Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

This is the story of two friends: one is loud and may be too much for those around her, the other makes no sound yet somehow says much in his silence. Aurora and Frenchie found their way to each other in third grade and since then an unbreakable bond was forged. Their families are best of friends and depend on each other as if they are more than neighbors and friends. They are family by choice.

When Aurora finds out she and Frenchie have been assigned to different homerooms for sixth grade, she wonders if there is a mistake. She worries Frenchie won't have "his person" which everyone knows has always been Aurora, to help him throughout the school day. The school assures her they have a plan and a new helper for Frenchie who will partner with Aurora to continue to provide support for her friend while also allowing both Aurora and Frenchie to branch out and grow their social circles.

As the year progresses things seem to be going well. Aurora's new friends from her classroom spend time with both Aurora and Frenchie at recess and outside of school. Aurora still walks Frenchie to class and they still spend plenty of time enjoying the great outdoors together. But then suddenly Frenchie goes missing and Aurora is thrown into a feeling of guilt that she is to blame. She suddenly doesn't know how to use her voice to share her fears about what she thinks she has done and her worries for Frenchie's safety.

Leslie Connor has written another beautiful heart print middle grade novel about finding and keeping true friendship. It is a story that will remain with you long after you turn the final page.

It may be because I live in Maine or because, as a special educator, Frenchie and Aurora are the kinds of kids I love to work with, but regardless….I loved everything about this book. Each of the characters, from main to secondary to supporting, embodies a Maine community. Aurora’s friendship with Frenchie is a special one and one on which that all kids should reflect. This is a great book for any middle-grade reader who enjoys realistic fiction and would be a great read aloud for community building at the start of a school year.

Aurora Pauline Petrequin is enthusiastic, energetic, and loud. She runs and hikes and blurts out things when she should be quiet. She lives with her parents and younger brother, next door to her best friend, Nathan French Livernois, commonly called Frenchie. Frenchie is, in many ways, the exact opposite of Aurora - not only is he quiet, but Frenchie doesn't talk. At all. And he doesn't like to be touched too much, his clothes have to be exactly the way he likes them, he thrives on routine - and he loves birds. Frenchie's mother, Gracia, moved to their little town in Maine so that Frenchie would be mainstreamed in school, instead of being placed in a separate class. When Frenchie moves in next door with his mother, Aurora instantly takes a liking to him, and they become close, if somewhat improbable, friends. For the next three years, they do everything together, including sharing a classroom at school... until 6th grade when, suddenly and inexplicably, they are placed in different rooms. But despite that change, things are going well, until one day, Frenchie arrives at school but never gets to his classroom.

This is a wonderfully heartwarming story, about a pair of very different children who accept each other for who they are, who learn to accommodate their differences and enjoy their similarities, and to communicate in ways that transcend speech. When Frenchie goes missing, the entire town turns out to look for him - not just the people nearby, but everyone who has ever encountered him, along with more people brought in by those who know him. As they search for Frenchie, the people in the town learn more about each other, and about themselves, than they thought they ever needed to know, in the best possible way. This novel will leave you happy, sad, and saying to yourself "I'm not crying... you're crying". A wonderful choice to share with students of any age to help them understand that just because someone is different - because someone doesn't speak, or doesn't get along with you, or comes from somewhere else - they're still people, and with a little effort, everyone can learn to get along, and to find something to like in anyone. This novel is strongly recommended for upper elementary to adult; it would also make a wonderful read-aloud at nearly any age.

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for my review, which is freely given.

I enjoyed the friendship between Frenchie and Aurora. I also really like the sense of community that formed when Frenchie went missing.
I'm not sure how much my students would like the slow pace of the story but I appreciate Connor's thoughtful writing style.

A great story about two kids who found each other and became each other’s person. Frenchie is non-verbal and on the spectrum. Aurora still understands him and knows how to communicate with them. They have been together since the day they met. This school year, they are going to be in separate classes. Aurora makes new friends and pays less attention to Frenchie. When Frenchie disappears, the whole town turns up to look for him.

As a special educator, and the parent of a child with special needs, books that focus on acceptance of those who are different hold a special place in my heart. So, of course I had to read this story!

Aurora, who is wiggly and talkative and Frenchie, who is autisic and mute, become best friends the summer before third grade. Aurora is able to understand Frenchie by watching his mannerisms. She advocates for him both in school and in the community by explaining his abilities to communicate in his own special way. Aurora and Frenchie are lucky enough to be in the same class together every year - until 6th grade. It is difficult for them to be apart, but Aurora is beginning to make some new friends. One day, Frenchie doesn't make it into his classroom at the beginning of the school day. A search begins for the missing boy and only then does Aurora realize just how much her heart is bound to her best friend.

The chapters are told from the perspectives of many of the characters however, the majority of them focus on things from Aurora's perspective. Aurora experiences life at a fast pace so it makes the book a quick read. I loved getting to know both Aurora and Frenchie and I also really enjoyed the way the other characters in the book interacted with them. This book shows that everyone has something good to offer the world if you just stop to notice. 4.5 stars rounded to 5

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #AnybodyHereSeenFrenchie? by #LeslieConnor in exchange for an honest review. The view expressed are my own.

Enjoyable middle grade read about vivid characters in a location both similar and exotic to our small town. I purchased it for the public library.

This is another terrific character driven story by Leslie Connor. Aurora is a girl who is going into 6th grade. For the first time, she and her best friend and next door neighbor, Frenchie, will not be in the same class. Frenchie is neurologically different and mute and Aurora has helped him navigate their school so far, but this year, she has new friends and he has a full time assistant. One day, Aurora loses track of Frenchie as she heads into school and Frenchie disappears, setting off a hug search party. The story is told from mostly from Aurora's point of view, but also from Frenchie's and many of the townspeople. This a wonderful mystery story and I can't wait to put it in my library.

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor
Aurora Petrequin, boisterous middle-grade girl has a best friend, her neighbor Frenchie Livernois. Never mind that Frenchie is non-verbal. Aurora says what needs to be said. As the story begins, she finds out that she and Frenchie are in different classrooms in their Maine elementary school. She wonders how either one of them will survive without the other. All goes well until one day when Frenchie disappears. Aurora is heartbroken and wonders where he is and why he isn’t coming home.
I totally enjoyed this book and the tenderness with which the author examined a friendship between a “normal” girl and her autistic friend. The characters were fascinating and well-written. The ending was satisfying. It is totally appropriate for a middle-grade reader and may enhance their understanding of their autistic classmates.
As a teacher and a parent and grandparent, I can enthusiastically recommend this book to young readers. I am grateful to the publisher for a copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

As someone who is reading a digital ARC of Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?, I was interested in a recent talk between Leslie Connor and Roger Sutton of The Horn Book.

During their conversation, Connor shared that she’d become “really interested in how vast the autism spectrum is.” She explained that for this book, she created two neurodiverse main characters, but she did not label either one of them.

I am a reader who is, herself, on the autism spectrum. So, while the story certainly caught my interest and kept me invested in the outcome, I have to express concern that the publisher has labeled only one of these two protagonists as officially having “autism.” That would be Frenchie, a young boy who is also nonverbal.

Aurora, the other main protagonist and the story’s main narrator, is merely “cued as neurodiverse” in the words of a Kirkus review. But being “cued as” something isn’t the same as having your identity explicitly acknowledged and recognized.

I find this dichotomy especially concerning because girls and women are far less likely to receive an official diagnosis of autism - possibly because of ways that clinicians interpret their behavior and their special interests (Zeliadt, 2018).

Without a diagnosis, we’re cut off from information that might explain our differences, and we’re certainly cut off from accommodations or services that might ease our struggles and challenges.

I am interested to know if either the author or the publisher sought input at any stage of the writing and publishing process from people on the autism spectrum. Their lived experience could provide valuable insight, since Connor in her talk with Sutton, acknowledges that she is not autistic. I do think the statement she uncovered in her research is absolutely right-on, and that is, “Show me one autistic person and I’ll show you one autistic person.”

Appreciation to NetGalley and to the publisher for giving me a digital ARC. I ask that the publisher please consider my feedback concerning the use of a diagnostic label to describe only one of this book’s main protagonists.

References:
Kirkus. (2022, Feb. 15). Anybody here seen Frenchie? Book reviews. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/leslie-connor/anybody-here-seen-frenchie/

Sutton, R. (2021, Dec. 16). Leslie Connor talks with Roger. Notes from the Horn Book. https://www.hbook.com/story/leslie-connor-talks-with-roger-2021

Zeliadt, N. (2018, June 13). Autism’s sex ratio, explained. Spectrum News. https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/autisms-sex-ratio-explained/

Big thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?

Aurora and Frenchie are best friends and neighbors. They are both neurodivergent middle schoolers. Although their individual neurodivergencies are not specifically named, this teacher will tell you that Aurora is reminiscent of many of my students with ADHD while Frenchie brings to mind students on the autism spectrum. While Aurora often blurts out whatever pops into her head, Frenchie stays silent except for the occasional tweet or whistle. Frankie loves birds and is always looking up and out at the world around him. Aurora has taken Frenchie under her wing. She makes sure he is safe and walks him to his classroom aide every morning. The one day she didn't walk Frenchie to his aide, he went missing. Soon the whole town is looking for Frenchie and Aurora is riddled with guilt. What can she do to help find Frenchie? As the one who knows Frenchie the best, she feels like she is his only hope.

This book is packed with neurodivergent representation. The themes of friendship and acceptance abound. The cast of characters is wonderful, too. This is a must-add for every school library and middle-grade classroom.

The author does a great job making you feel for the characters! I was on the "edge of my seat" and kept turning the pages to find out what would happen to Frenchie. I also thought it was nice to see all of the supportive adults in the lives of both Frenchie and Aurora.

Occasionally you read a book with a character that captures your attention almost right away. Aurora was that character for me. She is herself unapologetically. She recognizes that her energy and "blurting" habit make it hard for her to fit in with her peers but she's accepted these elements of herself. She tries to be more thoughtful but also doesn't want to change her essential nature. And she's imperfect. She makes decisions that the reader know she will come to regret. But when she makes mistakes she owns up to it and does her best to make it right. This book is more than the relationship between Aurora and Frenchie, though. Searching for Frenchie reveals the connections between the town's inhabitants. They come together for one of their own, even a kid who might be considered a natural outsider. Each scene helps people to notice things that help them appreciate each other more. A joy to read.

Ever since they first met, Frenchie and Aurora have been friends, even though he never speaks and she is sometimes (usually) way too loud. Frenchie loves birds and anything that goes up, while Aurora is more of a down-to-earth kid, particularly if there are cool rocks at her feet. One day, Aurora forgets to take Frenchie all the way to his classroom, and her day is disrupted by the news that he has disappeared. Until that moment, Aurora wasn't sure anyone ever really thought about Frenchie, but now they have to see him and understand him if they hope to avoid tragedy.

One of the things that I really love about this book is that it's never stated that any of the children has a disability. We can feel it to a certain extent, but their parents and teachers always treat them as people, not as burdens. I want this mindset to go into every classroom and home where one might find children who think or behave a bit differently than expected. I want everyone to feel seen the way Aurora sees Frenchie.

Thank you to HarperCollins, NetGalley, and Leslie Connor for this beautiful ARC. It captivated me right from the start, and I can't wait to share it.

Eleven-year-old Aurora Petrequin’s best friend doesn’t talk. And that’s fine by her. She makes enough noise for the two of them. Aurora also bounces, blurts, and rushes in where angels fear to tread. But Frenchie doesn’t mind. They’ve known each other since third grade when Frenchie and his mom moved in next door to Aurora and her parents.

Now their moms are best friends, too. Some people mistake Frenchie’s silence for a lack of understanding, but Aurora knows better. Frenchie’s facial expressions, hand flutters, whistles, and stances communicate as loudly as Aurora’s blurts and proclamations.

After three years of having the same teacher as Frenchie, Aurora wonders how they’ll survive in different classrooms for sixth grade. The first few days go well, and for once Aurora has friends who can talk in her.

But everything goes wrong when they don’t ride the bus to school on Friday before Labor Day. Frenchie doesn’t make it to class. His disappearance sets off a community-wide search, bringing together people who don’t normally mingle.

Will they find Frenchie before it’s too late?

What I Loved About This Book

Connor weaves together a beautiful story, mostly narrated by Aurora, about neurodiversity and acceptance. Aurora’s supportive family encourages her to be herself, while still helping her to understand social niceties. Frenchie’s mom accepts him unconditionally, and she value’s Aurora’s friendship with her son.

Frenchie’s disappearance brings unlikely people together as they learn to appreciate each other’s special talents and endearing quirks. Aurora even learns to appreciate her nemesis, the annoying Darleen Dombroski, who everyone thinks should be her BFF.
I’ll be purchasing this one for our school library, along with a few copies for friends and family. As the grandparent of a neurodiverse child, I especially appreciated how the author subtly, yet gently points out we’re all a little quirky. And we can either let our differences draw us apart or let them enrich our lives.

A must-read for elementary and middle school students (and their parents and teachers). Fans of Laura Melchor and Josephine Cameron will love this book.

Leslie Connor writes such beautiful, thought-provoking books for middle grade readers and their adults. Her latest, Has Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? tells the story of two special needs kids one totally non-verbal, and one loud and impulsive and the special bond they forge. It also tells about their wonderfully supportive families and how a community can come together in a time of crisis. I highly recommend this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? Chapters from the perspective of a non-verbal character bring empathy and understanding about Autism Spectrum Disorder and how someone with neurodiversity may experience the world. The storyline about Frenchie going missing kept me intrigued through the resolution of the story, and I came to care about all of the various characters as more point of view chapters were introduced.

What a sweet middle grade read! An unlikely friendship between two kids, Aurora, a spunky, impulsive (and very observant) girl, the other, Frenchie, a non-verbal boy (likely on the spectrum but it is never specifically said) who loves birds. They bond almost instantly and Aurora takes it upon herself to look after him--until one day she is distracted and upsets the routine. The whole town comes together to search for Frenchie when they discover he isn't where he's supposed to be. A lovely book about friendship and neurodiversity.

Thank you Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books for the gifted book I read along with the library audio.

This story caught me off guard in the best way. Aurora and Frenchie are best friends. Aurora is loud and impulsive and spunky and Frenchie is mute, observant, and methodical. Despite their differences, they are each other's people. Aurora looks out for Frenchie at school and at home, and Frenchie is Aurora's companion that allows her to be fully herself. But when Frenchie goes missing, Aurora must find a way to take all she knows and has observed about Frenchie and communicate that to the rescuers. The audio for this book is so beautifully done with multiple narrators that accentuate the already clearly written voices of each of the characters. 

This would make an excellent book club book for adults and middle graders alike. There are elements of symbolism and prose that could be found in an adult literary fiction novel. So much to discuss here!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this little heartfelt book. Aurora and Frenchie and friends ( which ends up including the whole town) show us what real community looks like.
They teach us without moralizing how to appreciate each other and how what might be looked upon as weaknesses can really be our strengths.
I loved this kids book and will definitely be one to share with the grand babe when she gets a little older.