FUNNY AND EMOTIONAL: James's witty commentary on relatable teen experiences makes for a highly enjoyable read. In a starred review, Kirkus called THE WRONG KIND OF WEIRD 'charmingly nerdy and romantic.' This book is set against a backdrop of photography and movie references.

AUTISTIC REPRESENTATION: Daniel realises over the course of the novel that being autistic doesn't mean he can't participate in high school rituals and relationships if he'd like to; he, too, can be the main character. James writes Daniel's autism from their own lived experience.

LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION: A diverse cast is led by Daniel, who is pansexual. Daniel's eventual love interest, Gabe, is genderfluid, and Mona is bisexual and eventually reveals she is aromantic.

EMMA HOMAGE: In the spirit of Emma by Jane Austen, Daniel learns from his matchmaking endeavor, and ends up with a love story of his own as he discovers just how messy--and rewarding--real life can be.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: As Daniel integrates his inner and outer selves, and develops his understanding of how he does and can relate to others, he engages with the SEL categories of Self-Management and Relationship Skills.