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Mal is David’s younger brother. He is 10 years old and has autism. At the beginning of the novel, Mal can only say one word, okay, which he has been using for a year. Mal has occasional meltdowns and will begin shrieking and sometimes fighting against himself or those around him. One of the primary ways that the family helps Mal through these meltdowns is to wrap him in his favorite rug, a long scrap of commercial carpet.

David and Mal’s bond as brothers is one of the main focal points in the second half of the novel. Mal has very specific needs that David is usually happy to accommodate. For example, when they go for a walk, Mal requires a specific hoodie and wants Cheerios in the pockets. He also needs to listen to the Disney song “Let It Go” on his headphones, and his shoes must be “tied just right—if they’re too tight or too loose he won’t go” (164). Despite David’s efforts to carefully accommodate Mal’s needs, their first walk ends in a meltdown because the battery in Mal’s headphones dies. David calms Mal down by singing “Let It Go.” David remains persistent with Mal and eventually realizes that Mal likes the music because it provides “a filter between him and the noisiness of the outside world” (176). Using this logic, David introduces Mal to sunglasses, which help Mal to deal with his visual sensory issues. David also figures out that Mal only likes certain food colors and textures, so he helps Mal to find more foods to eat, like toaster waffles.

Mal shows his support for David in return. When David is training for his first eating contest, Mal watches, “silently mouthing the word ‘Okay’” (49) and getting louder as David improves. As David continues to train, he observes, “Mal loves to watch me eat” (161). Mal’s support of David ultimately allows him to enter the final competition. When Dad tries to stop David from competing, Mal “started screaming ‘Go, David, Go!’ over and over” (254). Mal’s ability to use new words is such an important event to the family that David’s parents decide to bring Mal to the competition and show their support for David. Through his time with David, Mal makes significant progress in his interactions with the world around him. This process shows The Importance of a Family Support System.

David’s parents are one of the main sources of conflict for David. Mom is the primary caretaker for David and Mal while Dad works a full-time job. David feels that he gets little attention from his parents, who are often busy with their other responsibilities and children. Throughout most of the novel, David feels like he is at odds with his parents because of the responsibility they expect from him and the lack of support he feels from them. When David begins his competitive eating training, Mom expresses her disapproval by declaring that eating contests “are a disgusting display of excess and gluttony” (82). In Chapter 20, both Mom and Dad confront David about his new hobby, concerned about the dangers and long-term health risks involved. In the same talk, they also set David up with the official paid responsibility of watching Mal while Mom works a six-week summer job.

With Mom away, David finds support in Dad, who talks with David more candidly about Mal’s autism and discusses ways to better support him. Dad also talks to David about competitive eating, telling a story about his experience as an excellent skateboarder—at least until he broke both ankles and lost his touch. He understands what it’s like to want to focus on one’s talents and nothing else. However, Dad’s efforts aren’t enough to help the tension between David and his parents. When David’s auction mistake comes out in Chapter 38, David unloads his frustration and feelings of neglect, and when he rebels against their ban on the eating contest and sneaks out, this leads to a pivotal moment for David’s parents. Rather than pulling him off the stage in the middle of the contest, David’s parents show up to cheer him on to victory, showing support for his interests for the first time in the novel. After the contest, David’s parents admit that they’re not perfect and reassure him that they love him.