Happy Autism Awareness Month from THP! As you know, diverse representation means everything to our book team. Even more than that, we love a book that can balance wit while addressing social justice issues and intersectionality. DeAndra Davis gave us that and more with her debut novel, All the Noise at Once.
All the Noise at Once tells the story of Aiden Wright, a Black, autistic teenager who tries to uncover what happened the night his brother Brandon was wrongfully arrested.
Honestly, we cried a few times reading this book, but we aren’t embarrassed to admit it. Here are three of many reasons why you should read All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis.
Book Overview: All The Noise At Once
Content warnings: racism, graphic violence, slurs
Summary: All Aiden has ever wanted to do was play football just like his star quarterback brother, Brandon. An overstimulation meltdown gets in the way of Aiden making the team during summer tryouts, but when the school year starts and a spot unexpectedly needs to be filled, he finally gets a chance to play the game he loves.
However, not every player is happy about the new addition to the team, wary of how Aiden’s autism will present itself on game day. Tensions rise. A fight breaks out. Cops are called.
Brandon interferes on behalf of his brother, but is arrested by the very same cops who, just hours earlier, were chanting his name from the bleachers. When he’s wrongly charged for felony assault on an officer, everything Brandon has worked for starts to slip away, and the brothers’ relationship is tested. As Brandon’s trial inches closer, Aiden is desperate to figure out what really happened that night. Can he clear his brother’s name in time?
Diverse Representation
To start, All the Noise at Once skillfully captures the intersectionality between being Black and being autistic in the main character Aiden, from sensory issues to figuring out social and emotional cues. The side notes in the middle of a chapter also help readers understand Aiden’s thought process even more. Ever since he was old enough to understand, Aiden’s parents taught him what to do if he were ever stopped by the police. Always comply, comply comply, and come home alive. He just wasn’t sure how much of that rule came from being Black or being autistic until now.
The Secrets
All the Noise at Once keeps us on our toes with not knowing what really happened the night of Brandon’s arrest. Aiden couldn’t see what was happening with the officer pinning him down, nor could any of the other teammates. But with Brandon’s trial date drawing closer, Aiden takes it upon himself to find out who knows the truth and can prove it in court. We felt disappointed but not surprised to see the complacency of some of his classmates. They even go so far to cover their own secrets rather than help prove Brandon’s innocence.
Aiden’s Character Development
Another reason why you should read All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis is Aiden’s character development. When the school year started, Aiden always felt like a package deal with his older brother. His only “friends” were Brandon’s friends. But as Aiden finds a place in his classes and the football team, he makes friends of his own. He learns to be assertive and self-regulate better. Aiden gradually starts to see his brother in a new light, one where he doesn’t have to rely on Brandon for everything.
A powerful and well-crafted debut, All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis captures the coming-of-age of a Black, autistic teenager. We’re keeping this story close to our hearts.
All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis releases on April 15th, and you can order a copy of it here!
So, what do you think of All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis? Has it made its way to your April book list yet? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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