The Space We're In

Reach for this book when your child is struggling to balance their own needs with those of a neurodivergent sibling, or when they are processing the overwhelming weight of sudden grief. It is a deeply moving story told from the perspective of ten year old Frank, whose life revolves around the complex, often exhausting needs of his non-verbal autistic brother, Max. Through Frank's eyes, we see the raw frustration, the intense love, and the guilt that comes with being a sibling in a house defined by sensory triggers and routines. The narrative takes a profound turn when a sudden tragedy strikes the family, forcing Frank to navigate a world that feels as vast and empty as the space he loves to study. It is a realistic, secular look at how families fracture and slowly stitch themselves back together. While it deals with heavy themes of death and disability, it remains age appropriate for middle grade readers by grounding the experience in Frank's creative, scientific mind. It is an essential choice for fostering empathy and validating the complicated feelings of children who feel they must always be the 'easy' one in the family.