Illustrated by Mika Song
3 stars
A follow-up early chapter book to the picture book, A Friend for Henry. One day at school, Henry’s teacher tells the class that they will have a parade on Friday. But that means changing their weekly schedule. Henry soon becomes frustrated by the changing rules, the loudness of the parade preparations, and not following the expected routine.
I liked this book more than the picture book, I think because it was most fleshed out and we could see more of Henry as a character. You get more about what’s he’s feeling and his thoughts on the situation. The book is sent up well and the ending was absolutely perfect. I love that Henry was able to work out a solution that satisfied everyone.
However, the middle of the book was pretty disappointing. It was really disheartening to see how Henry’s concerns aren’t addressed by the people around him. While he has resources like a Quiet Card, the teachers don’t take his concerns seriously. One teacher tells him, “We can talk later, Henry,” when he raises concerns, then we never see them address the issue. Seems like there were some really easy ways to help ease the transition. I liked that Henry advocated for himself, but the message kind of came across as even if you say something people won’t really listen to you.
This one focuses heavily on rigidity around rules and routines. As with the picture book, it isn’t stated in the text that Henry is autistic, though it is stated in the blurb. I think this approach is more successful here than in the picture book, because it had a clearer focus. It isn’t necessarily autism-specific and can be helpful for anyone who has difficulty changing routines and understanding the nuances around rules.
Overall, it was a good read. Lovely artwork that paired well with the text. Loved to see Henry voicing his concerns and problem solving. Hoping to see more neurodivergent characters in children’s books, especially chapter books like this.