What lesson does the book give?

The theme of appearances versus reality ties in with Autumn’s self-perception. From a young age, Autumn felt her looks did not match her personality. She thinks, “I never tried to be weird, and I hated being seen that way. It was as if I had been born without the ability to understand if the things I was about to say or do were strange, so I was trapped into constantly being myself. Being ‘pretty’ was a poor consolation in my eyes” (14). Autumn feels that her beauty prevents the adults around her from noticing anything else about her. She is not wholly comfortable with her eccentric personality but would still prefer being known for that than for her looks. Overall, Autumn’s conflicted attitude towards herself reveals her values of integrity and honesty.