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Good Different
A extraordinary novel-in-verse about a neurodivergent girl who comes to understand and celebrate her difference.
Selah knows her rules for being normal.
She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. So that she has to tear off her normal-person mask the second she gets home from school, and listen to her favorite pop song on repeat, trying to recharge. Selah feels like a dragon stuck in a world of humans, but she knows how to hide it.
Until the day she explodes and hits a fellow student.
Selah's friends pull away from her, her school threatens expulsion, and her comfortable, familiar world starts to crumble.
But as Selah starts to figure out more about who she is, she comes to understand that different doesn’t mean damaged. Can she get her school to understand that, too, before it’s too late?
Selah knows her rules for being normal.
She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. So that she has to tear off her normal-person mask the second she gets home from school, and listen to her favorite pop song on repeat, trying to recharge. Selah feels like a dragon stuck in a world of humans, but she knows how to hide it.
Until the day she explodes and hits a fellow student.
Selah's friends pull away from her, her school threatens expulsion, and her comfortable, familiar world starts to crumble.
But as Selah starts to figure out more about who she is, she comes to understand that different doesn’t mean damaged. Can she get her school to understand that, too, before it’s too late?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
About the author
Meg Eden Kuyatt
2 books75 followersMeg Eden Kuyatt is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (Press 53, 2020) and children’s novels, most recently “Good Different” (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at www.megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal and Instagram at @meden_author.
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July 26, 2024
“Why be normal when you can soar like a dragon?”
About a year ago, my oldest son told me that his daughter/our granddaughter, age 10 at the time, might be on the autism spectrum.
And…
That a teacher in her school said that she was showing all the signs.
I asked him if he was going to have her assessed, seen by a doctor…
And…
He said he didn’t think anything was wrong with her, that she was intelligent, and artistic…
Just…
Different.
I understood his concerns. He was afraid she would be labeled, possibly bullied, teased and completely misunderstood by her diagnosis, once one would be given.
The author shares in her note at the back…
“An autism diagnosis doesn’t have to be a “curse” or a “bad thing.”
But…
Still, my son has chosen to do nothing, even as the author advocates speaking with a medical professional who can provide “the most helpful starting point for providing discernment and direction for next steps.”
For me…
I just wanted to understand her.
And…
Remain hopeful that my granddaughter will have a future free of uncomfortable conflicts for embracing her true and beautiful self – whatever that might be for her.
So…
When I heard about this book, by reading a review about it from one of my Goodreads friends, TL, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. TL’s review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Once I opened the pages, I couldn’t stop reading.
Told in verse, this is a story about a middle school girl named Selah, learning a lot about herself, by coming to self-discovery about being on the autism spectrum.
“I use to think my rules could save me, make me happy, but all I see now are the ways they make me feel like I’m not enough.”
The author discloses in her ‘Author’s Note’ that she is also on the spectrum. She chose to write this book so that people could see through her prose and resources in the back, ways in which neurodivergent kids could advocate for themselves.
And…
As readers, we come to understand a few points…
That…
It isn’t important to be what others consider normal.
“We need to prove …that you are just like any other kid there.”
“But I’m not! I want to say. I’m not just like any other kid.”
As well as…
How freeing it is to accept oneself and communicate one’s truth…
“…Two different people who like different things…and for once I realize there’s nothing wrong with that.”
And…
Recognize the courage being displayed when one chooses this path of self-acceptance.
“I am autistic. My brain is different but beautiful.”
Thus…
Eventually learning how to advocate for one’s needs and finding pride in the person they are.
And…
As readers we learn that…
This isn’t easy for neurodivergent individuals. To be understood. To find the right words. Or even to always understand themselves. Or others.
The book shows through its story, how we can show sensitivity, acceptance, understanding and care.
It is…
Moving. Profound and heartfelt. Powerful and insightful.
Readers will appreciate how the main character, Selah gains self-knowledge and self-advocacy.
And…
Maybe just maybe, my granddaughter will find her way to loving and understanding who she is, and know we love her just as she is, too.
About a year ago, my oldest son told me that his daughter/our granddaughter, age 10 at the time, might be on the autism spectrum.
And…
That a teacher in her school said that she was showing all the signs.
I asked him if he was going to have her assessed, seen by a doctor…
And…
He said he didn’t think anything was wrong with her, that she was intelligent, and artistic…
Just…
Different.
I understood his concerns. He was afraid she would be labeled, possibly bullied, teased and completely misunderstood by her diagnosis, once one would be given.
The author shares in her note at the back…
“An autism diagnosis doesn’t have to be a “curse” or a “bad thing.”
But…
Still, my son has chosen to do nothing, even as the author advocates speaking with a medical professional who can provide “the most helpful starting point for providing discernment and direction for next steps.”
For me…
I just wanted to understand her.
And…
Remain hopeful that my granddaughter will have a future free of uncomfortable conflicts for embracing her true and beautiful self – whatever that might be for her.
So…
When I heard about this book, by reading a review about it from one of my Goodreads friends, TL, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. TL’s review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Once I opened the pages, I couldn’t stop reading.
Told in verse, this is a story about a middle school girl named Selah, learning a lot about herself, by coming to self-discovery about being on the autism spectrum.
“I use to think my rules could save me, make me happy, but all I see now are the ways they make me feel like I’m not enough.”
The author discloses in her ‘Author’s Note’ that she is also on the spectrum. She chose to write this book so that people could see through her prose and resources in the back, ways in which neurodivergent kids could advocate for themselves.
And…
As readers, we come to understand a few points…
That…
It isn’t important to be what others consider normal.
“We need to prove …that you are just like any other kid there.”
“But I’m not! I want to say. I’m not just like any other kid.”
As well as…
How freeing it is to accept oneself and communicate one’s truth…
“…Two different people who like different things…and for once I realize there’s nothing wrong with that.”
And…
Recognize the courage being displayed when one chooses this path of self-acceptance.
“I am autistic. My brain is different but beautiful.”
Thus…
Eventually learning how to advocate for one’s needs and finding pride in the person they are.
And…
As readers we learn that…
This isn’t easy for neurodivergent individuals. To be understood. To find the right words. Or even to always understand themselves. Or others.
The book shows through its story, how we can show sensitivity, acceptance, understanding and care.
It is…
Moving. Profound and heartfelt. Powerful and insightful.
Readers will appreciate how the main character, Selah gains self-knowledge and self-advocacy.
And…
Maybe just maybe, my granddaughter will find her way to loving and understanding who she is, and know we love her just as she is, too.
October 24, 2022
After Reading Review: OH MY STARS I CAN'T STOP CRYING THIS WAS SO AMAZING!!! Okay, but honestly? new favorite book. I already pre-ordered a hardcover copy for myself and sent a message to my supervisor requesting we order this for the library. I always cry when I read book passages that remind me of myself, but usually it's just a paragraph or two, maybe a few pages. with Good Different, it was like the whole book. seriously, I'm crying so much that my cat has now brought me two toys to try and cheer me up. he keeps checking on me. I think he might be trying to convince me to go to bed and sleep. which actually sounds like a great idea. maybe I'll edit this/write more when it's not 2 in the morning. but I had to write something because BEST BOOK EVER.
Original Review: from publisher's weekly:
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Original Review: from publisher's weekly:
In [Selah's Guide to Normal, a] novel in verse, a girl on the autism spectrum who has always followed strict "rules for being normal" is threatened with expulsion after accidentally lashing out at a classmate, and must re-evaluate what "normal" really means and how to stand up for herself.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest | Storygraph | Readerly
March 5, 2024
It has been months since my last read. I simply haven't been in the right mood to read or even listen to an audiobook. I've been binge-watching various TV shows and loving it. Randomly yesterday I decided to google verse novels, and this was at the top of the list so here we are, review at the ready.
This is an ownvoice verse novel about a 13-year-old girl learning what it means to be neurodivergent. She has tried to follow 'rules' that will make her 'normal' in other people's eyes, despite how much they hurt her. She lashes out one day when facing sensory overload and the school community demands she be removed for the safety of other students.
The writing is simple and has more of a prose feel as opposed to poetry. I enjoyed the simplicity of the storytelling and also the odd occasion when Meg plays with the white spaces on the page. I think this book is important, informative, and uplifting. A lovely celebration of how beautifully different we all are.
This is an ownvoice verse novel about a 13-year-old girl learning what it means to be neurodivergent. She has tried to follow 'rules' that will make her 'normal' in other people's eyes, despite how much they hurt her. She lashes out one day when facing sensory overload and the school community demands she be removed for the safety of other students.
The writing is simple and has more of a prose feel as opposed to poetry. I enjoyed the simplicity of the storytelling and also the odd occasion when Meg plays with the white spaces on the page. I think this book is important, informative, and uplifting. A lovely celebration of how beautifully different we all are.
April 27, 2023
I'm so happy for all of the autistic kids who can go to the library and find books that so perfectly encapsulate their experiences--I'm only nineteen and I the closest I had was headcanon and now it's becoming so much more widespread and it makes me overjoyed to see. I related so much to Selah that it hurt.
February 14, 2024
*Audible audio *
👏 👏 👏
Again I feel seen.. I recognize some of myself in Selah (I wish I was good in math like her though.. math never stuck in my head).
We'd have gotten along in school if we were friends methinks 🧡.
Being diagnosed later in life (2022), I was glad to see the puzzle pieces coming together and as I followed autistic creators on Instagram, learning more about myself (and more reliable than some of my Google searches),not apologizing for being different (still back and forth sometimes with this and setting boundaries).. I feel more at peace with knowing I am just different:).
Used to think I was broken because I didn't experience things like others and tried to fit in.
I've said this before but I am very glad these books exist for others now so hopefully they won't have to go through what I and others did.
I don't know if things would have been better for me being diagnosed as a kid/teen or not... who knows if the doctor would have considered this for me too?
Part of me wishes I had known...some things would definitely have been easier.
I loved seeing Selah slowly find her words and tell others how she was feeling. It's not always easy to speak when the words won't come out, even if you write them down.
Was proud of her:).
Guessed quickly about her grandpa but her mom was sort of a surprise.
I'm proud to be neurodivergent <3
Would recommend this to everyone 👌
👏 👏 👏
Again I feel seen.. I recognize some of myself in Selah (I wish I was good in math like her though.. math never stuck in my head).
We'd have gotten along in school if we were friends methinks 🧡.
Being diagnosed later in life (2022), I was glad to see the puzzle pieces coming together and as I followed autistic creators on Instagram, learning more about myself (and more reliable than some of my Google searches),not apologizing for being different (still back and forth sometimes with this and setting boundaries).. I feel more at peace with knowing I am just different:).
Used to think I was broken because I didn't experience things like others and tried to fit in.
I've said this before but I am very glad these books exist for others now so hopefully they won't have to go through what I and others did.
I don't know if things would have been better for me being diagnosed as a kid/teen or not... who knows if the doctor would have considered this for me too?
Part of me wishes I had known...some things would definitely have been easier.
I loved seeing Selah slowly find her words and tell others how she was feeling. It's not always easy to speak when the words won't come out, even if you write them down.
Was proud of her:).
Guessed quickly about her grandpa but her mom was sort of a surprise.
I'm proud to be neurodivergent <3
Would recommend this to everyone 👌
July 4, 2023
This was a great #ownvoices middle grade novel in verse about a young girl struggling with undiagnosed autism who finally finds her voice and speaks up to get the recognition and accommodations she needs both at school and home. I really loved Selah and her fellow neurodiverse grandfather!
This book is really relatable and I think a lot of younger readers will see themselves in the ways she stims, loves dragons (especially Toothless), writes poems and finds ways to mask but also takes the time to escape from sensory overload when she needs it. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Elle McNicholl or AJ Sass.
This book is really relatable and I think a lot of younger readers will see themselves in the ways she stims, loves dragons (especially Toothless), writes poems and finds ways to mask but also takes the time to escape from sensory overload when she needs it. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Elle McNicholl or AJ Sass.
May 2, 2023
The parallels to Starfish are HIGHLY deserved. This book is one I think every young person needs to read.
* Those who think they are different and do not have the words to describe what they are going through
* Those who do have an autism diagnosis and are looking for others to understand what it is like in their shoes
* Those who want to understand neurodivergence
From the school dynamics of classmates, to dealing with outbursts and feelings even more confused with your inner dragon, to family members being in denial about "being different" and needing accommodations, this book hits on a LOT. Meg Eden Kuyatt is a neurodivergent author; she truly writes this book from an honest, raw, windows/mirrors lens that I greatly appreciated. And the novel in verse medium of the story was an absolute! It truly helped us see into the mind of Selah. Novels in verse need to be more common!
* Those who think they are different and do not have the words to describe what they are going through
* Those who do have an autism diagnosis and are looking for others to understand what it is like in their shoes
* Those who want to understand neurodivergence
From the school dynamics of classmates, to dealing with outbursts and feelings even more confused with your inner dragon, to family members being in denial about "being different" and needing accommodations, this book hits on a LOT. Meg Eden Kuyatt is a neurodivergent author; she truly writes this book from an honest, raw, windows/mirrors lens that I greatly appreciated. And the novel in verse medium of the story was an absolute! It truly helped us see into the mind of Selah. Novels in verse need to be more common!
July 14, 2024
This short work of juvenile fiction is told by Selah, a young girl who tries hard to be normal. She wears her normal mask at school, and lives by a set of rules to try to get through her days at school without standing out and acting in ways that will set her apart. But one day something happens at school and she reacts impulsively, and everything changes. Now everyone looks at her differently, as a threat, and many of her teachers and principal question if she belongs at their school.
This book tackles tough questions and feelings in an easy to understand manner. It also encourages dialogue and makes us realize that most of us have some of these feelings of not belonging or being understood in varying ways, and that most people will be open to accepting others’ needs once they understand them better.
Whether you are struggling or have a friend or family member who is autistic, neurodivergent or on the spectrum, this is a sweet and helpful book from one girl’s perspective.
This book tackles tough questions and feelings in an easy to understand manner. It also encourages dialogue and makes us realize that most of us have some of these feelings of not belonging or being understood in varying ways, and that most people will be open to accepting others’ needs once they understand them better.
Whether you are struggling or have a friend or family member who is autistic, neurodivergent or on the spectrum, this is a sweet and helpful book from one girl’s perspective.
October 26, 2022
Wow. This book is a beautiful look into a brain that operates differently than "Normal." Meg (the author) crafted this novel in verse, pulling the reader along a journey of discovery. I absolutely loved seeing Selah (main character) develop her self awareness as she delt with the sometimes harsh, sometimes confusing reality of middle school and small minded individuals who don't see strengths in differences. Additional bonus material in Author Notes in the back! I so appreciated all of Meg's resources on autism that she provided!
August 18, 2023
This was such a good book! I loved the main character Selah, and I think she had a very relatable story. Selah likes HTTYD, I like it too. This isn’t only a must-read, but it really helped me understand what is going on in the mind of a kid with autism. I think it would for other people too. I liked that Selah was loud in her thoughts but was so quiet while talking. THat proved her to be a dragon.
Good protagonist ✔️
Good side characters✔️
Good plot✔️
Good problem✔️
Good solution✔️
I will gladly read this again!
Good protagonist ✔️
Good side characters✔️
Good plot✔️
Good problem✔️
Good solution✔️
I will gladly read this again!
June 25, 2024
Omg such a powerful book. Everyone ought to read this book...
March 23, 2023
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Good Different is a poignant novel in verse about a girl who learns to advocate for herself and finally let go of her quest to be “normal.” Selah has always felt different than her peers. She realizes that she doesn’t experience the world the same way they do, and she has created a list of rules for herself that she needs to follow in order to fit in. She doesn’t always understand why the rules work, but she knows that they do. But following those rules is a full-time job, and it can be completely exhausting for her. Then she hears about autism, and the pieces of her life suddenly click into place. She begins to realize that different doesn’t necessarily mean bad–but she has to help other people in her life see that too. Seeing the world through Selah’s eyes will be enlightening for a lot of kids but will also feel eerily familiar to many neurodivergent readers; the first-person verse is particularly effective at showing us how Selah feels when the world gets overwhelming. It’s an eye-opening portrayal of neurodivergence that will help kids see that there is beauty in our differences.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Good Different is a poignant novel in verse about a girl who learns to advocate for herself and finally let go of her quest to be “normal.” Selah has always felt different than her peers. She realizes that she doesn’t experience the world the same way they do, and she has created a list of rules for herself that she needs to follow in order to fit in. She doesn’t always understand why the rules work, but she knows that they do. But following those rules is a full-time job, and it can be completely exhausting for her. Then she hears about autism, and the pieces of her life suddenly click into place. She begins to realize that different doesn’t necessarily mean bad–but she has to help other people in her life see that too. Seeing the world through Selah’s eyes will be enlightening for a lot of kids but will also feel eerily familiar to many neurodivergent readers; the first-person verse is particularly effective at showing us how Selah feels when the world gets overwhelming. It’s an eye-opening portrayal of neurodivergence that will help kids see that there is beauty in our differences.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
August 7, 2024
Selah is a 7th grader at Pebblecreek private school where she feels comfortable, most of the time, because she understands the rules: rules for being normal and fitting in with her classmates. But following the rules makes her feelings build up all day, every day. One day those feelings just explode and disaster strikes, resulting in her hitting a classmate. Of course, Selah gets supended, but she can't articulate to her mom or her classmates what she's feeling inside and how she didn't mean it or want to hurt someone else. She can't articulate what's wrong because everyone already thinks she's "weird" or "damamged" and she doesn't want to prove them right.
Selah's journey to discover what really is going on in her brain and her body is a painful, but realistic one. As the parent of a neurodivergent child who wasn't diagnosed until her early 20s, I just felt for Selah and for her mom. I could tell that the mom was just trying so hard to not screw things up, to help Selah get along in life and succeed the best she knew how. But like Maya Angelou said, when you know better, you do better. Selah's determination to learn and "know better" was inspiring. Her mom's determination to do better was just as touching.
This is a powerful novel-in-verse, made even more so by knowing that the author is also on the Autism spectrum so she knows first-hand how it feels. I highly recommend this book to everyone ages 10+, but especially to anyone who feels weird or different or loves someone who's different.
Selah's journey to discover what really is going on in her brain and her body is a painful, but realistic one. As the parent of a neurodivergent child who wasn't diagnosed until her early 20s, I just felt for Selah and for her mom. I could tell that the mom was just trying so hard to not screw things up, to help Selah get along in life and succeed the best she knew how. But like Maya Angelou said, when you know better, you do better. Selah's determination to learn and "know better" was inspiring. Her mom's determination to do better was just as touching.
This is a powerful novel-in-verse, made even more so by knowing that the author is also on the Autism spectrum so she knows first-hand how it feels. I highly recommend this book to everyone ages 10+, but especially to anyone who feels weird or different or loves someone who's different.
January 17, 2023
As a middle-school English teacher, I was really looking forward to reading this book. As I read it, I could see a few of my students in Selah, and I feel like I have a deeper understanding of my autistic students now. I can't wait to share Good Different with one of my autistic students who has been looking for a mirror book for a while. Thank you for this book!
December 29, 2023
This book is so special. It follows 7th grader Selah as she tries to understand the “rules” to be Normal and society in general. Everyone knows Selah is different, but she doesn’t know why until she meets an autistic adult. I am equal parts happy for and jealous of this fictional middle schooler because I wanted more than anything to be seen and understood and accommodated for (though I didn’t know I needed to be!) in middle school. I’m so glad Meg Eden Kuyatt used her own late-diagnosed experience to write this book.
March 27, 2024
Oh, yea—no,
I’m fine. Really.
Just out here
Ugly-crying
Over poems
About a girl,
Tongue-trapped,
Senses attacked.
She fights back.
But now she’s
Not just “weird,”
But “dangerous.”
Unpredictable
Is unwelcome
A little like
My public tears.
I’m fine. Really.
Just out here
Ugly-crying
Over poems
About a girl,
Tongue-trapped,
Senses attacked.
She fights back.
But now she’s
Not just “weird,”
But “dangerous.”
Unpredictable
Is unwelcome
A little like
My public tears.
November 16, 2022
Selah’s story, told in NIV format, will have readers thinking about themselves and others and wondering what exactly is normal. Author Meg Kuyatt wasn’t diagnosed as autistic until college when all the sounds and input became overwhelming. Turns out, she had been using writing, quiet places and other coping strategies for her whole life! Using these life experiences brings such realism and emotion to Selah’s discovery that the dragon within her has a name and tools such as stress balls, weighted blankets, red-yellow-green bracelets indicating level of contact desired, etc. will allow her to be herself and stop creating a list of personal rules in order to look like everyone else. Selah’s anxiety, frustration, internal struggles are crystal clear and while only a small percentage of people are on the autism spectrum, everyone has times where they feel just as irritated or even tormented by external factors such as loud noises and too many people in close proximity. GOOD DIFFERENT may leave middle grade students with more empathy for others, a greater understanding of those with ASD, and even give them some ideas for coping when they experience sensory overload. Highly recommended for libraries serving those in grades 5-7 but could certainly be used on either side of that range. No profanity, violence, or sexual content.
Thanks for the print arc to share with Twitter group #BookAllies, Meg!
Thanks for the print arc to share with Twitter group #BookAllies, Meg!
February 1, 2024
This is a really great middle grade novel-on-verse about a young girl realizing she has autism. Selah attends a small private school and loves drawing, dragons, and poetry when her grandfather and her English teacher encourage her to write. But she often feel frustrated, on edge, and overwhelmed by sounds and touch. When a friend suddenly begins braiding her hair in class, Selah's body immediately reacts to protect herself and she hits her friend. After that, everything changes.
This novel made me think about how often good middle grade is about the ideal version of what happens when something bad occurs rather than what would probably happen. The ideal version is what kids need to think about and process. So while this novel is idealistic, I mean that in a good way. I hope this helps autistic kids feel seen. I know an autistic 10-year-old who is so like Selah down to the love of dragons and drawing. I am going to gift this to her!
Oh, this was really great on audio!
This novel made me think about how often good middle grade is about the ideal version of what happens when something bad occurs rather than what would probably happen. The ideal version is what kids need to think about and process. So while this novel is idealistic, I mean that in a good way. I hope this helps autistic kids feel seen. I know an autistic 10-year-old who is so like Selah down to the love of dragons and drawing. I am going to gift this to her!
Oh, this was really great on audio!
July 21, 2024
Meg Eden Kuyatt delivers a free verse blessing to parents and educators who are seeking to understand autism. Seventh grader Selah Godrey, through her poems, shares her physical and emotional anguish in her efforts to follow the rules. Readers should expect to have a physical reaction to Selah's descriptions of the pain she endures from a hairbrush, a dental cleaning and loud noises. Selah, under the watchful eye of her mother who desires Selah to be normal, does her best to conform to her private school's policies, until she ultimately loses control and hits a peer. This act changes Selah's school experience socially. As a reader, you will fight for Selah as she tries to investigate and embrace accommodations to aid her overstimulation. If your middle school students seek a text to better understand their neurodivergent lives, this is it. If your class needs an opportunity to grow in empathy, this is their next read. This book is touching, relevant and a must read.
April 20, 2023
This is an absolutely stunning verse novel that puts you in the shoes of a neurodivergent girl trying to figure out her place in the world. Selah has always tried to live by her rules for being normal, keeping her thoughts and feelings locked up inside. One day, her feelings burst out of her and she hurts a classmate. Now everyone thinks that she is weird and dangerous. After discovering poetry and meeting other people just like her, Selah finds her voice and is able to use words to show how she thinks and feels. Meg Eden Kuyatt beautiful words make us experience Selah’s thoughts and feelings vividly. This is one of those special books that I’ll carry around in my head for a long time. Perfect for Years 5-8 and would make a great read aloud.
December 27, 2023
I love that there are more and more books for young readers with protagonists who feel different from others in some way, and who may struggle, but ultimately learn more about themselves and their needs and embrace all that makes them uniquely themselves. In Good Different, Selah learns what it means to be neurodivergent and advocate for the accommodations she needs at school, but not before dealing with many challenges both with others around her and within herself. I liked this book, too, because it felt like a middle grade book, rather than young adult, and as such accessible to a wider range of readers in my seventh grade classroom. One of my students this year asked me to read it, explaining to me that it was a "mirror" book for her, and I'm glad I did.
July 21, 2024
A 5 star read for anyone 8+
So easy to connect with the way the author writes. The story is written in verse and very engaging. Although I would say that is does feel more like you are reading prose than poetry most of the time.
An inspiring, moving and heartfelt story about an autistic year 6/7 student, Selah, and her pathway to a diagnosis and successfully navigating ‘normal’ (as she calls it) society.
It is a beautiful celebration of all that is different in our world!
So easy to connect with the way the author writes. The story is written in verse and very engaging. Although I would say that is does feel more like you are reading prose than poetry most of the time.
An inspiring, moving and heartfelt story about an autistic year 6/7 student, Selah, and her pathway to a diagnosis and successfully navigating ‘normal’ (as she calls it) society.
It is a beautiful celebration of all that is different in our world!
May 12, 2023
Happy 24th birthday to me! Read the whole thing in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. This is exactly how I felt when I was a new teenager, this book was incredibly healing for her and who I am now. I can’t recommend it enough to the people close to me to better understand what my life is like, and to people who may suspect they are neurodivergent. 💜 Be a dragon
February 2, 2023
I’ve read other books about autistic characters, but this is the first one that so clearly explains how the differences are good things. I wish I had read this book when I was still a teacher, but will be recommending it to everyone still in the classroom.
March 28, 2023
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing #bookexpedition with an early copy to read. This beautiful novel in verse follows neurodivergent Selah along her journey of self-discovery.
Selah knows there are rules to being “normal,” and she makes sure she always follows them.
•Say hi to the teachers who greet me in the hall
•Smile and nod at all the right parts when someone talks
•Look my teachers in the eye when they call on me
•Don’t talk about dragons so much
•Don’t cry or make a scene in public
•Stuff my feelings into my chest like used tissues
But following these rules takes a toll on Selah, and each day she can’t wait to get home to rip off her “normal” person mask and recharge doing the things SHE likes to do, like listening to her favorite song on repeat, watch her favorite episode of a show, or squeeze her stress ball or flap her hands.
One day Selah’s senses are overloaded and she breaks her rules, exploding and hitting a classmate. While suspended, Selah’s one true friend pulls away from her, and her world begins to crumble. Then, while attending FantasyCon, Selah hears words she’s not familiar with, such as overstimulated, autism spectrum, and sensory tools. Over time, Selah begins to figure out more about who she is and learns that being different doesn’t mean she’s damaged. Different can mean good.
With her Pop in her corner, Selah is able to find a new path forward, learning a bit about her Mom and Pop, and advocating for herself through her poetry. With an author’s note and resources as part of the back matter, this middle grade novel in verse is a must add to your middle grade library. Out now!
Selah knows there are rules to being “normal,” and she makes sure she always follows them.
•Say hi to the teachers who greet me in the hall
•Smile and nod at all the right parts when someone talks
•Look my teachers in the eye when they call on me
•Don’t talk about dragons so much
•Don’t cry or make a scene in public
•Stuff my feelings into my chest like used tissues
But following these rules takes a toll on Selah, and each day she can’t wait to get home to rip off her “normal” person mask and recharge doing the things SHE likes to do, like listening to her favorite song on repeat, watch her favorite episode of a show, or squeeze her stress ball or flap her hands.
One day Selah’s senses are overloaded and she breaks her rules, exploding and hitting a classmate. While suspended, Selah’s one true friend pulls away from her, and her world begins to crumble. Then, while attending FantasyCon, Selah hears words she’s not familiar with, such as overstimulated, autism spectrum, and sensory tools. Over time, Selah begins to figure out more about who she is and learns that being different doesn’t mean she’s damaged. Different can mean good.
With her Pop in her corner, Selah is able to find a new path forward, learning a bit about her Mom and Pop, and advocating for herself through her poetry. With an author’s note and resources as part of the back matter, this middle grade novel in verse is a must add to your middle grade library. Out now!
December 15, 2022
A poignant, heartfelt, utterly engaging portrait of a girl learning to embrace being neurodivergent. The novel-in-verse first person format was the perfect vehicle to help me understand, agonize with, and cheer for Selah. I flew through this beautiful, artfully crafted book. Highly recommended for readers of all ages to foster understanding, empathy, and support support for people who are neurodivergent or in any way different from the perceived norm, though this book wonderfully illustrates how artificial the term "norm" actually is. Brava Meg Eden Kuyatt!
July 6, 2023
Wow! Not sure where to begin with this one... I'll start by saying get your hands on it if you haven't read it!
There is so much about this book that I loved from the fact that it was in verse to the journey of discovery the main character, Selah, goes on emotionally, with her diagnosis and in discovering she's "Good Different". So much great description of how she's feeling at different times and how she comes to find some things that can support her as well. So much here that could be discussed with kids during a read aloud! And a great story of "quiet" activism as well.
Read it!!
There is so much about this book that I loved from the fact that it was in verse to the journey of discovery the main character, Selah, goes on emotionally, with her diagnosis and in discovering she's "Good Different". So much great description of how she's feeling at different times and how she comes to find some things that can support her as well. So much here that could be discussed with kids during a read aloud! And a great story of "quiet" activism as well.
Read it!!
January 7, 2024
“This beautifully written novel-in-verse follows one girl's journey as she learns that she's on the autism spectrum and comes to embrace herself." [Booklist]
June 23, 2024
This is an absolutely incredible book. This is exactly what if feels like to be autistic. Well, not exactly, because you know, if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person. We're all different. But we do have many experiences in common and Meg Eden Kuyatt has captured them so very well.
Selah is 13 years old, and I am 67 and this is still what it feels like to be autistic. The way I cope has changed, but it's not a thing you outgrow.
So, why is "what it feels like" so important? Medically and socially, autism is often defined by behavior, how we look on the outside, without any connection to what is happening on the inside. And many autistic people have a hard time putting their lived experience into words.
Imagine trying to explain "normal" to someone from a culture very different from your own, everything that would include, all the things you just take for granted because they're normal, how hard that would be. In giving us the autistic version of that, Meg has done an extraordinary thing.
The best I've ever managed in trying to explain autistic experience is to use analogy: sensory issues might be like when an allistic person is walking and talking with someone and they have a tiny rock in their shoe. It takes some of their attention away from the conversation with each step, it eventually becomes painful, and they have to stop and remove it before they can return their full attention to the walking and talking. The rock isn't apparent to anyone but the person whose shoe it's in, but it's very real and immediate for them.
But, here we get a narration. And context. And reactions from the people in Selah's world. And we begin to understand the constancy of it – not just the occasional walk with a rock in your shoe, but how we live every day. Our brains are neurologically different from allistic brains, it's organic, and just as allistics' brains process everything in a certain way, autistic brains do, too, just differently.
"'We can't know what's in your brain
if you don't tell us,' Mrs. V once said
when we were talking about one of my poems
and what it meant. I thought it was
so obvious
but she read it three times and had
no idea."
The very best analogy is Microsoft vs. Apple. Two operating systems able to accomplish the same things, but in very different ways. Neither one is "normal," just different. But if you install software on one so that it imitates the other, it's going to have an effect on performance and cause a lot of CPU overheating. By walking with Selah through her experience, we understand the toll this imitating takes on her. Her mother and grandfather have their own burdens and we come to see those, also.
Good Different has a very positive, very happy and hopeful ending and that is exactly as it should be. We come together to encourage each other and to look for ways to make things better for all.
At the same time, I would like to add that today and perhaps tomorrow, we have to live in the world as it is. Even the bravest effort is sometimes not enough and there is no shame in that. Sometimes advocating for oneself serves only to put a target on one's back, and safety – both physical and emotional – is necessary for feeling comfortable to be one's authentic self. Sometimes a comfort zone includes an element of isolation and that's okay. We're all figuring this out as we go along.
Perhaps the very best thing about this book is that the author, herself, is autistic. While I appreciate that media is striving for diversity when including autistic characters, I think there is a tendency for allistic writers to recreate the same stereotypical autistic traits over and over. Media consumers, often subconsciously, begin to equate these stereotypes with a definition of autism, and that helps no one. So, I thank you, Meg, for your effort and, imo, stunning success with this book.
Selah is 13 years old, and I am 67 and this is still what it feels like to be autistic. The way I cope has changed, but it's not a thing you outgrow.
So, why is "what it feels like" so important? Medically and socially, autism is often defined by behavior, how we look on the outside, without any connection to what is happening on the inside. And many autistic people have a hard time putting their lived experience into words.
Imagine trying to explain "normal" to someone from a culture very different from your own, everything that would include, all the things you just take for granted because they're normal, how hard that would be. In giving us the autistic version of that, Meg has done an extraordinary thing.
The best I've ever managed in trying to explain autistic experience is to use analogy: sensory issues might be like when an allistic person is walking and talking with someone and they have a tiny rock in their shoe. It takes some of their attention away from the conversation with each step, it eventually becomes painful, and they have to stop and remove it before they can return their full attention to the walking and talking. The rock isn't apparent to anyone but the person whose shoe it's in, but it's very real and immediate for them.
But, here we get a narration. And context. And reactions from the people in Selah's world. And we begin to understand the constancy of it – not just the occasional walk with a rock in your shoe, but how we live every day. Our brains are neurologically different from allistic brains, it's organic, and just as allistics' brains process everything in a certain way, autistic brains do, too, just differently.
"'We can't know what's in your brain
if you don't tell us,' Mrs. V once said
when we were talking about one of my poems
and what it meant. I thought it was
so obvious
but she read it three times and had
no idea."
The very best analogy is Microsoft vs. Apple. Two operating systems able to accomplish the same things, but in very different ways. Neither one is "normal," just different. But if you install software on one so that it imitates the other, it's going to have an effect on performance and cause a lot of CPU overheating. By walking with Selah through her experience, we understand the toll this imitating takes on her. Her mother and grandfather have their own burdens and we come to see those, also.
Good Different has a very positive, very happy and hopeful ending and that is exactly as it should be. We come together to encourage each other and to look for ways to make things better for all.
At the same time, I would like to add that today and perhaps tomorrow, we have to live in the world as it is. Even the bravest effort is sometimes not enough and there is no shame in that. Sometimes advocating for oneself serves only to put a target on one's back, and safety – both physical and emotional – is necessary for feeling comfortable to be one's authentic self. Sometimes a comfort zone includes an element of isolation and that's okay. We're all figuring this out as we go along.
Perhaps the very best thing about this book is that the author, herself, is autistic. While I appreciate that media is striving for diversity when including autistic characters, I think there is a tendency for allistic writers to recreate the same stereotypical autistic traits over and over. Media consumers, often subconsciously, begin to equate these stereotypes with a definition of autism, and that helps no one. So, I thank you, Meg, for your effort and, imo, stunning success with this book.
September 3, 2024
Selah is autistic, but she doesn't know it, and it makes fitting in at her private school harder than she realizes. One day, she instinctively lashes out at a fellow seventh grader and learns that the "Pebble Creek family" is only for people who can follow the rules of being normal. She vows to do better, but a a surprise birthday trip to a fantasy con introduces her to several people on the spectrum and Selah realizes that it might be time for the rules of being normal to change.
This book got pretty meaningful around the middle and end, but you know I have to complain about a thing or two. I was initially put off by the way Selah introduces her autistic traits. It didn't feel realistic to how a child would actually talk about herself, and since this book is written in first person, that dropped the authenticity. It kind of felt like the first few poems were designed to convince us that Selah has autistic traits, sort of like a checklist. I understand why this makes sense for a little book like this one, but it was still off-putting. I also am not really impressed by the way many of these poems basically feel like prose with weird line breaks. There are a few places where adding line breaks really helped tell the story, but whenever an author moves to make a book in verse, I feel I have to judge it as I would any other poem, and the ones in this book ... didn't all need to be poems.
So, enough with the complaining. This book is thoughtful about the way it introduces social issues and the ways classmates and teachers can hurt or help Selah, often without realizing it. It makes a strong case for why diagnosis is important, not a stigmatizing label. It also presents a balance of both struggles and triumphs that are directly correlated with how Selah's autistic mind works. I love that we get to see the ways her brain is strong, not just the ways she struggles. I also love the idea of poems as a social movement.
This book got pretty meaningful around the middle and end, but you know I have to complain about a thing or two. I was initially put off by the way Selah introduces her autistic traits. It didn't feel realistic to how a child would actually talk about herself, and since this book is written in first person, that dropped the authenticity. It kind of felt like the first few poems were designed to convince us that Selah has autistic traits, sort of like a checklist. I understand why this makes sense for a little book like this one, but it was still off-putting. I also am not really impressed by the way many of these poems basically feel like prose with weird line breaks. There are a few places where adding line breaks really helped tell the story, but whenever an author moves to make a book in verse, I feel I have to judge it as I would any other poem, and the ones in this book ... didn't all need to be poems.
So, enough with the complaining. This book is thoughtful about the way it introduces social issues and the ways classmates and teachers can hurt or help Selah, often without realizing it. It makes a strong case for why diagnosis is important, not a stigmatizing label. It also presents a balance of both struggles and triumphs that are directly correlated with how Selah's autistic mind works. I love that we get to see the ways her brain is strong, not just the ways she struggles. I also love the idea of poems as a social movement.
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