Jess Horn (text) and Zoe Bennett (illustrator), Bernie Thinks in Boxes, Affirm Press, July 2024, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922930033
Illustrated in warm, muted tones, this lovely picture book introduces young readers to a girl who thinks differently. Bernie makes sense of the world around her by categorising everything into compartments. She has a School Box, a Shop Box, a Park Box – even Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner boxes! And as long as everything is in its correct box, Bernie is OK.
What Bernie can’t cope with is when the contents of one box occur in a different box – for example, when she sees her teacher in a local shop or when her mother serves up eggs for dinner. A panic attack is brought on by Toby’s birthday party in the park. Not only is there a party in the park box but her school friends are in the party and park boxes – and they are not dressed in school uniform!
Bernie feels guilty that she runs away from Toby’s party, but she has a bright idea. Together, she and her Mum decide to add cake to the School Box, and all is right with the world again.
This is a gentle story which makes some important points. It is an ideal introduction to neurodiversity for young readers, explained with empathy and understanding, and the appealing illustrations add details to the understated text.
Reviewed by Lynne Babbage
