The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

Naoki Higashida

Aug 2013 · Recorded Books · Narrated by Tom Picasso

About this audiobook

You' ve never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Parents and family members who never thought they could get inside the head of their autistic loved one at last have a way to break through to the curious, subtle, and complex life within. Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: " Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?" " Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?" " Why don' t you make eye contact when you' re talking?" and " What' s the reason you jump?" (Naoki' s answer: " When I' m jumping, it' s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky." ) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights-- into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory-- are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again. In his introduction, bestselling novelist David Mitchell writes that Naoki' s words allowed him to feel, for the first time, as if his own autistic child was explaining what was happening in his mind. " It is no exaggeration to say that The Reason I Jump allowed me to round a corner in our relationship." This translation was a labor of love by David and his wife, KA Yoshida, so they' d be able to share that feeling with friends, the wider autism community, and beyond. Naoki' s book, in its beauty, truthfulness, and simplicity, is a gift to be shared.

Ratings and reviews

As a father of a 36 yr old only child it's hard to know what is normal, yet alone understanding autism.We see things from the outside trying to look in, but this book is written in the first person looking from the inside out.Long awaited Thank You Naokia Higashida.

I encourage anyone who downloaded this amazing book to encourage more people to download it and so on!! This could really be the voice for so many out there with autism, and bring light of hope into so many lives! Simply an eye opener and god bless this young man and God bless autism!

This book gave me understanding into my son's mind. So much so that I want to read it again and again.

About the author

Naoki Higashida was born in 1992 and was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. He graduated from high school in 2011. He is an advocate, motivational speaker, and the author of The Reason I Jump.