I understood Natalie fully and completely from the get-go.
What kind of tips do our contributors have for authors seeking to respectfully write disabled characters?
We have so few stories—especially lighthearted ones—with wheelchair-using characters that I’d hoped I’d be able to recommend I Funny, but it’s a dangerous narrative wrapped up and presented as “good messages.”
Queens of Geek is an authentic and refreshing portrayal of an autistic and anxious girl.
Romanticization is a common element of mental illness narratives, including many in the YA category; what kind of message does that send?
As The Real Boy was one of our favorite reads of the year, we couldn’t wait to invite author Anne Ursu over to discuss this wonderful, magical middle grade novel about an autistic boy.
How do our contributors define the dreaded concept of “inspiration porn,” and how do they feel about it?
This book was awarded the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, but as well intentioned as it might have been, it was clearly written by someone with almost no understanding of what Aspies are really like—it was written by and for a neurotypical audience.