Skip to main content

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork


Also Reviewed for TeensReadToo.com!
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: 3/1/2009
About the Book: Marcelo is seventeen and has an Asperger's-like condition. He goes to a special school and has a summer job lined up caring for the therapy horses at his school. But Marcelo’s father has other plans-he wants Marcelo to experience the real world. He gets Marcelo a job working in the mail room of his law firm. Marcelo isn’t interested in working at the law firm, but his father makes him a deal-survive in the real world and he won’t have to go to the public high school his father would like him attend for his senior year.

While working at the law firm, Marcelo uncovers secrets, learns about friendship, fights a battle for justice and learns about the real world.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I was first drawn to this book because of Marcelo-I was interested in reading a book written from the perspective of a character with Asperger’s. I thought it would be a story about Marcelo navigating the real world, but there was so much more. Marcelo finds himself faced with tough decisions, and fighting a battle between what’s right and wrong, and I think anyone can relate to Marcelo’s struggles. There’s some mystery, some romance, and even some religious searching all packed in these pages.
I enjoyed the fact that the book is written in first person from Marcelo’s point of view. It was interesting to get inside Marcelo’s head and understand how he processed things.

Jasmine, Marcelo's co-worker in the mail room, is an inspiration. She’s patient, she’s kind, and she’s smart. I wish more people were as gentle as Jasmine was when she first met Marcelo. Yes, he was slow in his work at first, but she encouraged him and helped him learn instead of getting upset. We could all hope to be like Jasmine, especially when dealing with people who are “different.”
I recently saw a movie trailer for the movie Adam, which is about a man with Asperger's. I think this movie and this book would make great discussion starters!

Comments

  1. I'll have to check out this book. Asperger's is, I find, quite fasinating. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great review! This one should be on its way to me soon - it sounds so good :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love hearing from other readers! Share your thoughts and chime in!

Popular posts from this blog

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: 5/5 Stars Genre: Realistic Fiction Release Date: 2/26/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Eleanor and Park are both misfits. When new girl Eleanor sits next to Park on the bus, they don't want anything to do with each other. But over the course of the school year, things change. It starts with comic books and becomes a friendship and a romance that the two will never forget. You never forget your first love. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Have you ever had a book sit on your shelf that you've heard so much hype about? And you think that books sounds like it would be right up your alley, but you're in a reading slump and you're afraid to give it a try unless it fails? I knew Eleanor and Park sounded like my perfect book, but I was in such an after committee slump that I even though I knew this book would help, I just didn't want to be disappointed. I should have known better because Eleanor and Park was perfect and everything that I had hoped it wou

Contact Me

  I love to hear from fellow readers and librarians! Send me an email to say hello! You can reach me at greenbeanteenqueen (at) gmail (dot) com

Post Downton Abbey Reading List

Downton Abbey is over (with a shocking and frustrating ending!) and now I'm suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal. I've got a reading list full of books that I hope will satisfy my post-Downton Abbey cravings and I thought I'd share what's in my pile and get suggestions for other after Downton reads. Here's what I hope to be reading this year (a mix of YA and adult titles):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A couple Julian Fellowes reads:                And a few re-reads:                    Edited to add: What's on your Post-Downton Abbey reading list?