A boy made of blocks

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Title:

A boy made of blocks

Author:

Stuart, Keith (Journalist)

ISBN:

9781250111593

Edition:

First U.S. edition.

Physical Description:

390 pages ; 25 cm

Subject Term:

Parents of autistic children -- Fiction.

Fathers and sons -- Fiction.

Video games -- Fiction.

Autism -- Fiction.

Summary:

"Alex loves his family, and yet he struggles to connect with his eight-year-old autistic son, Sam. The strain has pushed his marriage to the breaking point. So Alex moves in with his merrily irresponsible best friend on the world's most uncomfortable blow-up bed. As Alex navigates single life, long-buried family secrets, and part-time fatherhood, his son begins playing Minecraft. Sam's imagination blossoms and the game opens up a whole new world for father and son to share. Together, they discover that sometimes life must fall apart before you can build a better one. Inspired by Keith Stuart's own relationship with his autistic son, A Boy Made of Blocks is a tear-jerking, funny, and, most of all, true-to-life novel about the power of difference and one very special little boy"--

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Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake)	FICTION STU	Searching... Unknown
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)	FICTION STU	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Stillwater Public Library	FICTION STU	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

A Boy Made of Blocks is a funny, heartwarming story of family and love inspired by the author's own experiences with his son, the perfect latest obsession for fans of The Rosie Project, David Nicholls and Jojo Moyes.

A father who rediscovers love

Alex loves his wife Jody, but has forgotten how to show it. He loves his son Sam, but doesn't understand him. He needs a reason to grab his future with both hands.

A son who shows him how to live

Meet eight-year-old Sam: beautiful, surprising - and different. To him the world is a frightening mystery. But as his imagination comes to life, his family will be changed . . . for good.

"One of those wonderful books that makes you laugh and cry at the same time."
Good Housekeeping

"Funny, expertly plotted and written with enormous heart. Readers who enjoyed The Rosie Project will love A Boy Made of Blocks - I did."
Graeme Simsion

"Very funny, incredibly poignant and full of insight. Awesome."
Jenny Colgan

"'A wonderful, warm, insightful novel about family, friendship and love."
Daily Mail

"A charming and timely tale of learning to connect in the digital age."
Kirkus

"This is an author who understands fatherhood and boyhood and everything in between. A truly beautiful book."
Matthew Dicks, author of Memoirs of An Imaginary Friend

"A Boy Made of Blocks will make you laugh and cry in equal measure; a book you won't soon forget."
Brenda Janowitz, author of The Dinner Party

Author Notes

KEITH STUART is the games editor of the Guardian and a veteran video game journalist who has spent 20 years playing, investigating, and writing about video games and their possibilities. He lives with his family in Somerset, England. A Boy Made of Blocks is his first book.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

This debut by U.K. video game journalist Stuart is a funny and insightful novel about a neurotypical father's struggle to connect with his autistic son. The story begins when Alex, a mortgage advisor in Bristol, England, is at a particularly low point in his life. He and his wife Jody have split and are sharing custody of eight-year-old Sam. Alex has lost his job and is crashing at the apartment of his childhood friend Dan. As Alex works through all of this, he spends more time with Sam and they begin to bond in new ways, particularly when they play Minecraft, a video game that encourages creativity and teamwork. Sam gains confidence and even enters a Minecraft competition. The story is inspired by Stuart's own experience with his son, Zac. He writes that Minecraft allowed Zac to express himself and helped his family "to see and appreciate him as a funny, imaginative, and perceptive child." This enjoyable novel will also educate readers about autism and the ways family members can connect despite their neurological differences. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Alex's path to developing a deeper understanding of his autistic son comes through a video game. He and his wife have been struggling to manage life with Sam, an eight-year-old who, while considered high-functioning, is overwhelmed by interacting with the world. Sam throws high-octane tantrums over seemingly tiny setbacks, requires a detailed schedule of his day, and hardly ever communicates with his parents about his inner life. The challenge is so severe that by the start of the novel, Alex has moved out while he and his wife begin a trial separation. But as his life is falling apart, Alex finds a way to connect with his son in a most unexpected arena. They begin playing Minecraft together, a video game that gives the players complete control over building and managing their world. For Sam, it's a place where he can be himself without the confusing messiness and unpredictability of reality. For his father, it's a lifeline that allows him to understand his son on an entirely new level. The novel is inspired by the amazing impact Minecraft had on the author's own son, also autistic. Stuart writes with powerful, plainspoken emotion, beautifully illuminating not only the challenges that come with an autistic child but also the unexpected moments of grace. This is a luminous portrait of the world and the relationship that a father and son build together.--Thoreson, Bridget Copyright 2016 Booklist

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

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