by Sally J Pla

Format: Audiobook

Genre: Literary Fiction, Middle Grade

Primary Doorways: Character, Plot

Sally J Pla’s award-winning middle grade novel, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn, left me radiating rage at various points. This level of emotion is a testament to Pla’s writing who balanced writing in the voice of a young middle schooler, burdened with the confusing command to keep her physical abuse a secret, and the readers’ clear eyed view that something most definitely wrong. While I wanted Maudie to tell her secrets to her loving father right away, living closely with her realistic voice, left me with the understanding of why she didn’t.

While Good Different is a “coming out” story of a character learning to identify with an autistic identity, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn centers a character who has known she is autistic for most of her life. Maudie’s determination to break out of her shell and challenge herself to learn how to surf will be relatable to all readers who have ever pushed themselves beyond (other people’s) limits. At the same time, her unique voice and experiences, left me with a deeper understanding of some quite serious issues in young people’s lives.