The Curiosities

With a twist of Filipino folklore and written as a celebration of diversity, The Curiosities gives readers a peek into the world of those living with a neurodivergence and how they see the beauty of the world through their eyes. A young boy, Miro, wakes up one morning to discover that the Curiosities had chosen him as a nesting place. With the Curiosities surrounding him, Miro starts to see the world in a different way. They show him how to swim with stars and weave clouds into stories. Miro notices that most people don’t see the Curiosities as he does. They cannot see the world as he does and often ignore the Curiosities. Other people, such as the village elder, do see the Curiosities, and she tells them tales of her own.

But the Curiosities are not always so wonderful. Sometimes they are loud and strange, making people stare and turn away from Miro. When the Curiosities become too loud and brilliant, Miro is surrounded by too much noise and confusion. On one such night, no matter how much Miro begged for peace and quiet, the Curiosities refused to be tamed, and Miro became wrapped in darkness as he tried to find calm within himself. Then he heard a small whisper, and, when he opened his eyes, he saw a thin thread of light. The thread of light lifted him out of the darkness, and Miro came face to face with the village elder. Miro felt calmer, and the Curiosities were quiet once more. The thread grew stronger, and Miro realized there were many threads leading to many more people who were chosen by the Curiosities as well. Knowing he wasn’t alone, Miro once again swam with the stars and found all the oddities of the world wonderful.

This beautiful story is a voice for all those who live with a neurodiversity, whether that be Tourette’s, seizures, ADHD, or an anxiety disorder. Written for her child who has a neurological disorder, Fraillon has created a story that depicts such disorders in a way that is rarely seen in children’s literature. The Curiosities embraces the differences and unique perspective that people living neurodiversities have. Through Miro, Fraillon shows that these differences can shed light on a world that is mysterious and wonderful. However, just as Miro becomes surrounded by darkness, a life with neurodiversity can also be overwhelming and scary. When people don’t understand what a person may be going though, sometimes it can cause them to be judgmental and wary.

Lesnie captures this beauty and darkness exceptionally well with his watercolour illustrations. The Curiosities are based on creatures from Filipino folklore, called aswang, which resemble shape-shifting monsters. In this story, the aswang become the embodiment of a neurodiversity that appears as bright, spirit-like creatures. Depicted in such a form, Lesnie’s illustrations and interpretation of Fraillon’s story will help readers gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with a neurological disorder, providing a foundation for empathy and openness to self-expression.