Dear Brooklyn Newsie,

Thank you for letting us know that you liked "Swim Buddies" in the July/August 2017 Cricket. Our readers comments are important to us, and we appreciate your taking the time to let us know.

Yeah, I really enjoyed the story as well. I thought the ending was really touching. A couple people do what Brooklyn mentioned, at my school (just a couple, thank goodness)--not to "insult" each other but to vent frustration at inanimate objects, like broken pencils. I always get upset at it--whenever I hear it I turn around right away and tell them to stop. Because it's wrong, and it doesn't matter if you know someone who's autistic or not--although I do, I'm really close with a bunch of kids I see at a camp I volunteer at, and some of them have varying types of autism--but that doesn't stop them from being some truly awesome human beings (like Brooklyn says, it's just a different way of seeing the world) and I really enjoy spending time there. <3

Yes, I loved this story! One of my cousins is autistic, really far on the spectrum, and he's struggled with making friends and social dynamics, you name it, his whole life. He also happens to be one of the smartest, funniest, most awesome kids I know. He just started attending a boarding school on the East Coast that has been so awesome! I've been so happy to watch him finally find a place that makes him feel comfortable and welcomed. I liked how the sister realized that even though her brother was annoying, how badly he wanted to see a turtle, and so she sacrificed a little of herself for him. It was so moving, and I agree with Brooklyn -- thanks, Cricket, for spreading awareness about autism.