Nick and the Brick Builder Challenge

by Jen Malia, Peter Francis (Illustrator)

Overview

When the Infinity Rainbow Club at school competes in a brick builder challenge, Nick can't wait to participate! Until he learns he must have a partner—the new girl. Nick wants to work alone. But to win, he'll have to figure out how to be part of a team.

A story about the universal struggle of learning to work together on a team, told from the perspective of an autistic child.

The Infinity Rainbow Club is a chapter book series featuring five neurodivergent children in a club at their elementary school. The club provides a safe space for stims and different communication styles to be accepted and celebrated.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506493411
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	09/26/2023
Series:	The Infinity Rainbow Club , #1
Pages:	126
Sales rank:	657,822
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)
Lexile:	630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Jen Malia is a professor of English and the creative writing coordinator at Norfolk State University. Originally from Pittsburgh, Jen currently lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and three kids. Jen has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Woman's Day, Glamour, Self, and others. Jen is the author of Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism as well as the Infinity Rainbow Club series. Jen was diagnosed with ASD in her late thirties and has three neurodivergent kids with different combinations of ASD, ADHD, OCD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia.

Peter Francis has created illustrations for children's books for over twenty years. He lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

11/24/2023

Gr 3–5—Nick, an autistic fourth grader, learns about teamwork and collaboration in this series opener. When the Infinity Rainbow Club, a group for neurodivergent children, competes in a brick builder challenge, Nick is forced to work with a new student named Ruby. While Nick prefers to work alone and do things his way, he learns the value of collaborating when they team up to build the best amusement park ride out of bricks. The book presents a realistic look at Nick and his life with autism, including his aversion to loud noises and experiences in the sensory gym. At the same time, the story shows nuance with his character development and highlights his other interests, like aliens and the "Jedi Academy" books. His friends in the Infinity Rainbow Club help demonstrate that autism is a spectrum. The book includes engaging black-and-white illustrations that are featured throughout. VERDICT A relatable school story that can serve as both a "window" and "mirror" about neurodiversity; recommended for upper elementary collections.—Kathryn Ferrante

School Library Journal