We all need books with characters like us, as well as ones who are not like us. Characters like us help us feel less alone, and characters who are different help us understand other lives and experiences. The first time I read a book with a character who felt like me, who had the same hangups I did, who problem-solved in the same way, and got into the same difficulties, I finally felt normal. Because that character was autistic. And so was the author. And so am I.

In this class we will read Counting by 7s, a story of a twelve-year-old genius with OCD tendencies whose life gets turned upside down when a car crash kills her parents.

Learners will read the book on their own before class. When we meet, I’ll ask an opening question about the book to start the discussion, and guide students through a socratic seminar style discussion. I have done this extensively with teens, tweens, and young adults, and have had amazing experiences of seeing the world differently and relating to my discussion partners differently as we discuss a book and explore important topics together. I hope you will join me.

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Learners of ALL neurotypes are welcome!

What is neurodiversity? The term describes people who process information differently than what is typical. This includes autism spectrum, ADHD, Tourette, OCD, dyslexia, anxiety, and more.

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What will this class be like? 

There won't be any book reports, or quizzes, or character analysis, or writing summaries, or any of the types of assignments you're probably used to in school. We're going to discuss the book. But this isn't just talking about what you liked and didn't. This is a different kind of discussion called a socratic seminar. 

This kind of discussion is a deep dive into what's important in a book (or any topic), and it is a skill that takes practice. Don't worry, I'll help you get started and we'll practice together (I've been doing this for more than 20 years and I'm still practicing!). Socratic seminars are a way to thoughtfully explore a text with another person so that everyone gets much more out of it than reading the book on your own. 

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Publisher's description of Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan:

In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.
 
Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.
  
A New York Times Bestseller

* “Willow's story is one of renewal, and her journey of rebuilding the ties that unite people as a family will stay in readers' hearts long after the last page.”—School Library Journal starred review

* “A graceful, meaningful tale featuring a cast of charming, well-rounded characters who learn sweet—but never cloying—lessons about resourcefulness, community, and true resilience in the face of loss.”—Booklist starred review

* “What sets this novel apart from the average orphan-finds-a-home book is its lack of sentimentality, its truly multicultural cast (Willow describes herself as a “person of color”; Mai and Quang-ha are of mixed Vietnamese, African American, and Mexican ancestry), and its tone. . . . Poignant.”—The Horn Book starred review

"In achingly beautiful prose, Holly Goldberg Sloan has written a delightful tale of transformation that’s a celebration of life in all its wondrous, hilarious and confounding glory. Counting by 7s is a triumph."—Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette


About the author:

Holly Goldberg Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and spent her childhood living in Holland, Istanbul, Turkey, Washington DC, Berkeley, California and Eugene, Oregon. After graduating from Wellesley College and spending some time as an advertising copywriter, she began writing family feature films, including Angels in the Outfield and Made in America. Counting by 7s, her first middle-grade novel, was a New York Times Bestseller. The mother of two sons, Holly lives with her husband in Santa Monica, California.

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A few other notes:

This class is a welcoming place for diverse learning and communication styles. Students are welcome to participate with camera on or off, via chat or voice or listening quietly, and to request accommodations as needed.

This group is a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ teens, cis, trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive teens welcome.