Bullies Beware

TFK Kid Reporter Madeline Martinez read A Glimmer of Change and interviewed its author, Elle McNicoll. Read Madeline’s thoughts below.

A Glimmer of Change, a novel by Elle McNicoll, is set in present-day Juniper, Scotland. The story is seen through the eyes of Keedie Darrow, a girl who’s autistic. She resolves to stop the bullying at her school. Keedie’s twin sister, Nina, is completely different from her. Nina is popular, and hangs around with the bullies. Keedie also has a younger sister named Addie. McNicoll wrote about the relationship between Keedie and Addie in her best-selling novel A Kind of Spark.

After Keedie stands up for a girl at Youth Club, others at her school ask for her help—and even offer to pay her! She begins to help more people than she’d ever expected. But there’s one problem: The rift between her and Nina is growing deeper. Nina’s friends start arguments with Keedie. How will Keedie stop the bullying and fix her relationship with her twin?

Author McNicoll told TFK that, like Keedie, she was diagnosed with autism at a young age. “I really had that in common with Keedie,” she says. “I know exactly how she feels, because that’s how I feel.” She told TFK she hopes that A Kind of Spark and A Glimmer of Change feel like “a hand reaching through the pages of the book and saying, ‘It’s going to be okay.’”

A Glimmer of Change is a heartwarming story that feels very authentic. Keedie experiences many emotions, including anger and sadness. Readers interested in stories about standing up for others, family bonds, and being different will love A Glimmer of Change.