Stanley Will Probably Be Fine by Sally J. Pla

To spread more awareness about autism, here is another inspiring book that everyone should read.

Nobody knows comics trivia like Stanley Fortinbras does.

It’s what he takes comfort in when the world around him gets to be too much. And after he faints during a safety assembly, Stanley takes his love of comics up a level by inventing his own imaginary superhero, named John Lockdown, to help him through.

Help is what he needs because Stanley has entered Trivia Quest—a giant comics-trivia treasure hunt—to prove he can tackle his worries, score VIP passes to Comic Fest, and win back his ex-best friend. Partnered with his fearless new neighbor, Liberty, Stanley faces his most epic, overwhelming, and challenging day ever.

Over-the-top safety drills and a trivia game that takes you around the San Diego area. As an autistic person, I understand how all that can be overwhelming. Especially when you’re sensitive to loud noises and have high anxiety. The drills happened every other day, and I get that people need to know what to do in an emergency, but they had an actual fire, for Pete’s sake! And the trivia game, being surrounded and pushed around by so many people with the added pressure of wanting to win, makes me shiver.

If you’re into superheroes, this is the book for you. So many superheroes are mentioned in this story that even if you’ve never read a comic book before, you’re bound to recognize at least one name. I love superheroes as much as the next person, but I mostly stick to TV shows and movies rather than the actual comics. The Marvel and DC Universes are so vast. It’s too much for me. I have no idea how Stanley can keep all his facts straight. Write down your favorite superhero in the comment section below.

I liked Liberty, Stanley’s new fearless friend. She believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself and showed concern when he felt overwhelmed. My favorite thing about her is the funny shirts she wears. One shirt said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Except for bears. Bears will kill you.” I have a rather large collection of funny shirts. One of my favorites says, “I never said half the crap people said I said.” – Albert Einstein.

Here are some questions I asked Sally when we met. Again, not word-for-word answers:

Is all of the trivia on superheroes and comics accurate?

Oh yes! Double checked! Triple checked! Apparently, the copy editor checks everything.

What’s your favorite superhero film?

Her favorite is ‘the newest superman movie.’ Her least favorite is Avengers: Infinity War because the ending is so sad and depressing. I agree with her.

Have you ever attended the San Diego Comic-Con, and would you recommend it?

I learned from the Acknowledgments at the back of the book that Sally fractured her leg just before the San Diego Comic-Con. She had a ticket and wanted to go, but was worried about her leg, the wheelchair, and the crowd. Her sons wanted her to go and dress up like Professor X. Sadly, she hasn’t been able to go to the San Diego Comic Con, but she has been to the Anaheim Comic Con.

As a bonus, here’s a picture of me meeting Sally J. Pla at a bookstore named Island Tales in Newport Beach.