Library / Neurodivergent Identity
Read this when
The Reason I Jump
Why does he jump? He answered it himself, at 13, without speaking a word. 💫
Who it's for
Written when Higashida was about 13, the book answers the questions people most often ask about autism, such as why he jumps, why he repeats questions and why he avoids eye contact, in short, direct replies.
Feelings it meets
What it is
The Reason I Jump is a memoir by Naoki Higashida, a nonverbal autistic writer from Japan, written when he was 13 and first published in Japan in 2007, with an English translation by Keiko Yoshida and David Mitchell published in 2013.
Where to find it
In print (Random House in the US, Sceptre in the UK); available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain. A 2020 documentary adaptation directed by Jerry Rothwell is also a.
Before you start
Heads up: Tender passages about being misunderstood.
Age: Ages 12+
The stars are not afraid to appear like fireflies.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 48
