Connect the Stars

When thirteen-year-old misfits Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness survival camp in the desert, they form an unlikely friendship as they trek a grueling 200-mile route alongside other campers who each face their own emotional or sensory challenges, including a boy who is hypersensitive to stimulation and a girl struggling with intense anger toward her mother. Aaron has an extraordinary memory but struggles to read emotional and social cues, while Audrey has an uncanny ability to always know when someone is lying; together they learn that their so-called flaws make them whole rather than broken. The story explores neurodiversity and differing mental and physical challenges with warmth and humor, while tackling themes of bullying, self-acceptance, and finding where you truly belong. Blending outdoor adventure with introspective emotional growth, this heartfelt middle-grade novel celebrates friendship forged through vulnerability and understanding.