The Space We’re In

The Space we're in is both beautiful and heartbreaking. Written from the point of view of 11 year old Frank, a year 6 boy who deals with far more than any child should at his young age.

The description of Max, his younger brother who has autism is heartbreakingly real and I'm glad I've read this book with my own daughter (age 12) so that she can understand the struggles some individuals and their families go through.

I highly recommend this book for age 10 and above. It is well written and easy to get into although the subject matter is somewhat difficult.

This is a beautifully touching story about family, about how we might not always like our family members but we will always love them. The writing and narration are authentic and believable; it reads a lot like much of the writing I read by ten-year-old pupils. The story itself is both heartbreaking and heartening, and I'm sure there are many children who will find this book helpful and affirming when they're going through difficult times.

Autism is something I like to think I know a fair bit about. As a teacher, I work with children with autism daily. I have a degree in disability studies and an award in autism, so to find a book that genuinely feels authentic and realistic is rare and this is certainly one of those rare ones.

Frank is going into year 6, his final year of primary school. He tells his story from his point of view, the emotions that come with having an autistic younger sibling, the emotions of everyday life as a ten/eleven year old and the emotions of losing a parent. I read this in just two sittings, which for me, is certainly unheard of. This truly was something special.

Max (Franks younger brother) is autistic. He melts down, he bites, he shouts, he hits… he sees the world in a slightly different way. Frank loves him unconditionally of course, but does that mean he can’t resent the way people look at him, how he sometimes feels embarrassed about his brother's differences, or how he doesn’t quite get as much attention from his parents that he feels he deserves? When we think about autism, we often think about the children it directly involves. This book was a breath of fresh air in the sense that it shows us how it impacts on the children and families of those children too. Frank was entitled to sometimes struggle and I feel this book is beneficial in the fact that it truly does show the emotional turmoil he went through trying to be the doting big brother but also being a child himself.

The book struck another chord with me when his mother died. Having been the kid at school as Frank described himself as ‘the kid whose parent is dead’, I just completely got it. I believe it actually portrayed those emotions really well and having been in that situation myself, it was nice to know that all those years ago… I wasn’t a wimp, I was allowed to feel that rubbish, I was allowed to be that low, and my family was allowed to fall apart for a while, just like Franks did.

As an educator and someone who believes strongly in inclusion and feel that people should know more about autism, I feel this book is invaluable. I would love to see it in my school library one day so that the children I work with, and the children who have autistic children in their class, the children who might grow up to have an autistic child of their own, the children who might have autistic siblings and so on, can make that step forward in understanding what autism is and how it can affect not only one person, but the people that surround them too.

This is a story about Frank and his brother Max. Max has autism and Frank is learning to cope with what this means for him and his family.

Frank loves codes and each chapter is titled using numbers so you may want to keep paper and a pencil handy for working them out!

This story deals with some really sad issues but does so beautifully and honestly. It really is brilliant and I have already pre-ordered a copy to share with others.

Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of emotions this book is! Katya Balen cleverly tells this heartbreaking (and heartwarming) story of family, autism and loss from the point of view of Frank, a 10 year old boy.
Frank is trying to find his place in his family and the world, as well as dealing with the reality that his younger brother is different. The mixed feelings Frank has about his brother, as well as his embarrassment, sometimes makes Frank do or say things he regrets and ultimately feels ashamed about - as he obviously loves his brother. When something completely devastating happens to his family, the whole family struggle to find a new normal but it brings them together in their own special way. I have to admit Balen’s candid and relatable story makes it quite a difficult but compelling read, which left me with a lump in my throat for the majority of the book.

Wow, what a story. Using a 10yr old's frustrated but innocent voice is such an interesting way of bringing this story to life. This makes explaining learning difficulties or family strains such a pure and simplistic yet really quite meaningful read. My heart ached for every single character for their own individual struggles.. It's an easy flowing book to read, with such a strong yet warm theme, I 100% recommend!

Wow! What an emotional book! I literally felt every emotion reading this, happiness, sadness and even anger. It made me look at autism in a way that I have never considered and opened my eyes to how the people who are closest feel too and for that I need to thank you. I would highly recommend this book.