Jason Blake is a 12 year old boy with autism who is anything but typical. This story is told in the first person, allowing readers to observe how others treat Jason and observe how Jason views every given scenario. Jason enjoys writing stories on Storyboard, a platform for writers to read and critique others work. A young girl named Rebecca with the storyboard name, PhoenixBird and Jason begin to message back and forth providing writing feeback for one another. When Rebecca is at the same Storyboard convention as Jason, his dreams of having a girlfriend come crashing down as he can not find the words to speak with her, or even eye contact. The book ends with Jason realizing who he is and being proud that, though he is not typical, he is a writer.
Impact on Me
This book brought out both wonderful and heart-breaking emotions in me. I found the erratic and sporadic writing to directly reveal Jason's thoughts, which kept me emotionally invested and in tune in Jason The main character's day-to-day life with autism showed me how different a brain can be wired and, possibly, how an individual with autism views life. I found that this book did not only elicit sympathy for Jason, it also showed Jason's realization that his differences are a strength and make him unique. He realized that not everyone had the same mind as him that could produce the stories that he writes. The novel ends with Jason accepting who he is and being grateful for who he is. I found this to be extremely positive and it made me, as a reader, realize that differences are special and should be treasured. This book, among other realistic fiction books, make me feel very grateful for my own life.
Reviews
Baskin writes with striking honesty, especially about Jason’s relationship with his parents, and incorporates many details about Jason’s perceptions of and reactions to
people that might help readers better understand their autistic peers. The book’s greater strength, though, is communicating to readers how some of the same things that bother Jason might also bother them—whether it is bright lights, noisy rooms, or foods that touch—and establishing common ground.
S. D., L. L. (2009). Anything but Typical. Horn Book Magazine, 85(3), 289.
As if adolescence isn't difficult enough by itself, 12-year-old Jason Blake isnot a "nenrotypieal" (NT), he's autistic and interprets the world differently from other
children. As a result, kids at school make fun of him and no one seems to understand him, including bis family. Writing stories is one of Jason's few escapes, the one place wbere he can really be himself. After Jason begins a tentative relationship with Rebecea (PhoenixBird) on Storyboard, an online writing forum, he struggles with the fear of meeting her in person. Simnltaneonsly, he narrates his past, giving listeners a glimpse of what life is like growing up as an autistic cbild.
Lawler, T. (2009). Anything But Typical. School Library Journal, 55(9), 61.
The first-person narration gives dramatic voice to Jason's inner thoughts about his family and his own insecurities,even as he withholds details (usually about incidents at school) from readers. Jason's powerful and perceptive viewpoint should readily captivate readers and open eyes.
Anything but Typical. (2009). Publishers Weekly, 256(6), 48-50.
In a Library
The librarian can create a posterboard, titled "Anything But Typical" with a picture of the book cover on it, for students to anonymously stick post-its notes on writing situations where they feel like an outcast. By other students seeing what others have written anonymously, it will help others to not feel so alone if they feel like an outcast in a given situation, or help others to make an effort to include others in that situation. This will also be an incredible PR for the book itself if students have not already read it. Another idea is to have students write post-its, again anonymously, of things they are sorry they have negative things done to others in the past, such as teasing, bullying, fighting or judging too quickly. This is a great idea for students to recognize mean actions. A final visual aid for the library is to have quotes and statistics about autism, both positive and negative attributes and facts, so that students can learn to recognize and learn more about autism, as well as become more comfortable with those with the disorder.
Baskin, N. R. (2009). Anything but Typical. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
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