1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Baskin, Nora Raleigh. 2009. ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-329-76048-9.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Jason is a tween with autism. He is also an aspiring writer. After he survives the days at school, Jason likes to post his creative stories on a communal website. One day he discovers that he has a fan of his writing- a female fan! PhoenixBird, the online name of his admiring reader, becomes a focal point for Jason. He makes plans to attend a writing convention for the website, but when he finds out PhoenixBird will be there too, Jason fears reality may deter their online relationship.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I read this novel with my summer school students. I thought it would be a relevant and accessible read, because we have several kids with autism in our school and the reading level was a little easier for middle schoolers. In fact, one of my favorite summer school students, D, had autism. His commentary on the book was insightful and helpful to the rest of us.
I can’t know exactly- but it seems as if Baskin does a good job writing the first person narrative perspective as someone who has autism. The voice of Jason was different than most YA narrators. It was very matter-of-fact and less emotional. He experienced and thought of sensory occurrences in a very different way than most “NTs,” which he established as an abbreviation for “Neurotypical.” For example, he would describe the way a lightbulb felt and tasted, not just the way it looked.
The organization of the chapters was different, less sequential and sometimes challenging to follow. Jason’s thoughts would jump from one topic to the next, especially due to sensory input.
Also, the details that Baskin included were different because of the narrator’s disorder. Jason’s character was much more observant of his physical environment than most kids his age, but less aware of social cues or expectations.
There was a story within the story, one that Jason was writing about a dwarf named Bennu. Jason used Bennu as a symbolic representation of himself. Both Jason and Bennu struggled to make peace with their differences, but thankfully, in the end, there seems to be a content acceptance for both of them.
4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
ALA Notable Children's Books, 2010
Booklist starred, February 2009, “This is an enormously difficult subject, but Baskin, without dramatics or sentimentality, makes it universal. As Jason explains, there’s really only one kind of plot: Stuff happens. That’s it.”
Horn Book Magazine, May 2009
Kirkus Reviews starred, February 2009
Library Media Connection starred, August 2009
Schneider Family Book Award, 2010
School Library Journal, March 2009, “Baskin also does a superb job of developing his parents and younger brother as real people with real problems, bravely traversing their lives with a differently abled child without a road map, but with a great deal of love.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Other books that feature a character with autism are Get a grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit, Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott, Rules by Cynthia Lord, and the Tales From Alcatraz series from Gennifer Choldenko. These could be used in a variety of ways, whether to complement a research study of Autism, or as reading assignments in buddy programs. These books could benefit any reader, to help understand the perspectives of those with autism.
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