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Slug Days

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Written by Sara Leach

Illustrated by Rebecca Bender
Pajama Press Inc., 2017. J Intermediate. 116 p.

Lauren has trouble reading social cues. She often misunderstands her classmates, and they often misunderstand her, too. On “butterfly days” Lauren gets the approval of her teacher and can make other kids laugh. But on “slug days” nothing seems to go right for her.

Lauren’s motivations and reasoning are different from other people’s because she is on the autism
spectrum. This J Intermediate chapter book follows Lauren through a week of ups and downs, using the lens of her unique perspective to describe her thought processes, coping mechanisms, and routines. Slug Days is a sensitive invitation into another way of experiencing the world. The gentle, thoughtful, and funny story would be good for encouraging empathy in any young reader.
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