A book recommendation I suggest is We are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielson. The title itself will teach you acceptance. Despite differences, we are the same. Through the characters Stewart and Ashley you can laugh and sympathize with their story.
Stewart is a brilliant thirteen-year-old boy. His awkward nature and bluntness aren’t good in social situations. Stewart reminds me a lot of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Stewart isn’t arrogant, if anything he is excited to be part of a new family. Ever since his mother died it was just him and his dad. The idea of having a step-sister makes him happy. Stewart’s inability to understand social cues in a high school setting makes him an interesting character. His interactions with the adults in his life are blunt and straightforward.
Ashley on the other hand is the total opposite. She prioritizes her popularity, being pretty, and hoping her father can answer the question: why did you leave mom and me?
Ashley is all about fashion and poise. Ashley and her Mom share a complex relationship. When her father came out as gay, her mother was hurt but supportive. Not only is he staying in another small house next to theirs, but her mother’s boyfriend is also moving in. Ashely’s wall is up and she puts her friends down in order to be on top.
Yet throughout this entire novel each of them learns something about themselves they never thought of. Even though Ashley ignores Stewart at school, he manages to be himself and gain friends. However, with Ashley’s fake attempt at friendships, many leave her. Ashley learns that being sincere and trying is what makes you accepted by many.
Despite their differences, Stewart and Ashley are human beings at the end of the day. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how popular or beautiful you are. We are all made of molecules is the point of this entire novel. Everyone is a human being made up of molecules, living their life.
I recommend you check out this book. As a reader, I absorbed that message loud and clear. I feel less insecure about the things I thought were important during my high school and college years.
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