The Reason I Jump

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida

Book Review by Elizabeth M.

Recently, I read The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida.  Written from the perspective of a thirteen year old boy with severe autism, I found this book eye-opening.  The Reason I Jump is split into sections, each a common misconception or question about autism which Higashida writes about from his perspective.

The Reason I Jump is very informational and interesting.  As I kept reading, I was so intrigued to learn about how Higashida felt and reacted to everyday occurrences.  He talks about the ups and downs of autism, and tells his readers how he deals with it.   His view on life was so optimistic and different from mine, which kept me reading on and on.

I will tell readers however, that this book is much more informational, rather than being a story about a specific time in Higashida’s life, this book simply answers commonly asked questions about autism.  In the beginning of the book, I was waiting for a story to begin about a milestone in his life, but never found it.

Overall, I felt very informed after reading The Reason I Jump.  I learned what autism is really like from someone who has had it for his entire life, which not many books offer.  I would recommend this to anybody who wants to familiarize themselves with autism, whether they have a friend, colleague, family member, or are simply curious about autism.