THIS MOTH SAW BRIGHTNESS

A weird and revelatory debut that vividly captures the dislocation of growing up BIPOC and neurodivergent in a country awash in both conspiracy theories and genuine conspiracies.

'Wayne Leknown as "Invisible-D Dwayne" at schoolhas been invited to participate in a seemingly ordinary, innocuous adolescent health study by a prestigious university. The study has a few nice perks, but most important to 'Wayne, is the opportunity to give his immigrant father an accomplishment to be proud ofsomething that's been in sort supply since 'Wayne's mother left. But the study quickly proves to be anything but ordinary and innocuous, and 'Wayne, his best friend Kermit, and a fellow study participant named Jane (a girl who shall not be manic-pixied) find themselves sucked into an M. C. Escherlike maze of conspiracies that might be entirely in their heads or might truly be a sinister government plot. Amanda Vacharat is an author, illustrator, and web developer. She is a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Art MFA program. Her books include elements of science, technology, and usually at least a little whimsy or absurdity. She includes characters that her child-self yearned to seesuch as children with one Asian parent and autistic protagonistsand portrays worlds beyond those most often seen. This Moth Saw Brightness is her debut.