Ariel's life changes forever when her mum is elected Prime Minister. Without being asked, she is thrust into the public eye and becomes a role model and the voice of autistics. But it isn't what she wants.
Everything has changed for Ariel: she's moved from her home in Scotland to the unfamiliarity and bustle of London; she has a new school to contend with and new routines to get to grips with; this is difficult at the best of times, but factor in the fact that your mum has just become Prime Minister so the whole world is watching you, and this adds a whole extra level of complications - just the thought of that makes me panic.
Role Model gives the world an honest insight into one autistic person's life and highlights the fact that all autistic people are different. Ariel's internal monologue, which is often different to the words she actually says, gives us a real idea of what she experiences, and the letters that she writes to her autism are particularly poignant and thought-provoking (especially the last one).
Without realising it, Ariel becomes the hero of her own story. Learning to be yourself is incredibly difficult but she shows readers that it's important to do that; the character who desperately didn't want to become a role model has become a role model through this book. Talking of heroes, it would be remiss of me not to mention Fizz in my review: she's a wonderful character who gets Ariel and I was so pleased that she was there for her. Everybody needs a Fizz in their life (also, I have to mention that there were so many times when I wanted to reach into the book and slap certain characters!).
Role Model is an insightful and honest book that shows the world what it's like to be autistic - everybody deserves to see themselves in the characters they meet in books and I am so pleased that Elle's extraordinary writing talent allows autistic children to see themselves in wonderful stories. Thanks goodness the world has Elle; having read the acknowledgements, it is clear this a very personal book for her and I am eternally grateful that she has been brave enough to share this with the world - it will make a huge difference for so many.
This is a book that needs to be read by everybody ... I was going to say every teacher but I think everybody needs to read this. It's a book that will stay with me for a very long time and it has left me with a major book hangover (at the time of writing this, I still haven't started a new book, which is unusual for me). It's a shorter novel at 169 pages but by goodness, it really packs a punch.
Role Model publishes on the 4th September and if it isn't nominated for a tonne of awards, then there is something wrong with the world.
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