Counting by 7s

Both center outsider protagonists who transform their communities — Auggie through visibility, Willow through intelligence and vulnerability

Another story of an exceptional individual trapped in a system not designed for them — Ivan in a mall, Willow in institutions that cannot accommodate her

A similarly brainy middle-grade protagonist navigating a world that doesn't quite fit — both novels trust young readers with complexity

Another scientifically-minded girl processing grief through research and classification — both novels explore how intelligence copes with loss

Both center displaced characters rebuilding identity in unfamiliar settings — Lai's Ha is a refugee, Willow is an orphan, both must plant new roots

Both feature neurodivergent narrators whose distinctive voices drive the entire novel — Christopher is more rigidly logical, Willow more emotionally porous