Frankie's World: A two-colour graphic novel about standing-out and fitting-in when you feel different. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier: 1

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This is something she wants to stay secret from her classmates – especially the injections in her bum!

Sue Cheung “Frankie’s World is funny, fresh and honest and I wish it had be around to read when I was little. Frankie and her family are White; diversity in health, ability, and race is woven naturally into the story.Frankie hopes that she inherited some of his quirks and that meeting him will make her feel less alone. In the next panel, Frankie has been teleported out of the mud puddle and is right in front of her bully, who pushes her. For example though she tries to blend in with her class, who are either ‘girly’ or ‘sporty‘ somehow it doesn’t work. They would also only drop off a case of books and leave us to run it – it was so lovely to have you on hand to chat to the children and recommend them books, as well as the small (but appreciated! As someone who was once a kid who didn't know they were autistic, I found a lot of Frankie's experiences extremely relatable.

I like that Frankie doesn’t quite fit in, I have definitely felt like that and her descriptions of saying things without thinking about them definitely sounds like me. I was diagnosed with autism aged 32 (I'm now 33), so I was really drawn to this book and I've not been disappointed.When Frankie gets the chance to compete in a Battle of the Bands contest she couldn’t be more excited! She’s not sure whether it is because she talks a lot, or whether it is because she always seems to say the wrong thing, or if it because she has to go the hospital every month to check whether she is growing fast enough. There is much more packed into this story – class bullies, friendships, blended families, trying new things (karate), and discovering who you are. While the underlying theme of this book is about Autism it is also about self discovery, self acceptance and about finding your own path while embracing your differences along the way. This is a great debut from Aoife Dooley, recommended for anyone aged 8+ and especially young people who've just found out they're autistic.

When an upcoming competition in art, Frankie’s favorite school subject, focuses on the theme of your true self, Frankie wonders if she might be more similar to her absent father than the family she lives with. Plus, if we all give time and some empathy, we may be in a better position to befriend and understand. Books that acknowledge or explore mental health issues can help to increase awareness, encourage dialogue, reduce stigma and develop real understanding.

She feels out of place, partly because she is unusually small for her age and is obliged to take remedial growth hormones. The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too. I liked how the friendships with Sam and Rebecca were portrayed, they always saw the best in Frankie. Much in a similar way, I regularly think about past pupils and hope that they are doing okay on the next stage of their journeys.