"Marcelo in the Real World" by Francisco X. Stork

"Be in the world but not of the world." A biblical quote with tremendous meaning and weight in regard to this book, Mr. Stork has provided us with another story of Asperger's Syndrome. Like "Mockingbird" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" this tale gives the reader a very up-close look into the mind of someone who sees the world through a different lens. Unlike those other novels, this one has a lighter tone, and is more about day-to-day living than any specific tragedy (although there is a mystery of sorts). Marcelo is a 17 year-old who takes us into his reflections in a roundabout way, often using a third person narrative to describe his life. His "special interest" is religion, and religious themes play a nice counterpoint to the ideas and concepts addressed as Marcelo attempts to navigate a new path. Marcelo is very real and very compelling. It didn't take long to care about a young man who honestly wants to do the right thing. In the end, it was a book I stayed up late at night to finish because I simply had to see how things would turn out for him. The novel was another winner of the Schneider Family Award, given to books which detail those living with the disability experience. Marcelo would want me to say that a) he is not disabled and b) he does not have Asperger's, he has an undiagnosed condition that most closely resembles Asperger's. Marcelo is nothing if not specific. The book is a lovely story of discovering the wider world and of gaining insight along the way. It is easy to see why it has been given honors and awards. Take this journey with Marcelo.