Superstar

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year! Lester's first-person narrative is honest and pure. --Kirkus(starred review) Perfect for fans ofFish in a TreeandWonder, this uplifting debut novel from Mandy Davis follows space-obsessed Lester Musselbaum as he experiences the challenges of his first days of public school: making friends, facing bullies, finding his thing, and accidentally learning of his autism-spectrum diagnosis. Lester's first days as a fifth grader at Quarry Elementary School are not even a little bit like he thought they would be--the cafeteria is too loud for Lester's ears, there are too many kids, and then there's the bully. Lester was always home-schooled, and now he's shocked to be stuck in a school where everything just seems wrong. That's until he hears about the science fair, which goes really well for Lester!This is it. The moment where I find out for 100 percent sure that I won. But then things go a bit sideways, and Lester has to find his way back. A touching peek into the life of a sensitive autism-spectrum boy facing the everydayness of elementary school,Superstartestifies that what you can do isn't nearly as important as who you are. A lovely, heartfelt narrative about the things we've lost, and the things we've found again.--Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner forThe Wednesday Wars I LOVE LESTER. --Linda Urban, author ofMilo Speck, Accidental AgentandA Crooked Kind of Perfect