Planet Earth Is Blue

Content Warning: This section discusses the Challenger explosion.

Before writing Planet Earth Is Blue, Panteleakos had strong feelings about the need for readers to see authentic, non-stereotypical protagonists with autism in middle grade literature, and this was one of her main goals in creating Nova’s character:

Panteleakos drew on great depths of experience with autism to write Nova’s character; diagnosed with autism and OCD herself as an adult, she also worked for years teaching creative writing and communication to autistic kids with limited speech and volunteered with autistic children in various programs and through foster respite care (“Autistic #OwnVoices Fiction: Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos.” Little Thoughts, 7 Apr. 2020).

During college, Panteleakos learned of a young boy with many traits associated with autism who had only a speech delay. Another teacher told her, “He was evaluated for autism, but they said he’s too loving” (“Nicole Panteleakos: Loving, Imaginative, + Autistic: Writing Nova.” A Novel Mind, 3 Sept. 2019). The idea that people with autism are “NOT loving” disturbed Panteleakos. Later, she met another boy who was diagnosed with autism and observed him engaging in pretend play. When she complimented him on his imagination, a so-called expert told her, “He doesn’t have the ability to imagine things […] He’s just copying what he’s seen other kids do” (“Nicole Panteleakos”). Again, the implication—that children with autism can’t pretend or imagine—bothered Panteleakos. She wondered if she was capable of loving or using her imagination and began to worry, “What if what I thought was love wasn’t what other people felt?” (“Nicole Panteleakos”). These experiences helped her realize that she had never seen a realistic middle grade protagonist with autism, so she decided to create one.

In creating Nova’s character, Panteleakos relied on some traits commonly associated with autism but also wrote against many misconceptions, such as those she witnessed in her work. Though Nova is mostly nonverbal, she understands much of what people say to her and resents it when people speak as though she can’t: “Like so many former teachers and foster parents, Principal Dowling emphasized each word as if Nova couldn’t hear well” (17). Conversely, Nova appreciates that Francine “talks like [she’s] a person” (12), the way people spoke to Bridget. In addition, Nova is very loving and empathetic, and she can reflect on her behavior and take responsibility for it, retroactively apologizing to her sister and experiencing feelings of guilt when she makes Francine sad. She can also use her imagination. Panteleakos describes her process of vetting her draft’s authenticity before the book’s publication: “I asked as many people as I could to sensitivity read, including one kid, one teen, and multiple adults, one of whom was nonverbal as a child. I tried my best to create a well-rounded, nuanced character. I tried not to create a stereotype” (“Nicole Panteleakos”).

Nova experiences much frustration related to her disability, is deeply sensitive to sounds and smells, and feels frequently emotionally overwhelmed; others often misinterpret her gestures and speech. However, she also experiences much joy related to her condition: her love of astronomy, the excitement she feels when accomplishing something new, her bond with Bridget, and her developing bonds with the Wests. She’s well-rounded and individual rather than a monolithic or stereotypical representative of all people with autism.