The Reason I Jump: one boy's voice from the silence of autism

A potentially complicated subject to explain written with emotion and positivity.

Naoki explains how he experiences the world in a way that compelled me to read more. It instilled a greater desire to understand how people with Autism experience life and what they may need from those around them.

With it being broken down into very small pieces relevant to a single question made it very easy to read but also it made me wonder if the feeling I got while reading it was how some people with Autism might feel some of the time.

I would recommend this book to anyone who might interact with people who have Autism.

The confusion shown on the front cover and the word 'autism' drew me to this book. Reading the introduction made it compulsive reading as I hoped to understand more about the thoughts and feeling of a young person with autism. The prospective Naoki drew me into was fascinating and some misconceptions I had, made me think differently. I appreciate this is only one person's understanding of himself and autism but for anyone for whom autism is part of their life, the book is well worth a read.

Very insightful look into a boy with autism, he answers questions and thoughts many neurotypical people may have thought.

Very interesting insight into the life and thoughts of someone with Autism. Questions that I never even thought of were answered and explained in a way that would make sense to someone without autism.

A fabulous book to help give an insight of what it is like to be an autistic child. Having a severely autistic child in my class, I was able to recognise many similarities with Naoki (the child author of this book) and it really helped me to understand my own child in class a little more. I felt proud that some of the things I do, seem to be right for my child but also learnt how to do things even better. I would absolutely recommend this to all teachers.

Naoki Higashida is a Japanese boy with non-verbal autism. He learnt to communicate using an alphabet grid and, at the age of 13, wrote this book, explaining what it is like to be autistic and why certain behaviours result from it. The book takes the form of 58 commonly asked questions about autism and 58 replies from Naoki.

On finishing this book, my initial reaction was WOW!! It is short, informative and easy to read. It is also utterly unique, unlike anything else I have ever read. Naoki is honest and candid, answering the questions in a personal and intimate way from his own experience of living life as a person with autism.

The only thing that I felt slightly uncomfortable with was that many of the answers to the questions did not sound like they were the voice of a 13-year old. Both the language used (I concede that this could be a translation issue) and the sentiments/ideas expressed just seemed a little too “grown-up”. However, despite my lack of any in-depth knowledge or direct experience of autism, my gut feeling was that many of the answers really did give an insight into the way people with autism see the world and struggle to cope within it. As a result, my enjoyment of the book was not compromised and I felt intuitively that there was enough authenticity for a layperson (like myself) to gain a greater understanding of the condition.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anybody that I can persuade to read it. I think it is an important book which is easily accessible to all readers.

What a wonderful book! The world of autism is so nuanced, multifaceted and not clearly understood that there is a lot of controversy about causes and treatment in the medical and popular communities. This book helps explain none of that but does recount to us what is experienced by one boy who is autistic.
Naoki is aphasic but has learned to communicate through a letter board with some additional symbols added. He is asked typical questions that are asked by non-autistic people who want to know why he acts in certain ways . His answers are thoughtful and beautiful and help us see through the veil of normalcy into the life of someone with autism. This brilliant book is unbearably moving. You owe it to yourself to read it.

It is not a medical book with references to research and treatment. It is a remarkable book written by a 13yr old living with Autism who can communicate with a alphabet grid. The Reason I Jump challenges preconceptions of autistic peoples life and gives a true look into their life and potential

This unique rare book was a delight to read and a real eye opener. Each page helps the reader portray a day in the life of someone with autism and how it affects their everyday life. Not only was it a joy to read it was great for raising awareness of autism and allowed the reader to gain a greater understanding into the minds of someone with this disability.

This book is a true gift. It will challenge and change people's perceptions of autism. I found this book both fascinating and moving. Fully deserving of 5 stars.