Book
When my heart joins the thousand
Record details
- ISBN: 9780062656476 :
- ISBN: 0062656473 :
-
Physical Description:
print
338 pages ; 22 cm - Edition: First Edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2018]
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| Genre: | Romance fiction. Fiction. Romance fiction. Love stories. Romance fiction. |
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibsons Public Library | YA FIC STEI (Text) | 30886000719860 | Young adult fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2017 November #2
At 17, Alvie bears more responsibility with less support than many adults. She lives alone, holds a full-time job caring for animals at a zoo, and is navigating the legal system to gain full emancipation. And she does all of this as a person with autism spectrum disorder. When circumstance brings Stuart into Alvie's life, she sees their connection as an opportunity to experience sex and to fulfill her social worker's advice to form friendships; but it fosters stronger and more complicated feelings for Stuart. For his part, Stuartâwho has his own emotional and physical challengesâsees goodness in Alvie that she's unable to see in herself. Steiger offers a glimpse into the challenges people with autism encounter, including interacting with law enforcement, applying for jobs, dealing with the vagaries of a diagnosis, and sustaining mutually satisfying relationships. Alvie is an empathetic and likable character who struggles with her shortcomings and knows her strengths. Readers will want to console her when she hits rock bottom and swoon alongside her at the satisfying conclusion. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews. - Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2018 Fall
Neuro-atypical Alvie Fitz loves routine, hates being touched, and prefers the company of animals. At seventeen she has her own apartment and a full-time job and looks forward to being legally emancipated. Then a romance with Stanley, who has a genetic bone disorder, upends Alvie's world. Steiger's prose is arresting, and the frank depiction of teen sexuality--particularly within a disability framework--is refreshing. Copyright 2018 Horn Book Guide Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2017 November #1
"Nutjob." "Robo-tard." "Weirdo." All of her life, 17-year-old orphan Alvie Fitz has dealt with name-calling and cruelty. At this point in time, Alvie, who is autistic, doesn't care about happiness. All that matters is convincing a judge she's emotionally, mentally, and financially ready for emancipation; she has her GED and has already been supporting herself for some time. If she can't, she'll spend the rest of her life in a group home as a ward of the state. Boundaries and routine make up the foundation of the protective wall Alvie's been building around herself since her mother died when she was 11, but 19-year-old college student Stanley Finkel shakes that foundation, gently and gradually forcing Alvie out of her comfort zone. Stanley also stands out in a world that doesn't easily accept people outside the mainstream. He was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that results in bones that break easily, and uses a cane for support. Stanley doesn't erase the autis m by ignoring it; he accepts it as part of her but doesn't define her by it. Alvie's first-person narration presents readers with a fully developed picture of a person with autism; she's frank, observant, and funny. The book's title is inspired by a line from Watership Down, a book Alvie turns to time and again because she identifies with the rabbits' plight to survive. All characters appear to be white. A gorgeous love story of depth and raw emotion that beautifully dismantles the ugly perceptions of autism. (Fiction. 14-adult) Copyright Kirkus 2017 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2018 January
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal.Gr 10 Upâ Alvie is 17. She enjoys her routine of working at the zoo, coming home to her apartment, playing on her laptop, and going to the park near her home. After running away from foster care, she has been living on her own and is eager to be legally emancipated. Sitting in the park one day, she sees a boy (Stanley) throw his cell phone into the pond. She rescues the phone, emails him, and an online friendship quickly develops. When Stanley wants to meet in person, Alvie asks him if they can have sex. Although nothing is consummated, a romantic relationship starts to build between them. When Stanley tells Alvie he loves her, she panics and cuts off contact with him. This sends her into a spiral, which ultimately results in her losing her job and becoming homeless. It is only after she reconnects with Stanley and faces the truth about her past that she can find happiness. Flashbacks to Alvie's childhood, her difficulties at school, and her relationship with her mother add depth and understanding to her character. Her meltdowns and behavioral quirks (an interest in rabbits, a love of the bookWatership Down ) add dimension to what is a fully realized portrayal of a person living with Asperger's. As her romantic foil, Stanley's character is initially a little too perfect, but as the story progresses it is made clear that he struggles with his own issues. This is a love story that could also appeal to adult readers. Their love is hard-fought and deservedly earned.VERDICT Recommended for all YA collections.âKefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL - Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews : VOYA Reviews 2018 February
Alvie is a young lady approaching her eighteenth birthday. She has always been viewed as "different," especially during her childhood in which she exhibited behaviors that were unlike her those of her peers. Doctors and medications tried to make her "normal." Orphaned by her mother's death when Alvie was eleven, she lives by herself now, visits a counselor to work on interpersonal skills, and is an animal caretaker at the local zoo. Every day, at the same time, Alvie visits the duck pond at a park, and there is a young man who comes at the same time. One day, Alvie sees him throw his cell phone into the pond, and, after he leaves, she retrieves the phone, whereupon she learns his name is Stanley Finkel. They begin an online correspondence, and Alvie becomes close to Stanley. Worried about the possibility of being declared a ward of the state and forced into a group home before she achieves emancipation, Alvie attempts to "fix" her life using routines and boundaries. As her friendship with Stanley becomes more, it offers more intensity and acceptance than Alvie has experienced before. When My Heart Joins the Thousand is a wonderful look inside the mind of a neuroatypical young adult who is attempting to create the life she wants and live it to the fullest. Her romance with Stanley, also someone outside the "norm," adds depth and beauty to Alvie's story. Alvie's flashbacks throughout the story depict the cruel treatment she endured and sensitive readers may have a difficult time reading about it.âBeth H. Green. 5Q 4P S Copyright 2018 Voya Reviews.
