Wow! This book was simply stunning. The message given: ‘Never give up’ is pronounced very strongly and in a very powerful manner. Near the end of the book I was crying. This book has taught me so much about autistic people (not people with autism) and made me see history from a completely different view especially the wars and those being charged unjustly (just like the witches). This book inspired me to want to learn more about history (particularly Scottish history). it helped me understand that grown-ups can also be bullies in a particularly horrible way (Miss Murphy all the way). The feelings in this book are very realistic and the way the characters hide secrets from each other is very relatable. The way the young people aspire to do things is very convincing as is the way Audrey asks about Ally’s condition (cautiously, ever-polite, a little guiltily perhaps). As you read this book you become so engrossed you read more that you meant to and end up going to bed at 9:00 instead of 8:30. As soon as you have picked up this book you and Ally become one, you feel her emotions and see through her eyes.
I would recommend this book to anyone aged 10+ The ability to write for such a wide age range is simply amazing. I really hope everyone who reads it enjoys it as much as I did.
– Toby, Year 7, All Saints RC School

A Kind of Spark was a good book. It was really detailed on the witch trials and being autistic (not everyone who is autistic is like this just one of the many types). I think the book was enjoyable but I don’t think I could read it all at once. The part where Addie went into a huge city by herself just was incredibly stressful to read. That sort of part in the book is what I find unenjoyable to read. It was great to see her stand up for herself by the end of the book. My favourite part was when Addie was sitting in the field with the cows and talking to Jenna why she is friends with Audrey was my favourite part of the book.
I’m not sure I would read this book again. I think it was more of a one-time read than one you can just read over and over again. It was a good book, not a great book. I don’t think l will ever read it again but it was a good one-time read. I probably would suggest it to someone else to read but it would probably come across as incredibly boring. I would give it a 3 star rating out of 5 because it had some really boring parts to it. It did not really say what happened to the characters apart from saying they were going trick or treating. If it had a more interesting start and end to it I would have probably found it more interesting than it was. Altogether it was a good read.
– Rosie, Year 9, Bootham School

Although I haven’t completely finished this book, I love it. I think it is great that there is representation of the witch trials and the way Addie is ignored and even ridiculed for bringing up the idea of a memorial is heart-breaking. It is also sad that she (Addie) is only ever trying to help but still gets told off for it. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because it’s not quite my cup of tea but nevertheless a great book. 
– Clara, Year 7, All Saints RC School 

This book is a real page turner about an eleven-year-old autistic girl named Addie. It contains modern day dynamics and descriptive language to welcome you into Addie’s world and the day-to-day challenges she faces. During class, Addie starts learning about a very intriguing subject: witch trials. Being autistic, she finds herself similar to the witches who were punished and killed in her village. Halfway through the book, Addie finds herself fighting against her community to create a memorial to remind people of their ancestors’ harsh doings to these witches. Alongside this plotline, the book also includes personal events with her siblings and friends.  
I found this book really flowed and taught me a lot about what it is really like to be autistic. I could also relate to Addie in some of the family incidents. Characters like Audrey really helped to turn this book around, showing the development of Addie changing from a shy, lonely girl to a great friend. The author Elle McNicoll is autistic herself, and this makes you trust her representation of Addie and truly become engrossed in Addie’s personality.  
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend A Kind Of Spark if you are looking for a different book that combines an informative portrayal of autism and witch trials with an exciting plot line, making this book a pleasure to read. 
– Minnie, Year 7, The Mount School

In the story an autistic girl called Adeline, but she likes to be called Addie, has read a book about witches in school and started to read more and wanted to make a memorial for them. The story was about an autistic girl wanting to make a memorial for some women who were accused of being witches and were killed for something they had never done but was always told that she could not do it because she is autistic and has to go to a special needs school. The whole story covered over a couple of months from her wanting to make a memorial to it actually happening. What happened was unfortunately ordinary because so many autistic people are being told that they don’t belong here and that they have to go to a special needs place. The opening of the story was partially exciting because something Addie wrote was ripped up by her teacher who she hates. These events in the story followed each other nicely and there was always a good link between each set.  
The main characters were Addie and maybe her sister Keedie and her new friend Audrey. Keedie would always guide Addie because she was also autistic and also had to deal with Addie’s horrible teacher and Audrey would always try to understand what Addie was going through and would always stick up for her. They were described in a bit of detail because you would need it to understand the whole story and plot. I found Addie the most interesting because she always saw things in different ways to others and if something really interested her then she could picture the experience of what they are going through in her head. Addie and Keedie always had a good relationship and Audrey built up a good relationship with Addie during the story. The only character to have some sort of change was Addie because she became a bit more open.  
The story was written in first person, this was important to the story because you could really immerse yourself into Addie. The setting was described in detail because the story rarely moved. The feelings were described in detail because if not then the story would not really move along. It was a good story because it informed you about what autistic people have to go through everyday. My favourite moment was when Addie fought a girl who had hurt her because it shows that everything has a consequence; aka karma. I don’t think there were any moments that I would like to change.  
I think the author wanted to inform people about the lives of autistic people but mainly children. I felt really upset because no one deserves to have to go through anything that has happened in the story. I can’t compare it to any other books that I have read because this is not really the genre I read in. I would recommend this book because people need to know about what these people have to go through and I have not read any other books by the same author. 
– Manor CE Academy 

This is a super book. It tells the story of an autistic girl trying to get the people in her small Scottish town to see her differently, and Addie (the girl) faces lots of challenges along the way. I enjoyed it because Addie pretty much pours out her soul, and almost forces you to sympathise with her.
– Emily, Year 7, Bootham School

The main character is a girl called Addie and she is autistic. Her older sisters are twins but they are opposites. There is Nina, who is neurotypical and Keedie who is autistic. Addie has one friend at school, Audrey, after her other friend left her for someone normal. Addie is about my age and is bullied by her class and teacher Mrs Murphy. I only dislike Miss Murphy and her class apart from Audrey. The story was quite easy to read, understand and it flows really well. The plot would probably be thought of as her trying to get the town to remember the people who were wrongly accused and killed for being witches but I think it’s actually about how difficult it is for people with autism and all the stereotypes. A few stereotypes I found, brought up someone who (a guy who was not supposed to be kind) said that every autistic person is quite mean and she was the first kind one he had met. At one point Nina put her on her blog and Addie hated it and the makeup tutorial but did it anyway. One of the comments she received from the blog said she was not autistic as she could speak. Which is not true and there are different types of autism.
One last point I would like to make is that the author says the book is about courage, friendship and what it means to be different. I believe that this is only half of the story. It is also about the struggles people have who try to fit in and can’t cope and they hide away themselves and pretend they’re something they are not.
– Lottie, Year 7, Fulford School

An inspiring story that has made me see the world through different eyes and that autism is not an illness we recover from but a lifelong condition with lots of benefits if society was more accepting. I loved the main character being so determined to right the past wrongs of a group pf people she felt had been misunderstood like herself and her sister. There are lots of real emotions in the book and the characters feel very realistic. The book becomes quite thrilling with lots of plot twists and turns making an exciting read.
– Hala, Year 8, Dixons Cottingley

I thought that the diversity of this book was really nice especially having an autistic main character. This was a nice book but in my opinion lacked a plot line and could be a bit dull in places. But I really enjoyed this book and how it was about acceptance and pursing something that you believe in.
– Evie, Year 8, Fulford School

A Kind of Spark is a very good and well written book. I like the message this book gives to us. I enjoyed the characters and what roles they played such as the teacher who was a bully or Jemma her not-friend. I thought it was powerful with the way it talked about Bonnie and how cruel people were to her. 
– Josh, Year 7, All Saints RC School 

A Kind of Spark is an incredibly gripping book. It was funny and heart-breaking all at the same time.  
Although the book deals with some pretty serious issues such as being autistic, new friendships, and the witches in the sixteenth century being unjustly persecuted, these issues are presented in a very approachable way for children with the inclusion of Audrey’s light-hearted jokes (who is Addie’s new friend).  
It also shows that some modern-day issues could be better understood if we looked into the past and appreciate what people had to go through, such as when Addie realised her story was actually very similar to the witches’. Her dilemma was then to try and make the people around her understand the significance of the witches being regarded as outsiders.  
I loved how in the end Addie was able to embrace being autistic and really come out of her shell. 
– Kitty, Year 8, The Mount School 

A Kind of Spark, in brief, is a heart-warming page turner. The young protagonist, Addie, has to undergo many difficulties all because she is autistic. To us, as the reader, it seems very unjust for her to be treated this way, but how many people would actually notice this fact without an insight into her day-to-day struggles and experiences. As well as being a highly enjoyable read, this book is a real eye opener to all of those people who were not previously aware of hidden disabilities. 
When she learns of the unfairness women accused of being “witches” in the sixteenth century in Scotland, her journey really starts. These witches were everyday girls just like her, persecuted for being different. Along the way helped by her new friend, Audrey, she campaigned for a memorial to remember these falsely accused women. 
Elle McNicol has achieved an extremely accessible and free flowing book, while reading you will find yourself on a rollercoaster of emotion. From the anger of her predicament and her ‘terror teacher’ to the delight of her finally achieving her goal. 
– Peggy, Year 7, The Mount School 

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll tells the story of 11 year-old Adeline (Addie for short) who lives in a quaint little village in Scotland called Juniper – she also loves sharks. Addie has autism and she is not only bullied for being different by her classmates but also her horrible teacher Mrs Murphy. This amazing book explores how she deals with it.  
In class, Addie was learning about the women that were accused of being witches in the past. On a school trip she is taught about the hundreds of innocent women that were falsely accused and executed in her very own village. Adeline feels as if she relates to the so-called ‘witches’ as they were also persecuted for being “different”. 
Addie and her sister Keedie start a campaign for a memorial in her town to remember these poor women who were wrongly accused and murdered. The village council does not want to help her represent the innocent women, so Addie sets about trying to convince them. 
This book definitely made me think about the everyday struggles that anyone with autism faces. A Kind of Spark‘ was a sad read but also very funny and heart-warming. I would highly recommend this book and give it 9 out of 10. 
– Manor CE Academy 

A Kind of Spark was excellent. It showed what life is like for people who are different. The book was well written and showed characters’ emotions and feelings well. It was sad, but when I read it, I felt happy because it was very touching. The main character, Addie, is well thought out. I liked the fact that it wasn’t all happy, and unlike a lot of books, showed what things were like in real life and how we need to change things. All the characters were very believable, but it wasn’t boring. It was very interesting, and it really made me want to read more. I would recommend the book. 
– Manor CE Academy 

Addie is a normal autistic eleven-year-old girl who wants to learn more. When she moves to a new school everyone is different, especially her old best friend. In her school she has new teachers and new lessons. The teacher is mean and doesn’t like Addie for who she is even though she can’t change it. When Addie learns about witch trials in her hometown she knows there is more to them; just as there is more to her. Addie tries to create a memorial for the witches. 
I love the book and it has quickly become my new favourite! Addie is kind yet others don’t see past her being autistic (“I’ve not ‘got autism’ I am autistic!” – Addie). I find it amazing how Addie keeps going even if it feels like everyone is against her. I have two favourite characters, I love Addie for her bravery and loyalty and I love Keedie for her confidence, support, and love for Addie. 
– Manor CE Academy