SuitabookFinding My Voice
Aoife Dooley
- Reading
- If school change or sensory overload feels particularly immediate, read alongside the child and pause after difficult scenes. Revisit Frankie’s choices rather than treating disclosure or social confidence as obligations.
- Themes
- Belonging and self-expression: Frankie wants to make friends, worries about being seen as different and seeks a way to participate through music. The story supports being oneself and depicts friends as supportive and kind.
- Autism, privacy and inclusion: Frankie does not initially want to tell classmates she is autistic; headphones and supportive inclusion help her participate. The book presents this favourably.
- Bullying and empathy: A bully from Frankie’s previous school appears again, while an insulting comment about autism intensifies Frankie’s worry about judgement. The discussion frames bullying and disrespect as problems and links the book with empathy and acceptance.
- Worth knowing
- The story includes school-transition anxiety, overwhelming noise and smells, worry about being judged as autistic, bullying, an insulting remark about autism, and the pressure of auditions and group activities.