Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse
Susan Vaught
Simon & Schuster, 2019 309 pages
Grades 4-Up
Realistic Fiction/Mystery

Alternating chapters relate the story of Jesse, a middle school who is neurodivergent. Some of the chapters describe the events leading up to "apocalypse", while others tell what happens after the disaster hits. Life has not been easy for Jesse. She is constantly bullied in school, her mother is overseas in Iraq, and her teacher father is accused of and arrested for stealing money from the school's library fund. To make matters worse, she struggles with social cues, human touch and reading emotions. What Jesse does have is a loving and supportive family, a new friend who understands her named Springer, and a winning dog named Sam who Jesse is trying to train to sniff out hidden bombs, like her mother does in the military. Terrified of Dad getting sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit, Jesse and Springer decide to crack the case and flush out the real culprit. Their search puts them in danger by further antagonizing the bullies and stirring up trouble with the school principal. As we see the events leading up to the climax that seems to signal the end of the world, both stories come together as Jesse, Springer, and Sam prove their courage and the mystery is solved. A final surprise awaits Jesse as she and Springer resume their friendship and adventures, both more confident and strong. An author's note at the end explains more about autism and Asperger's.

This book has a lot going on, but somehow it never feels frantic. On one hand it is a realistic problem novel about a girl with Asperger's who is being bullied and on the other it is a mystery to be solved by our amateur sleuth/heroes. There are actually two mysteries: who stole the money and what exactly caused the apocalypse. Readers will guess at what really is happening, yet Vaught does not come right out and tell us until the bitter end. The noise and chaos would certainly feel like the end of the world for someone on the Autistic spectrum and the response to events accurately portrays a person with sensory issues. Readers will be amazed and inspired by Jesse's courage and fierceness. She is a bold character who does not apologize for who she is. Contrastingly, Springer is a gentle giant with parental pressure to "man up". He also finds his inner courage and proves himself by book's end. The supportive friendship is a beautiful element of the novel and it is a gift that these two alternate thinkers have found each other. Vaught never fully reveals if Springer is on the spectrum as well, but evidence supports that he is, even if not formally diagnosed. A mystery on its own is interesting, but seeing it unfold through Jesse's eyes adds another layer. This is a satisfying read. The bullies are finally punished, the mystery is solved, we witness great character growth, and both protagonists’ families are happy and whole. Readers will breathe a sigh of relief and wait for Jesse and Springer to solve another mystery and have their adventures continue. Hand to fans of Erskine's Mockingbird, Draper's Out of My Mind or anything by Lynda Mullay Hunt.