Butt Sandwich & Tree

by Wesley King

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wesley King comes a tender and grounded middle grade mystery about brothers, basketball, and a young boy on the autism spectrum.

Eleven-year-old Green loves his devoted older brother, Cedar, a popular basketball star, but that doesn’t mean he wants to follow in his footsteps. He doesn’t really care about sports or making friends. Still, eventually Green caves to pressure to try out for the basketball team. He may be tall like Cedar, but he’s nowhere near as skilled.

And when a confrontation with the coach spurs Green to flee the court, his flight coincides with a priceless necklace going missing—making him the number one suspect. To clear Green’s name, the two brothers team up to find the necklace, and along the way, they learn to appreciate their differences…and the things that bring them together.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Canada, Middle Grade, Sports

272 pages, Hardcover

Published August 23, 2022

About the author

The author of fourteen novels and counting, Wesley King has received over twenty literary awards and seen his books published worldwide, optioned for film and television, and translated into numerous languages. King is best known for his collaboration with Kobe Bryant on the #1 New York Times Bestselling Wizenard Series, as well as the Edgar Award-winning OCDaniel, which was also a Bank Street Best Book of the Year and Silver Birch winner. The follow-up, Sara and the Search for Normal, won both the Violet Downey and Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Awards. He also co-authored the YA romantic fiction novel Hello (from here) with New York Times bestselling author Chandler Baker. His next novel, Benny on the Case, will be released in April 2025. It is a JLG Gold Selection, has a Starred Review from PW and will be released simultaneously with an audiobook from Dreamscape. His adult debut novel is going to be announced soon.

He lives on a windy seaside bluff in Western Newfoundland, Canada.

Reviews

[Kathie]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of BUTT SANDWICH & TREE by Wesley King (releases on August 23rd)

I’ve enjoyed many of the author’s books, but this one is near the top of my list of favourites. Don’t let the title fool you – this isn’t a book filled with potty humour or an overly light-hearted read. It’s the story of the close relationship between two brothers, one on the autism spectrum, and how a mystery they must work together to solve helps them grow in unexpected ways.

Cedar wants his younger brother, Green, to try out for the school basketball team. He hopes that Green will make friends and they can spend time together playing a sport they love. But Green isn’t very good at basketball, and tempers flare when Cedar’s friends don’t openly welcome Green and his idiosyncracies. Green becomes the number one suspect when the coach’s wedding ring goes missing after practice, and the brothers have to prove Green’s innocence by figuring out who really stole it. During their investigation, we see how the rumours and judgment affect Green, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and has to go outside his comfort zone to clear his name. We also see how Cedar deals with losing his phone privileges and his forced hiatus from recording a viral TikTok.

I enjoyed the supportive and loving relationship between the brothers (based on the author’s family dynamics) and how Cedar reconnects with his Opa without the distraction of his phone. The mystery of the missing ring is well developed, and the basketball focus will draw in readers who enjoy sports stories.

I will definitely be adding this book to my library’s collection.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brothers Cedar and Green are not connected only because of the unusual name choices by their parents, they genuinely like spending time together despite the two years between them and the Asperger Syndrome that makes it difficult for Green to relate well to others. This year, Cedar is determined for others to see Green the way he does—intelligent, talented and completely worth the friends and fun that middle school can be. What better way than for Green to play on the school’s basketball team with him! The plan seems solid except for the fact that Green is far from the stellar player that Cedar is, doesn’t really want to get to know the sweaty and rowdy players on the team, and then the wedding ring of the coach’s deceased wife goes missing and it appears that Green stole it. Wesley King’s tale of two brothers reveals much about the thought processes of someone on the spectrum and both the highs and lows of getting to know a neurodiverse person and maybe even calling him “friend.” In his acknowledgements, King shares that the book is basically autobiographical with Cedar standing for his brother and himself and Green representing his younger brother and that firsthand experience with ASD makes the book ring with authenticity. Readers will read anxiously to find out “who dun it” and will hopefully come away with a greater empathy and understanding of someone with Asperger (Ass-burger/Butt Sandwich—get it?) Syndrome. Recommended with no reservations to readers in grades 5-7ish.

Thanks for the print ARC, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman books.

[Kay S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book. Attention grabbing title. Relatable subject matter. I thought it was good even if I wasn't particularly wowwed by it.

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My two ADHD, ASD kids loved this book. It was well written half from the perspective of an autistic boy and half from his loving brother. He captured the spirit of living with and being autistic with love and understanding.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cedar, who is 8th grade, is a great basketball player who also is trying for fame on TikTok with a series of videos he is making with his friend Mo. Green, who is in 6th grade, has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and has some coping strategies thanks to his doctor. His mother, who is a vet, and father, who is a jockish software engineer given to wearing too much spandex, are concerned that he is not dealing with his challenges well enough, and have made an appointment for him to meet with a specialist. To broaden his horizons, Green tries out for the middle school basketball team. Thanks to his brother's prowess on the court, the coach is lenient about Green's less than stellar skills, and lets him go on to the next round of tryouts based on his "DNA" and his promise to improve. When things go badly on the court with another player, and the chain with the wedding ring of the coach's deceased wife goes missing from his desk, Green's place on the team is in jeopardy. The Coach accuses Green outright of taking the ring, but Cedar believes his brother didn't take it. Working with the school custodian, Maggie, the two start to investigate even though their parents tell them not to. Told from alternating viewpoints, we get a clear picture of how both brothers feel. We see Cedar struggle with doing well on his schoolwork, and get his insight on how difficult life is when his phone is taken away from him. We also get Green's perspective on how he navigates dealing with classmates like Klieba, how sixth grade is different from previous school years, when he had an aide who helped him understand interacting with teachers and students, and how he feels about going to another doctor to consult about his Aspberger's. Will the brothers be able to work together to solve the mystery and get Green on the basketball team?
Strengths: This was a great story about brothers who get along well and really like each other, despite their differences. As adults, I think we forget how important siblings are when we are younger. Cedar is sometimes a bit irritated by Green, but the two genuinely like each other, and look out for each other. Green wants to be more like his brother, so tries out for the basketball team even though it isn't his favorite activity. King's experience with a brother on the autism spectrum makes the details of Green's daily existence very realistic. The mystery is well developed, and is a good framework to show both boys' strengths and weaknesses, as well as their interactions with the school community and their parents. I absolutely LOVED that Cedar lost his phone privileges! That is a huge deal for middle school students who have a phone, and his struggles with social media withdrawal will speak to a lot of readers. The fact that he wasn't overly bitter about this punishment made it even better. There is a particularly sweet rendering of the mother's father, Opa, whom I hope is based on King's own grandfather. Of course, the inclusion of basketball makes every middle grade book better, and quite honestly, everyone should purchase this on the basis of the title alone.
Weaknesses: Since this is based on King's experiences growing up with a brother on the autism spectrum, I wish this had been framed as a historical novel. In 2013, Asperger's was included in the overarching term "Autism Spectrum Disorder", so my students have probablly never heard of Aspberger's. I did appreciate that this change in labeling and the reasons for it were mentioned in the book, but since TikTok videos, cell phones, and Crocs are all mentioned frequently, the terminology is at odds with the very 2022 setting. A historical look at the treatment of students with ASD would have been enlightening.
What I really think: Yeah. I'm going to have to say "butt" a lot when recommending this, aren't I? King has written such a wide variety of books, and it was fun to see him turn his craft to a fictionalized account of his own life.

[Tracy Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the book title fool you, this is not some goofy gross-out book. Wesley King, who got unflinchingly autobiographical about himself in OCDaniel, now shifts focus to his younger brother’s Asperger’s syndrome (a label still used in King’s native Canada). The story is told in alternating viewpoints between older brother Cedar (aka Tree, modeled after King and his older brother, the protectors) and younger brother Green (aka Butt Sandwich as in “assburger” get it?) The main conflict is that the basketball coach’s late wife’s ring (which he usually wears on a chain) has been stolen. The coach (and basically everyone at school) blames Green, as he was rejected at try-outs and people think he stole it as revenge or that he “didn’t know better.” Most people don’t realize that Green is extremely intelligent and perceptive, and also extremely honest. Cedar and Green work together to solve the mystery of who actually stole the ring in order to clear Green’s name. I absolutely loved the close relationship of the brothers and how Cedar never saw Green as anything but a cool, normal kid who was just his own person. His attempts to get Green on the basketball team were not selfish, he just wanted everyone to see Green as the awesome kid that he saw. I feel like this book, however, is the victim of poor marketing. The title itself is goofy but probably appealing to the same middle grade readers who giggle at Captain Underpants and My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish. And getting more kids to read about neurodiverse characters and build empathy is awesome. But the silly cover art does nothing to add to the legitimacy of this story, which has plenty of humor but is also a touching tale of brothers investigating a mystery like the modern day Hardy Boys.

52BC #27: by a neurodivergent author

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book with a lot of heart. It's the story of two brothers. Cedar, the eldest, is a basketball star, and hopes to garner TikTok fame with his home movies. His younger brother, Green, is neurodivergent and pretty much happy with his life as it is. Cedar is sure that Green can make the basketball team, become popular, and have a normal life. Green agrees to try out. After a debacle on the practise court, Green leaves early. When the coach realizes his dead wife's wedding ring is missing, he accuses Green of stealing it. Everyone at the school believes it. Cedar is sure Coach is wrong and he and Green become detectives to find out who really took it. Along the way they come to understand other students and staff. Green makes his first friend. They even drag their Opa along on a stakeout.
What's really obvious in this book is that these two brothers love each other. It's also clear that they are just right being who they are.

While reading this I couldn't help but wonder if these two brothers will solve any more mysteries.

In the back matter King talks about how the story is based on his younger brother, who as an adult is doing just fine. He also discusses the diagnostic term Aspergers. It's no longer used in the USA, but unfortunately, is still used here in Canada.

[JoAnne Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, where to start. There are so many layers to this story. Fiction but with an enlightened perspective that will possibly help you (me) the "normal" mind to appreciate and respect a person who has a wonderful but altered perspective on our, so called, normal world. It's not good. It's not bad. It's different.
A stolen ring that results in an entire school being quick to judge and blame Green for the theft.  This quick and unfair judgement is because Green is the kid with Asperger's syndrome. His big brother, Cedar, is determined to prove to everyone that Green is innocent.  They team up and the sleuthing begins. Cedar finds he has underestimated his little brother. Green knows he's not "normal" but he is doing just fine and ok and it might be a good day. I enjoyed this book so much. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions with tears and laughter. I loved every bit of it.  I highly recommend this book to all students in middle school and up, as well as all educators of every level and to everyone who works with children in any capacity.  It is a wonderful read! I give it a 10! Be sure to read the Author's note.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot to like here from Wesley King, in a novel that in many ways resembles his excellent OCDaniel. As was the case in his Edgar Winning MG novel, he draws from his own (family) history to show us the story of a neurodivergent boy named Green. Another similarity is that there is a mystery in the background of some really great character development when Green and his brother Cedar need to find out who has committed a crime that Green is suspected of. The portrait of Green, who is on the ASD spectrum is well written, including the explanation and use of the term Aspberger's, which is where the novel gets its name. There are a number of other characterizations I really enjoyed. Green's older brother having to learn that Green is different but okay, while also managing his overuse of social media as a wannabe TikTok star. Their basketball coach learning to deal with mistakes he makes and his temper. A great add to any MG library and if you were a fan of OCDaniel this will certainly be a must read. It was great Canada Day read for me.

[Jen Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The unique title “Butt Sandwich and Tree” hooked me but it’s the unique story that reeled me in. I found that the way the chapters alternated between two narrators - the main neurodivergent character, Green and his non-neurodivergent brother, Cedar – gave me a well-rounded view into autism and family life. Most enjoyable though was the mystery of who stole the necklace - it kept me guessing right to the end and satisfied when justice ultimately prevailed.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about a kid who is neurodiverse and the relationship he has with his brother. When Green tries out for basketball, to make his brother happy, and is accused of a theft, Cedar is determined for them to prove someone else did it. There is lots of action on the basketball court and the mystery that Green and Cedar work to solve is interesting.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the name of this book. This is a super cute book about a boy with Autism and his brother. The two of them work to solve a crime his brother was blamed for. The two are lovable and the story is well done! I felt as the reader I was able to gain some perspective about neurodivergent individuals. This book is truly for all ages.

[Gabrielle Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about brothers who are basketball stars. This would be a great addition to any YA library. I loved the autism representation as well.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

forest of reading silver birch fiction
I love Wesley King

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good one -- liked the alternating viewpoints between Cedar and Green, and particularly liked that Green is a very distinct personality, who is clearly differently bothered by the events of the book than his brother, Cedar, is. I loved the bonds between brothers, the humor, the characters and relationships. I like that this is based on Wesley King's family and brothers. I did not care for the coach being such a volatile and hateful character -- he really jumps to conclusions, and it did not seem like the school was at all willing to consider reigning him in. That may be a typical experience for neurodivergent people, and I hate it. Really enjoyed reading this!

[Michael P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a Dolly Gray Award winner, which is how I discovered it.

Green, who has Asperger's, tries out for his brother Cedar's basketball team. Green in accused of stealing the coach's wedding ring, and the two brothers work to solve the mystery and prove Green's innocence. The boys combat the mistreatment Green receives from peers and adults throughout the book.

This was an engaging read that has a very endearing quality through the bond of these two brothers. I would use this in anywhere from a third- to sixth-grade classroom. It could be factored into a unit of instruction about inclusion or bias, or used as an option for a simple "book report"-type assignment.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by my first read by Westey King. I honestly wasn’t drawn in by the book’s cover, but the witty dialogue, interesting POVs, and page-turning mystery kept me intrigued. I loved the tie-in with basketball because I think I can sell this book to many of my students with the sports, humor, and mystery threads. I appreciated the author’s depiction of the autism spectrum disorder along with his author’s note explaining the story’s origin.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

After barely starting this one, I couldn't put it down! A wonderful story of the power of brotherly love and support, but also learning to listen to one another and work together! Great to see how different characters respond to Green's autism as well as seeing his own coping strategies. With a mystery and basketball too! #mglit #IReadCanadian

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a heartwarming story of two brothers (one on the autism spectrum and one neurotypical) who become closer after a school incident. I understand the appeal of the title, but this is actually a serious book.

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endearing story of two brothers, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.

Dolly Gray award winner for 2022. The Dolly Gray award recognizes authentic portrayals of developmental disabilities in books for children and youth. (dollygrayaward.com)

[Beh Rey Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good story that challenges opinions of persons with Asperger’s/ASD. I like how the book is simple enough for primary school/middle school aged children and can be a great tool to start a discussion on inclusion

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! This book gives a glimpse into the world of a young boy with ASD. The main characters, Green and Cedar, work together with some unexpected allies to solve a mystery.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great learning lesson for kids about ASD. Well written and entertaining. My boys say “we love it because we stole paper clips, shoe laces and coaches ring”.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Wesley King!

[Maria Chalfant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read! Loved that it was fictional yet informative! Also loved the whodunnit tied in! Recommend for anyone who works with an array of children (teacher, therapist, etc).

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started off strong. I liked the relationship between Green and Cedar, and I like that it is based on King's actual brothers, but the mystery didn't do anything for me.