Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers: AWARENESS TOUR: All the Small Wonderful Things by Kate Foster

The reading season is kicking into full gear and I'm happy to play my part in keeping you up to date on titles you need to read. Take today's next tour guest for example...it comes to us via The Children's Book Review from the folks at Candlewick and features a story all about friendship, being yourself, and puppers. Sound interesting? Well then, let's take a closer look!

All the Small Wonderful Things

Kate Foster

Ages 8+ | 240 Pages

9781536225808

Candlewick

About the book...

In an endearing story about an autistic boy and his steadfast furry pal, Alex is convinced that winning a trophy at the dog show will help him make a real friend at last.

Eleven-year-old Alex knows that starting middle school will be a big change, and for an autistic person, change can be terrifying. He is sure that having a friend by his side will help. But how can he make one? Alex devises a plan to impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin the Cockapoo. This should be a walk in the park, right? If only. It turns out that finding a friend is harder than Alex thought—unless, maybe, friendship is about something more than popularity.

This charming story, told through Alex’s clear and honest voice, navigates relationships of all stripes between classmates, new neighbors, family, and, of course, a kid and his dog. After all, friendship isn’t one-size-fits-all—maybe it’s found in the small things where you least expect it.

Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes and Noble

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Alex is a lovely young lad just looking for a friend. He's about to make the transition to middle school next year, so it's imperative it happens NOW. No one likes being the small fish in a big pond, especially when you don'y have another small fish to swim with...am I right? But, as the synopsis points out, friendship is most definitely not one-size-fits-all, and it's most definitely more quality than quantity.

Alex went looking in all the wrong places for a friend, as most of us do at some point or another, and was missing the dear friendships right in front of him. He was so laser focused on what it should look like that the fact that it might appear in any way different from that imagined mold wasn't something he could fathom. It was heartbreaking for me as a reader to see him struggle with this issue so much. You just wanted to reach between the pages and give him a hug, though for him, it'd definitely be better to ask first so as not to surprise, offend, or invade personal space. You see, that's another aspect of the book to note...Alex is autistic, and I love how the topic was handled. It wasn't kid glove treatment, and everyone on eggshells, but rather what felt like a REAL look at day to day life with this as just another facet of a person, the challenges it can present, but also ways in which those challenges are managed. It's made clear that the path is different for everyone, but it felt like a great moment of representation in literature for kiddos that might identify with him. Back to the friendship mission...once he sees himself clear of the obstacles he originally placed before him, Alex gets his moment, as do his newly minted friends, and his beloved four legged one that's always by his side...unless he's run off again to visit Vinnie, but that's a tail for another time.

A touching story that will entertain and educate, while sharing the true value of friendship in a person's life. It reminds us to hold dear the ones we let into our lives, cut loose those that don't enhance that experience, and embrace our true selves because our real friends will too.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Foster is a children’s author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the southeast of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs. She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.

For more information, visit www.kfosterbooks.com.

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Enter the giveaway for the chance to win an autographed hardcover copy of All the Small Wonderful Things—a $100 donation will be made to a rescue dog charity of the winner’s choice!

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) This post is sponsored by Kate Foster. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. For more information on this title, the author, the illustrator, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

The Children’s Book Review

Book Tour Kick-Off

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

The Fairview Review

Book Review of All the Small Wonderful Things

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Life Is What It’s Called

Author Interview with Kate Foster

Friday, October 27, 2023

Confessions of a Book Addict