Quite possibly a masterpiece.
As you can tell, I could not put this book down. I have so much to say... but I'll try to keep it short.

Firstly, this book is a beautiful autistic story. Written by an autistic, female writer, with an autistic, female main character, an autistic female older sister, and surrounded by an amazing family support network who do not centre their lives on the difficulty of raising the autistic main.

From an adult/teaching perspective, it is an emotional story that teaches empathy, inclusion, and self-love through an honest and at times upsetting narrative, that is unsettlingly true.
Had I read this book as a child... it would have been an eye opening experience.

The balance of family life, school life and internal thoughts and emotions are perfectly weighed. McNicoll manages to intertwine the plot of Addie's campaign with her own internal interactions, and her interactions with those around her in such a way that not only is it compelling to read, but all-consuming. I needed to know what happened next: Will Addie's campaign get the support it deserves? Will her teacher finally get her just deserts? What will it take to show Addie she deserves better?

I believe some books only take your eyes to read. Others, your eyes and brain. A Kind of Spark is the sort of book that demands the attention of your eyes, brain, heart, and entire body as you read. I found myself literally holding my breath at times. It is an emotional investment.

To truly understand the characters you need to show empathy as you read. I would love to study this book in a classroom. I can't even begin to imagine the amazing and honest discussions it would trigger between children about nice vs good, our differences, and our needs.

(Also, +100 points for the kindly male school librarian character who I will always aspire to)