Let's Pretend We Never Met - Hardcover

Gr 4–6—Changes are coming fast for 11-year-old Mattie. First, her family decides to move to her grandmother's town over winter break, the absolute worst time to change schools. Then Mattie's parents begin acting oddly toward each other, and her grandmother seems to be forgetting too many things. Mattie meets the formidably smart and effervescent Agnes but is afraid that associating with Agnes, who's different from other kids, will make it harder for her to fit in. Mattie becomes interested in befriending boys, too, and she guiltily shuns Agnes in order to improve her social life. This tale of tween angst is distinguished by strong writing and well-drawn characters. Mattie's thoughtful introspection adds depth; she is sympathetic and likable but not perfect. Her friendship with Agnes, whose behavior seems to suggest she is somewhere on the autism spectrum, drives much of the plot and is very well portrayed in all its difficulties and rewards. The pacing is swift, with Mattie's dilemmas rapidly becoming ever more complex. VERDICT Hand this to readers who love a good coming-of-age story and to those looking for representations of neurodiverse characters, like Rain in Ann M. Martin's Rain Reign or Willow in Holly Goldberg Sloan's Counting by 7s.—Gretchen Crowley, formerly at Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA