Say hello to Memory Kid, Jigsaw Girl, and Story Boy.
When the key to the school sports shed goes missing, most of the students are upset because they will have to do extra maths instead of playing sport.
Max, Daniel and Natalie don't mind. They prefer maths over sport, and are a bit different to the others at school, because they have autism.
Max says they have superpowers. Not like super strength or super speed. They've got other strengths.
Max, for example, has an amazing memory. He can read and remember things better than anyone else.
And Natalie is great at solving puzzles, identifying and fitting patterns together.
Superheroes for a Day is a short, fast-paced story, about how Max, Natalie and Daniel save the day, and shows how their strengths are as valuable as everyone else's.
They're supportive and complement each other. Readers follow the trio as they ask questions, identify clues and track down the missing key.
Along the way we, the readers, learn through their experiences why kids with autism often like having rules to follow and dislike loud noises. And what it might be like if our social systems and expectations were aligned more with the needs of those with autism.
Author Craig Cormick wrote Superheroes for a Day for his son, who has autism, as a story he could enjoy and which features characters like himself. It aims to normalise autism and celebrate people's strengths.
Superheroes for a Day is a story everyone should read. It's an immersive reading experience, one that helps build understanding and empathy.
Download notes for teachers from the publisher's website.
Title: Superheroes for a Day
Author: Craig Cormick
Illustrator: Lauren Mullinder
Publisher: , $
16.99
Publication Date: July 2024
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781922539977
For ages: 10+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction