SuitabookSomething More
Jackie Khalilieh
- Reading
- Read alongside the young person if useful, pausing after Jessie’s attempts to fit in or pursue her goals. Ask what seems chosen by Jessie and what seems demanded by others.
- Themes
- Belonging and self-acceptance: Jessie enters a new school hoping to start afresh, masks her autism and tries to fulfil goals involving friendship, romance and school participation. The situation clearly centres on the tension between fitting in and retaining one’s sense of self, but the evaluative treatment is not fully established.
- Autism and representation: Jessie has recently received an autism diagnosis and tries to hide it while navigating relationships and activities. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Cultural and family identity: Jessie is described as Palestinian Canadian, comes from a Greek Orthodox family and navigates family, cultural and personal expectations. Cultural identity is woven into the protagonist’s family and social context rather than presented as a separate informational subject.
- Worth knowing
- Pay attention to how Jessie’s efforts to fit in are framed, and whether the story distinguishes self-understanding from simply meeting other people’s expectations. The ending and any longer-term resolution remain unclear.