Friday Reads is a new weekly feature here on CityLine.ca, where we give you a behind-the-scenes look at what
CityLine guest experts and staff members are reading. Each week we’ll put the spotlight on the “Friday Reads” of two of our crew. This week, we’re taking a peek at the bookshelves of Kimberley Seldon and Amber-Rose Sandu.
Kimberley Seldon, CityLine guest expert and founder of Dabble Mag:
To credit any author as “unique” is almost cliché. However, a unique perspective is precisely what 18-year-old Carly Fleischmann delivers in Carly’s Voice (Touchstone). Co-written with her father, Arthur Fleischmann, Carly’s Voice sheds light into the mysterious world of autism. What makes it rare is that we are able to hear from the voice of someone with severe, non-verbal autism.
Don’t be fooled, Carly’s Voice transcends the autism genre; it’s a story for anyone who has been marginalized because of appearance, behaviour, beliefs or abilities. Carly and her family have struggled to change the world’s perception and no one is untouched by the journey. I promise you’ll come to love Carly’s insight, maturity and above all else a sense of humour that never stops. You can read a sample chapter through the book’s website: CarlysVoice.com.
Amber-Rose Sandu, unit assistant:
Where We Have To Go (McClelland & Stewart) by Lauren Kirshner is a novel that begins with a young Toronto girl, Lucy Bloom, who is starting to discover that her family is very different, and not in the good way. She quickly finds that her parents simply do not get along. At only 11 years old, Lucy is very bright and quite knowledgeable for her age. She tries to discover more about herself as she matures and transitions from child to teen. She is constantly searching for a role model and for someone to relate to. This is quite a hard task as everyone she gets close doesn’t quite understand her. Kirshner really explores issues such as embarrassment, loneliness and popularity and how they play such an important role in growing up.
What makes this novel even better is that Lauren Kirshner is a local Toronto writer and her knowledge of the area really brings this story alive.
What are you reading this Friday? Tell us in the comments what books are currently residing on your bedside table!