# 32 Kristy and the Secret of Susan (part two)

[ModernMaryAnne]

I think that this is a pretty good book, because it's one of those that deals with 'serious issues'. This book wasn't ghostwritten by anyone because Ann had worked with autistic children a while ago and wanted to do it by herself.

I think Kristy had pretty good intentions of trying to keep Susan to stay in Stoneybrook, and show her parents she could make friends. One thing I thought was a little hard to believe it could really happen was when that boy(I forgot his name) discovered that Susan was autistic and stood at the side of her house charging kids one dollar to go see her like a sidesh

It was really sad at the end when she was leaving, and Kristy and James Hobart were standing on the sidewalk waving to her, and James said he wished she could say goodbye to him.

[Rie]

There's already a thread about this book. Here's the link :

Kristy and the Secret of Susan

[tiff85]

I didn't like the way Susan was treated by her parents. They wanted to send her away the first chance they got. The neighborhood kids weren't any better. They could have been a little more sensitive.

[icequeen]

^ What would you know? Have you ever had any children? Have you ever had a child with autism? Susans autism was quite advanced and she literally lived within her own head Wheres the proof they were "sending her away first chance they got"? Susan had special needs and for that she needed special attention by professionals They were not just sending her away so they didnt have to deal with her they sent her so she could get the help that she deserved, as even Kristy realised at the end of the book.
We had an autistic kid at my high school and although we had a special education unit, the teachers thought it a good idea to stick him in regular classes with normal lessons too and expect him to do all his work and behave. Unfortunetly he was disruptive, confused and did not progress the poor guy.

Yes the kids could have been kinder but unfortunetly kids can be rude or not very tactful, and they didnt quite understand what was wrong with susan and why she acted so differently to them...

[rainbowgirl28]

Were the Felders ever mentioned again in any of the later books? Did poor Mrs Felder ever have her baby or was she just stuck in pregnancy the whole series?!

[supprazz]

lol @ being stuck in pregnancy

I really love this book too, it's one of my favourites though I've heard critics say that it doesn't paint an accurate enough picture of autism.

I'm always withdrawn and in my own world too and function fine. I used to wonder if I had Asperger's cause I apparently have a lot of aspie traits.

[sugarandspicexx]

I think Kristy was quite naive for the most part, but in a nice "I think I can change the world" kind of way in most of this book.

I bet no-one wanted more for Susan to be able to be able to live at home, attend a regular school and make friends with children in the neighbourhood more than her parents.. They weren't just throwing her away the first chance they got, the book shows how torn up the Felder's are about sending her away. Kristy needed to realise the severity of Susan's condition before she could understand that there was nothing she could do to help her.

Also, as unfortunate as it is the kids charging others a dollar to see her doesn't sound so far fetched to me. Children can be horrible when it comes to these sort of things and disabilities like autism I think it's safe to say weren't probably as common as they are now back then so children understood less and were more insensitive to these things.

[Kylie90210]

I'm gonna lock this thread, because we already have one on it.