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Mockingbird
In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white—the world is full of colors—messy and beautiful.Kathryn Erskine has written a must-read gem, one of the most moving novels of the year.
235 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Kathryn Erskine
13 books304 followersKathryn Erskine spent many years as a lawyer before realizing that she'd rather write things that people might actually enjoy reading.
She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland.
The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although... how did the headmistress know that it was the wee redhead who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab?
Erskine draws on her childhood and her second childhood through her children for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with life saving flavonoids.
She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland.
The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although... how did the headmistress know that it was the wee redhead who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab?
Erskine draws on her childhood and her second childhood through her children for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with life saving flavonoids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,894 reviews
May 26, 2010
Reason for Reading: I have Asperger's and when I saw a book that featured a female protagonist with Asperger's I was elated and HAD to read the book.
I came away from this book very satisfied. As a female with Asperger's I felt that Caitlin was portrayed realistically. There can be wide differences in how males and females present and I think the author managed to bring those out in Caitlin, though the intense plot does put Caitlin in a situation above and beyond normal everyday life.
A small town has been devastated. The local junior high was hit by two gun wielding students who managed to kill one teacher and two students before the police shot one perpetrator and apprehended the other. One of the students who was shot is Caitlin's older brother, Devon. Their mother had died many years ago when Caitlin was a baby and Devon had really become her rock. He was a great big brother. He treated her well and knew how to deal with her as a person with Asperger's almost naturally. He'd tell her not to do stuff 'cause it wasn't cool or that people didn't like it when she did this or that and why and his advice helped her. Now Caitlin's world revolves around seeing a councilor daily at school, coping with her father's sudden crying sessions and missing Devon in her own way. People want her to be more emotional and show more empathy (traits those with Asperger's do not always appear to show) and Caitlin finally finds the word "CLOsure" and knows that is what both she and her father need.
The plot itself is well done. A small community coping with this horrible violence that has entered its once thought serene boundaries. The author shows the effect not only on the family of those murdered and the staff and students at the school, but staff at other schools, neighbours, and a boy who was the cousin of one of the killers. There is fear, disbelief, and togetherness but no anger as they bond to help the community as one, heal. Very-well done.
As to the Asperger's, from the author's note she does not outright say but it seems clear that either she or a loved one has an 'aspie' child and she is writing from experience. Caitlin is well presented as a female with Asperger's. The typical picture the public has of someone with AS is a science, math, computer geek and this is not wrong. These are often very strong interests in males (which doesn't mean some females will too) but typically females show their 'geekiness' in words and books. They are writers, bookworms, grammar police, etc. Caitlin here is an excellent student with great writing skills and a fascination with the dictionary, who keeps lists of words with the accentuated part in caps. Typical female AS behaviour. Caitlin has some meltdowns, fortunately the author doesn't over do them, as has been done in other books I've read. Girls are less likely to have seriously noticeable meltdowns and hyperactivity making the typical age of diagnoses around 16 rather 8 as in boys. Caitlin's two least favourite subjects at school are recess and PE. This really endeared her to me as those were my most hated subjects as well. There is this anxiety feeling you get in the pit of your stomach as an aspie and Caitlin associates this with recess so whenever she gets this feeling she will say she is feeling recessy or has the recess feeling. This beautifully describes an everyday symptom of Asperger's.
The main aspect the author emphasizes here though is the AS person's lack of ability to show emotion or empathy. I think Erskine does manage to show that while we do not show emotion it does not mean we do not feel emotion. Two very different points to keep in mind. Empathy is something that Caitlin herself struggles with and tries to understand and the whole book is a process for her in finding out how to show she has this to others and to understand herself, that she does. While many Asperger's people may lack emotion or empathy, I think the majority of us agree that we lack the ability to SHOW it, rather than that we do not feel the emotions or know how to feel them. I would also like to add my own bit of advice: Never *force* an Asperger's person to look you in the eye, it is akin to torture.
Anyway, I felt a lot of sympatico with Caitlin and the author in her ability to show a positive female character with Asperger's. My only negative is that *I* personally do not agree with the the medical methods being used to treat Caitlin.
I came away from this book very satisfied. As a female with Asperger's I felt that Caitlin was portrayed realistically. There can be wide differences in how males and females present and I think the author managed to bring those out in Caitlin, though the intense plot does put Caitlin in a situation above and beyond normal everyday life.
A small town has been devastated. The local junior high was hit by two gun wielding students who managed to kill one teacher and two students before the police shot one perpetrator and apprehended the other. One of the students who was shot is Caitlin's older brother, Devon. Their mother had died many years ago when Caitlin was a baby and Devon had really become her rock. He was a great big brother. He treated her well and knew how to deal with her as a person with Asperger's almost naturally. He'd tell her not to do stuff 'cause it wasn't cool or that people didn't like it when she did this or that and why and his advice helped her. Now Caitlin's world revolves around seeing a councilor daily at school, coping with her father's sudden crying sessions and missing Devon in her own way. People want her to be more emotional and show more empathy (traits those with Asperger's do not always appear to show) and Caitlin finally finds the word "CLOsure" and knows that is what both she and her father need.
The plot itself is well done. A small community coping with this horrible violence that has entered its once thought serene boundaries. The author shows the effect not only on the family of those murdered and the staff and students at the school, but staff at other schools, neighbours, and a boy who was the cousin of one of the killers. There is fear, disbelief, and togetherness but no anger as they bond to help the community as one, heal. Very-well done.
As to the Asperger's, from the author's note she does not outright say but it seems clear that either she or a loved one has an 'aspie' child and she is writing from experience. Caitlin is well presented as a female with Asperger's. The typical picture the public has of someone with AS is a science, math, computer geek and this is not wrong. These are often very strong interests in males (which doesn't mean some females will too) but typically females show their 'geekiness' in words and books. They are writers, bookworms, grammar police, etc. Caitlin here is an excellent student with great writing skills and a fascination with the dictionary, who keeps lists of words with the accentuated part in caps. Typical female AS behaviour. Caitlin has some meltdowns, fortunately the author doesn't over do them, as has been done in other books I've read. Girls are less likely to have seriously noticeable meltdowns and hyperactivity making the typical age of diagnoses around 16 rather 8 as in boys. Caitlin's two least favourite subjects at school are recess and PE. This really endeared her to me as those were my most hated subjects as well. There is this anxiety feeling you get in the pit of your stomach as an aspie and Caitlin associates this with recess so whenever she gets this feeling she will say she is feeling recessy or has the recess feeling. This beautifully describes an everyday symptom of Asperger's.
The main aspect the author emphasizes here though is the AS person's lack of ability to show emotion or empathy. I think Erskine does manage to show that while we do not show emotion it does not mean we do not feel emotion. Two very different points to keep in mind. Empathy is something that Caitlin herself struggles with and tries to understand and the whole book is a process for her in finding out how to show she has this to others and to understand herself, that she does. While many Asperger's people may lack emotion or empathy, I think the majority of us agree that we lack the ability to SHOW it, rather than that we do not feel the emotions or know how to feel them. I would also like to add my own bit of advice: Never *force* an Asperger's person to look you in the eye, it is akin to torture.
Anyway, I felt a lot of sympatico with Caitlin and the author in her ability to show a positive female character with Asperger's. My only negative is that *I* personally do not agree with the the medical methods being used to treat Caitlin.
July 26, 2016
Como não abrir o maior sorriso durante e leitura desse livro?
Passarinha foi uma das histórias mais singelas, emocionantes e inocentes que eu já li — ela traz uma sinceridade impressionante. A protagonista, que sofre da Síndrome de Asperger, é retratada de forma incrível, e o seu ponto de vista é maravilhosamente bem escrito. Sem contar que dá vontade de abraçar ela pra sempre e nunca mais soltar. Eu AMEI ela do começo ao fim. A forma como ela lida com o mundo, as expressões que ela usa, suas dificuldades, tudo é muito delicado e encantador.
A trama e a narrativa são super simples, mas não deixam de te prender. É daqueles livros que apenas isso basta — mais ou menos que isso, estraga. O livro passa ensinamentos e te revela coisas da forma mais despretensiosa possível. É um livro lindo, que dá aquela esquentadinha no coração que a gente tanto ama.
Passarinha foi uma das histórias mais singelas, emocionantes e inocentes que eu já li — ela traz uma sinceridade impressionante. A protagonista, que sofre da Síndrome de Asperger, é retratada de forma incrível, e o seu ponto de vista é maravilhosamente bem escrito. Sem contar que dá vontade de abraçar ela pra sempre e nunca mais soltar. Eu AMEI ela do começo ao fim. A forma como ela lida com o mundo, as expressões que ela usa, suas dificuldades, tudo é muito delicado e encantador.
A trama e a narrativa são super simples, mas não deixam de te prender. É daqueles livros que apenas isso basta — mais ou menos que isso, estraga. O livro passa ensinamentos e te revela coisas da forma mais despretensiosa possível. É um livro lindo, que dá aquela esquentadinha no coração que a gente tanto ama.
September 17, 2018
"Books are not like people. Books are safe."
For a girl with Asperger's who has lost her brother in a school shooting, safety is a luxury she can't reach while people keep staring at her and while her father is in deepest grief. Finding "Closure" is her mission, and as her world is literal and doesn't contain the complexity of different underlying meanings, she goes by her beloved dictionary's definition of closure to start with. In a process that requires incredible bravery, she manages to develop a method for herself to reach other people - working on discovering empathy in a practical rather than linguistic sense - and she makes connections in life through literary references.
To Kill A Mockingbird, the book title she didn't understand as it was too allusive, becomes a symbol for her wish to get back to living after The Day Their Lives Fell Apart.
Don't kill any innocent people - a simpe message, brutally ignored. Don't discriminate against people who are different - another message, equally important, and equally often ignored. If politicians stand up and talk about school shooters as "disturbed", and young kids with Aspergers get to hear that their behaviour is "disturbed" as well, that is brutally "disturbing" to their peace of mind, as understanding the world literally part of their reality.
Show empathy, even if it is hard work, and you will eventually learn not to feel like life is as stressful as recess in school for a child on the autistic spectrum.
Absolutely wonderful story with a strong message for all of us: we all have difficulties, and we all have talents. Let's work on being able to read the Facial Expressions Charts properly so we react with empathy in our interactions. Not only Caitlin struggles with that, and not all of us are as honestly trying as she is!
For a girl with Asperger's who has lost her brother in a school shooting, safety is a luxury she can't reach while people keep staring at her and while her father is in deepest grief. Finding "Closure" is her mission, and as her world is literal and doesn't contain the complexity of different underlying meanings, she goes by her beloved dictionary's definition of closure to start with. In a process that requires incredible bravery, she manages to develop a method for herself to reach other people - working on discovering empathy in a practical rather than linguistic sense - and she makes connections in life through literary references.
To Kill A Mockingbird, the book title she didn't understand as it was too allusive, becomes a symbol for her wish to get back to living after The Day Their Lives Fell Apart.
Don't kill any innocent people - a simpe message, brutally ignored. Don't discriminate against people who are different - another message, equally important, and equally often ignored. If politicians stand up and talk about school shooters as "disturbed", and young kids with Aspergers get to hear that their behaviour is "disturbed" as well, that is brutally "disturbing" to their peace of mind, as understanding the world literally part of their reality.
Show empathy, even if it is hard work, and you will eventually learn not to feel like life is as stressful as recess in school for a child on the autistic spectrum.
Absolutely wonderful story with a strong message for all of us: we all have difficulties, and we all have talents. Let's work on being able to read the Facial Expressions Charts properly so we react with empathy in our interactions. Not only Caitlin struggles with that, and not all of us are as honestly trying as she is!
October 15, 2009
Children's librarians read quite a few books for kids and the result is that we tend to want to discuss them with one another. Unlucky librarians are surrounded solely by people who agree with their opinions. You're much luckier if you happen to have a group of close folks around you who can offer alternate takes on the books you read and critique. Now, it doesn't happen every year but once in a while children's books (novels in particular) become divisive. Folks draw battle lines in the sand and declare that a book is either infinitely lovable and the greatest thing since sliced bread, or loathsome beyond belief, the words shaming the very paper they are printed upon. In the last few years such divisive books have included everything from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to The Underneath. This year, 2010, one particular book has earned that honor. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine marks the author's second foray into books for youth (the first being her young adult novel Quaking). It has garnered a great deal of praise, from such notable authors as Andrew Clements and Sharon Creech. It has been nominated, as of this review, for a National Book Award in the Young Person's category. And I tell you truly, I'm afraid that it's a book that just doesn't do it for me. There are some great books coming out in 2010, but this is simply not one of them.
Caitlin doesn't quite understand. Her older brother Devon is dead, killed tragically in a school shooting. She understands that, of course, but she doesn't like what his death has brought with it. As a kid with Asperger's, Caitlin has a difficult enough time figuring out the world around her as it is. Now she has glommed onto a word that seems to offer her a way out her current unhappiness: Closure. If she can find closure for Devon's death, maybe that will help her, help her dad, help everyone who's hurting. The only question is, what can a girl like Caitlin do to help herself and everyone else as well?
Here are some of the criticisms of Mockingbird that I personally do not agree with. 1: That children will not pick this book up. Certainly they won't pick up the hardcover (the paperback sports a much nicer, if unfortunately trendy, image) due to the fact that it's just a blue sky and not much else. But if they begin to read, I can see them being sufficiently intrigued to continue. 2: That this is not an authentic view of Asperger's. I don't agree, partially because you do have to take each child on a case by case basis.
Here are some of the criticisms of Mockingbird that I personally DO agree with: First off, there is the fact that the book is attempting too much at one time. This is true. Mockingbird wants to be three different kinds of books all at once. It would prefer to be a book about a school shooting and how a community deals with the aftermath. This is the very first thing Erskine mentions in the Author's Note, so it appears to be the most important to her. The second thing it would like to be is a book about Asperger's. Done. Third, it would ALSO like to be a book about a dead family member. That's three different storylines. Three that in and of themselves would be more than enough for any middle grade novel. And I think that two of them together would have worked just fine, but by adding all three together Erskine overplays her hand. She relies on Caitlin solving not just her own personal problems, but the problems of an entire community. This rings false for the reader, and the novel's conclusion ends up feeling rushed and pat rather than true and heartfelt.
Which brings us to my second problem. When it comes to the conclusion of any novel, the reader needs to believe in it. If everything appears too pat, you lose something along the way. In the case of Caitlin, the closure is too clean. Right off the bat you have the question of why Caitlin is so obsessed with the nature of closure, not just for herself but for everyone. Compare this book for a moment to Alan Silberberg's, Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze. Like Caitlin, the hero of that book, Milo, is searching for a kind of closure to his mother's death. He is singularly self-obsessed, much like Caitlin, but his pain is his own, with some understanding that his dad and sister must feel somewhat similar. When Milo finds a solution to his problem (finding and seeking out objects that remind him of his mother) it inadvertently brings him and his father together again. That, I could believe. Caitlin's belief that she needs to find closure for her entire community, though? Unfortunately, I felt manipulated by that sudden shift in plotting. It seemed necessary for the story for Caitlin to help her community come to terms with her brother's death, but I didn't believe for a moment that Caitlin the character would care about others in this manner. She goes from an inability to feel empathy one moment to becoming the most empathetic girl in the whole wide world the next. I didn't buy it.
The writing itself for the most part wasn't problematic. However, there were little moments when I found it getting a touch cutesy. After hearing Mrs. Brook tell her that she is convinced that Caitlin can learn empathy, our heroine slips off her shoes and touches her toes to the floor. "I pull my feet off of the floor and shove them back into my sneakers. At least I tried dipping my toe in empathy." That's a fair example of a couple points in the story where the text becomes a little too on the nose to feel real. It doesn't happen often, but there are moments.
The Asperger's I do not question because that is tricky territory. I do not have a child with Asperger's and Ms. Erskine does. However, this raises a fairly interesting point in and of itself. When Cynthia Lord wrote the Newbery Honor winning book Rules she made her narrator not an autistic boy, but rather his put upon older sister. This was remarkably clever of her. Then, when you get to the end of the book, the reader finds out via the bookflap that the author has an autistic son of her own. The book is therefore lent a kind of authenticity through this admission. As I read Mockingbird however, I found myself wondering if the author had any personal connection or knowledge of Asperger's that could lend the book similar authenticity. I read the bookflap and the Author's Note and came up with nothing. Nada. It was only through the grapevine that I heard the rumor that Ms. Erskine has a daughter of her own with Asperger's. Now why on earth would the book wish to hide this fact? By the time I reached the end I wanted to believe that the writer had some knowledge of the subject, but instead of including a list of useful sources, or even a website kids can check, the Author's Note speaks instead about the Virginia Tech shootings. A harrowing incident to be sure, but why avoid mentioning that someone you love has a connection to your main character? It made for a very strange gap.
Finally, there is Caitlin's voice. It drove me absolutely insane. Some have argued that this is a good thing. If Caitlin's voice annoys you then the author must be doing something right in creating a character that doesn't fall into the usual middle grade pattern of protagonists. She is unique. I note this theory, but I don't agree with it. My annoyance isn't necessarily who Caitlin is, but rather the fact that I never for one moment believe that I'm listening to a girl. Instead, for much of this book I felt like I was reading an adult woman putting herself into the head of a girl like Caitlin. How else to explain the off-putting "humorous" moments when Caitlin fails to understand a word or term? We have been assured that she reads at an adult level. Certainly her vocabulary should be through the roof, and yet she stumbles when she hits words as simple as "closure" and "fundraiser" (turning it into the strangely out-of-character "fun raiser"). It seems that Caitlin is only as smart as the plot allows her to be. Otherwise, she's adorably out-of-place, and that manipulation rang false.
Many folks have found themselves comparing this book to a fellow 2010 release, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Like Mockingbird, Ms. Draper's book is a first person narrative of a girl dealing with the world around her. In Draper's story the main character has cerebral palsy, just as Ms. Draper's daughter does (and just as that book ALSO fails to mention anywhere). The difference for me lies in the characters. What I have found, though, is that many people dislike these books for similar reasons. Some people find Mockingbird charming and Out of My Mind manipulative. Others feel it's the other way around. Personally, I think that Draper's book is the better of the two, though Ms. Erskine is an excellent writer. I'm certain that in the future she will produce books that I will like to read. Unfortunately, in the case of Mockingbird the problems outweigh the positives. The book doesn't ring true for me, even if the writer is talented. Hopefully in the future we'll see more of her work but for now I'll be recommending books like Out of My Mind and Milo over others like Mockingbird.
For ages 9-12.
Caitlin doesn't quite understand. Her older brother Devon is dead, killed tragically in a school shooting. She understands that, of course, but she doesn't like what his death has brought with it. As a kid with Asperger's, Caitlin has a difficult enough time figuring out the world around her as it is. Now she has glommed onto a word that seems to offer her a way out her current unhappiness: Closure. If she can find closure for Devon's death, maybe that will help her, help her dad, help everyone who's hurting. The only question is, what can a girl like Caitlin do to help herself and everyone else as well?
Here are some of the criticisms of Mockingbird that I personally do not agree with. 1: That children will not pick this book up. Certainly they won't pick up the hardcover (the paperback sports a much nicer, if unfortunately trendy, image) due to the fact that it's just a blue sky and not much else. But if they begin to read, I can see them being sufficiently intrigued to continue. 2: That this is not an authentic view of Asperger's. I don't agree, partially because you do have to take each child on a case by case basis.
Here are some of the criticisms of Mockingbird that I personally DO agree with: First off, there is the fact that the book is attempting too much at one time. This is true. Mockingbird wants to be three different kinds of books all at once. It would prefer to be a book about a school shooting and how a community deals with the aftermath. This is the very first thing Erskine mentions in the Author's Note, so it appears to be the most important to her. The second thing it would like to be is a book about Asperger's. Done. Third, it would ALSO like to be a book about a dead family member. That's three different storylines. Three that in and of themselves would be more than enough for any middle grade novel. And I think that two of them together would have worked just fine, but by adding all three together Erskine overplays her hand. She relies on Caitlin solving not just her own personal problems, but the problems of an entire community. This rings false for the reader, and the novel's conclusion ends up feeling rushed and pat rather than true and heartfelt.
Which brings us to my second problem. When it comes to the conclusion of any novel, the reader needs to believe in it. If everything appears too pat, you lose something along the way. In the case of Caitlin, the closure is too clean. Right off the bat you have the question of why Caitlin is so obsessed with the nature of closure, not just for herself but for everyone. Compare this book for a moment to Alan Silberberg's, Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze. Like Caitlin, the hero of that book, Milo, is searching for a kind of closure to his mother's death. He is singularly self-obsessed, much like Caitlin, but his pain is his own, with some understanding that his dad and sister must feel somewhat similar. When Milo finds a solution to his problem (finding and seeking out objects that remind him of his mother) it inadvertently brings him and his father together again. That, I could believe. Caitlin's belief that she needs to find closure for her entire community, though? Unfortunately, I felt manipulated by that sudden shift in plotting. It seemed necessary for the story for Caitlin to help her community come to terms with her brother's death, but I didn't believe for a moment that Caitlin the character would care about others in this manner. She goes from an inability to feel empathy one moment to becoming the most empathetic girl in the whole wide world the next. I didn't buy it.
The writing itself for the most part wasn't problematic. However, there were little moments when I found it getting a touch cutesy. After hearing Mrs. Brook tell her that she is convinced that Caitlin can learn empathy, our heroine slips off her shoes and touches her toes to the floor. "I pull my feet off of the floor and shove them back into my sneakers. At least I tried dipping my toe in empathy." That's a fair example of a couple points in the story where the text becomes a little too on the nose to feel real. It doesn't happen often, but there are moments.
The Asperger's I do not question because that is tricky territory. I do not have a child with Asperger's and Ms. Erskine does. However, this raises a fairly interesting point in and of itself. When Cynthia Lord wrote the Newbery Honor winning book Rules she made her narrator not an autistic boy, but rather his put upon older sister. This was remarkably clever of her. Then, when you get to the end of the book, the reader finds out via the bookflap that the author has an autistic son of her own. The book is therefore lent a kind of authenticity through this admission. As I read Mockingbird however, I found myself wondering if the author had any personal connection or knowledge of Asperger's that could lend the book similar authenticity. I read the bookflap and the Author's Note and came up with nothing. Nada. It was only through the grapevine that I heard the rumor that Ms. Erskine has a daughter of her own with Asperger's. Now why on earth would the book wish to hide this fact? By the time I reached the end I wanted to believe that the writer had some knowledge of the subject, but instead of including a list of useful sources, or even a website kids can check, the Author's Note speaks instead about the Virginia Tech shootings. A harrowing incident to be sure, but why avoid mentioning that someone you love has a connection to your main character? It made for a very strange gap.
Finally, there is Caitlin's voice. It drove me absolutely insane. Some have argued that this is a good thing. If Caitlin's voice annoys you then the author must be doing something right in creating a character that doesn't fall into the usual middle grade pattern of protagonists. She is unique. I note this theory, but I don't agree with it. My annoyance isn't necessarily who Caitlin is, but rather the fact that I never for one moment believe that I'm listening to a girl. Instead, for much of this book I felt like I was reading an adult woman putting herself into the head of a girl like Caitlin. How else to explain the off-putting "humorous" moments when Caitlin fails to understand a word or term? We have been assured that she reads at an adult level. Certainly her vocabulary should be through the roof, and yet she stumbles when she hits words as simple as "closure" and "fundraiser" (turning it into the strangely out-of-character "fun raiser"). It seems that Caitlin is only as smart as the plot allows her to be. Otherwise, she's adorably out-of-place, and that manipulation rang false.
Many folks have found themselves comparing this book to a fellow 2010 release, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Like Mockingbird, Ms. Draper's book is a first person narrative of a girl dealing with the world around her. In Draper's story the main character has cerebral palsy, just as Ms. Draper's daughter does (and just as that book ALSO fails to mention anywhere). The difference for me lies in the characters. What I have found, though, is that many people dislike these books for similar reasons. Some people find Mockingbird charming and Out of My Mind manipulative. Others feel it's the other way around. Personally, I think that Draper's book is the better of the two, though Ms. Erskine is an excellent writer. I'm certain that in the future she will produce books that I will like to read. Unfortunately, in the case of Mockingbird the problems outweigh the positives. The book doesn't ring true for me, even if the writer is talented. Hopefully in the future we'll see more of her work but for now I'll be recommending books like Out of My Mind and Milo over others like Mockingbird.
For ages 9-12.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2011
4.5 stars.
A moving story about an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s syndrome whose older brother dies in a school shooting and the steps she takes to get closure. Kathryn Erskine pulls this poignant tale off wonderfully – it is sad, but sad in a way that gives the reader hope.
Throughout the novel I had to remind myself that Caitlin was eleven as opposed to five or six; this isn’t a bad thing, and in fact it shows Erskine’s talent for character development. To see her grow by learning about empathy and closure by the end of the novel was truly touching – I almost cried, but I finished the book while in journalism class, and crying in public isn’t exactly socially acceptable.
I also loved the To Kill a Mockingbird parallels. It’s one of my favorite books, so seeing the concurrent themes and similar characters in Mockingbird was an additional bonus.
Highly recommended for children, teens, and adults alike – this book is definitely deserving of the National Book Award, and will leave readers aching to understand one another despite their personal problems.
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A moving story about an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s syndrome whose older brother dies in a school shooting and the steps she takes to get closure. Kathryn Erskine pulls this poignant tale off wonderfully – it is sad, but sad in a way that gives the reader hope.
Throughout the novel I had to remind myself that Caitlin was eleven as opposed to five or six; this isn’t a bad thing, and in fact it shows Erskine’s talent for character development. To see her grow by learning about empathy and closure by the end of the novel was truly touching – I almost cried, but I finished the book while in journalism class, and crying in public isn’t exactly socially acceptable.
I also loved the To Kill a Mockingbird parallels. It’s one of my favorite books, so seeing the concurrent themes and similar characters in Mockingbird was an additional bonus.
Highly recommended for children, teens, and adults alike – this book is definitely deserving of the National Book Award, and will leave readers aching to understand one another despite their personal problems.
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June 16, 2022
۴.۵
از اون کتابایی بود که وقتی تموم شد درحالی که بغض کرده بودم و چشمام اشکی بود، بغلش کردم و دلم خواست دوباره و دوباره بخونمش...
وقتی شروعش کردم احساس کردم نمیتونم باهاش ارتباط بگیرم، اما هرچی جلوتر رفت بهتر و قشنگتر شد.
و خب قلب من براش رفت اصن 😭❤️
کیفیت ترجمه و چاپ هم خیلی خوب بود. 👀
از اون کتابایی بود که وقتی تموم شد درحالی که بغض کرده بودم و چشمام اشکی بود، بغلش کردم و دلم خواست دوباره و دوباره بخونمش...
وقتی شروعش کردم احساس کردم نمیتونم باهاش ارتباط بگیرم، اما هرچی جلوتر رفت بهتر و قشنگتر شد.
و خب قلب من براش رفت اصن 😭❤️
کیفیت ترجمه و چاپ هم خیلی خوب بود. 👀
October 9, 2018
The age range for this book is a bit of an enigma. I can’t properly review this without acknowledging my own personal stake in it and giving that backstory, so here it is: My daughter got this book out of her elementary school library when she was ten. It kept her awake at night, caused her anxiety, and she “hated” it. I encouraged (then forced) her to write a reading response about it (because that was the requirement and because she wouldn’t discuss the book with me, though she was visibly upset about it) and it was only then that she asked me, “Do you know about Virginia Tech?” From there we had a larger conversation, and she wrote a shockingly insightful two-page response to the book, letting her teacher know that she felt it should be “reshelved under horror because no child wants to read a book about a school shooting.” I was surprised to see on the back cover Ages 10 and up. This book really upset my daughter.
Fast forward to now. After trying to read this a few times, I opted for audio and steeled myself for the impending bloodbath I imagined would be between the pages. Not so. Not so at all. The author handled the how of the death delicately and far from immediately. There was nothing graphic in the writing and nothing scary, beyond the fact that this is about losing a sibling to a terrifying act of nonsensical violence perpetrated in a place children expect to be safe.
As an adult, I found the story to be about so many things, among them primarily autism and a view of the world through a different lens, but also grief, empathy, closure, support, and relationships. I love any story for kids that fosters understanding and acceptance of others. That was, in my opinion, this book’s redeeming quality. I found the main character well fleshed out and very lovable. Though the ending felt rushed, this was a story worth reading. I would just caution parents that regardless of the careful treatment of the subject, this is a difficult subject. Having read it, my daughter’s words ring in my head: “No child wants to read a story about a school shooting, Mom.”
I have had children’s librarians tell me this is on the eighth grade summer reading list, that it is a middle grade book, and that this is not an elementary level book. I have seen it listed in Scholastic as sixth to eighth grade, but ultimately on the back it says Ages 10 and up. My PSA to parents is to know your child and perhaps be better prepared than I was.
3.75 stars
Fast forward to now. After trying to read this a few times, I opted for audio and steeled myself for the impending bloodbath I imagined would be between the pages. Not so. Not so at all. The author handled the how of the death delicately and far from immediately. There was nothing graphic in the writing and nothing scary, beyond the fact that this is about losing a sibling to a terrifying act of nonsensical violence perpetrated in a place children expect to be safe.
As an adult, I found the story to be about so many things, among them primarily autism and a view of the world through a different lens, but also grief, empathy, closure, support, and relationships. I love any story for kids that fosters understanding and acceptance of others. That was, in my opinion, this book’s redeeming quality. I found the main character well fleshed out and very lovable. Though the ending felt rushed, this was a story worth reading. I would just caution parents that regardless of the careful treatment of the subject, this is a difficult subject. Having read it, my daughter’s words ring in my head: “No child wants to read a story about a school shooting, Mom.”
I have had children’s librarians tell me this is on the eighth grade summer reading list, that it is a middle grade book, and that this is not an elementary level book. I have seen it listed in Scholastic as sixth to eighth grade, but ultimately on the back it says Ages 10 and up. My PSA to parents is to know your child and perhaps be better prepared than I was.
3.75 stars
December 31, 2020
Mais um delicioso livrinho juvenil que este último mês do ano me reservou!
Impossível não nos rendermos a esta história que leva a conhecer Caitlin, uma menina muito especial.
AMEI!
NOTA - 09/10
Impossível não nos rendermos a esta história que leva a conhecer Caitlin, uma menina muito especial.
AMEI!
NOTA - 09/10
August 26, 2016
This book doesn't lose its beauty or heart for me, no matter how many times I read it. It still gets me, every time.
"'How did you get to be so smart?'
I shrug. 'I'm really working hard on finesse.'
Then he takes my hands in his and I don't even pull them away because he is looking at my cuts closely and I would want to do that too if I saw cuts on somebody's hands so I let him look.
'Do you still really want to do this?'
I don't know if he means to keep cutting the oak tree or work on the chest but I say, 'Yes,' just in case he means the chest.
'You think this will bring us Closure?'
I shake my head. 'No. I know it will.'
He blows a little air out of his nose and nods. He lets go of my hands and does one more big sigh. 'Maybe we can make something good and strong and beautiful come out of this.'
Good and strong and beautiful. I like those words. They sound like Devon. I want to build something good and strong and beautiful."
I'm surprised that I never wrote a review for this before, but apparently I read it last summer, when I was away from Goodreads, so consider this a catch-up. This novel is told from the perspective of Caitlin, a 5th grader with Asperger's, who has just lost her older brother to a random school shooting. In addition, her mother has died of cancer years before, so now it's just her and her father in the house, and her father is taking the loss extremely hard. Caitlin, however, is struggling to understand the changes that have suddenly taken place in her life, and in addition to having to make it through each day with her condition, she now also has to face the prospect of life without Devon, the only other person who truly understood her, and who made it possible for her to face the world. With the help of a school counselor, some new friends, and her father, Caitlin attempts to find Closure to the events that took Devon out of her life.
I love the narrative voice in this novel, respect the way Erskine treats a character with Asperger's, and appreciate the fact that the book makes me cry. Every time. I think this is a gorgeous book, that does tug at the heartstrings, but with the situations Caitlin is in, it's hard not to have moments like that. There are tremendous lessons in this novel, about empathy, friendships, and generally dealing with people who are different than us. It would be a fantastic novel to teach, and not just for the lessons about disabilities. Larger lessons can easily be drawn from this one. It's a fantastic book, and one of my favorites that I put on my YA syllabus for this semester. I just hope the rest of the class liked it, also.
"'How did you get to be so smart?'
I shrug. 'I'm really working hard on finesse.'
Then he takes my hands in his and I don't even pull them away because he is looking at my cuts closely and I would want to do that too if I saw cuts on somebody's hands so I let him look.
'Do you still really want to do this?'
I don't know if he means to keep cutting the oak tree or work on the chest but I say, 'Yes,' just in case he means the chest.
'You think this will bring us Closure?'
I shake my head. 'No. I know it will.'
He blows a little air out of his nose and nods. He lets go of my hands and does one more big sigh. 'Maybe we can make something good and strong and beautiful come out of this.'
Good and strong and beautiful. I like those words. They sound like Devon. I want to build something good and strong and beautiful."
I'm surprised that I never wrote a review for this before, but apparently I read it last summer, when I was away from Goodreads, so consider this a catch-up. This novel is told from the perspective of Caitlin, a 5th grader with Asperger's, who has just lost her older brother to a random school shooting. In addition, her mother has died of cancer years before, so now it's just her and her father in the house, and her father is taking the loss extremely hard. Caitlin, however, is struggling to understand the changes that have suddenly taken place in her life, and in addition to having to make it through each day with her condition, she now also has to face the prospect of life without Devon, the only other person who truly understood her, and who made it possible for her to face the world. With the help of a school counselor, some new friends, and her father, Caitlin attempts to find Closure to the events that took Devon out of her life.
I love the narrative voice in this novel, respect the way Erskine treats a character with Asperger's, and appreciate the fact that the book makes me cry. Every time. I think this is a gorgeous book, that does tug at the heartstrings, but with the situations Caitlin is in, it's hard not to have moments like that. There are tremendous lessons in this novel, about empathy, friendships, and generally dealing with people who are different than us. It would be a fantastic novel to teach, and not just for the lessons about disabilities. Larger lessons can easily be drawn from this one. It's a fantastic book, and one of my favorites that I put on my YA syllabus for this semester. I just hope the rest of the class liked it, also.
March 18, 2018
Que livro lindo e necessário.
Ele é protagonizado por uma garotinha e é voltado para um público mais infantil, mas o tema abordado é tão importante que acredito que deve ser lido por pessoas de todas as idades.
Nele conhecemos Caitlin, uma garota do quinto ano com Síndrome de Asperger, que está aprendendo a lidar com a morte de seu irmão (alguns anos mais velho) que sempre foi próximo dela, com o luto de seu pai e com seus coleguinhas da escola.
É um livro sobre empatia. Um livro que todos deveriam ler e passar a mensagem pra frente.
Ele é protagonizado por uma garotinha e é voltado para um público mais infantil, mas o tema abordado é tão importante que acredito que deve ser lido por pessoas de todas as idades.
Nele conhecemos Caitlin, uma garota do quinto ano com Síndrome de Asperger, que está aprendendo a lidar com a morte de seu irmão (alguns anos mais velho) que sempre foi próximo dela, com o luto de seu pai e com seus coleguinhas da escola.
É um livro sobre empatia. Um livro que todos deveriam ler e passar a mensagem pra frente.
October 28, 2022
4 stars
Caitlyn is a ten year old girl who is learning to cope with something traumatic that happened to her family. She doesn’t always see things the same as other people and I enjoyed reading her journey. This book was hard-hitting and dealt with some difficult topics, but the ending was as good as it could be.
Caitlyn is a ten year old girl who is learning to cope with something traumatic that happened to her family. She doesn’t always see things the same as other people and I enjoyed reading her journey. This book was hard-hitting and dealt with some difficult topics, but the ending was as good as it could be.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Angela Jayne Rogers
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Middle grade
Length: 4h 24m
August 8, 2015
This was inspired by the Virginia Tech campus murders and uses To Kill a Mockingbird as a kind of lens to view the situation. The main character and narrator is Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome and is a little like autistic Boo Radley, a misunderstood mockingbird. Caitlin just lost her brother in a school killing. What;s at issue in both books is the need for empathy, for understanding. There's not much complexity in this tale; I though it needed more of that in a tale that is essentially about a mass murder, but this is a middle grades/YA text so the emphasis is naturally on empathy and healing. Too soon for anything but sensitivity, I guess, to the lost students' families and memories.
I think Lee's book is more complex than Erskine's. And we do need books and films about school killings and autism and we are seeing more of them, and we'll need more. But I don't know if empathy is the only answer. It's necessary, don't get me wrong, but literature, to be great, needs more complexity and consternation and troubling questions and not just emotional solutions.
I think Lee's book is more complex than Erskine's. And we do need books and films about school killings and autism and we are seeing more of them, and we'll need more. But I don't know if empathy is the only answer. It's necessary, don't get me wrong, but literature, to be great, needs more complexity and consternation and troubling questions and not just emotional solutions.
September 17, 2021
از ویکیپدیا:
نشانگان آسپرگر به صورت شکل ملایمی از طیف اوتیسم شمرده میشود، و وجه تمایز آن، حفظ مهارتهای تکلمی و ضریب هوشی (iQ) بالاتر از میانگین جامعه و حافظه بلند مدت قوی است و مورد تمایز دیگر خودآگاهی این افراد نسبت به شرایط خود و آزادانه صحبت کردن درباره محدودیت ها است؛ هرچند بعضی از پژوهشها نشاندهندهٔ تفاوت اساسی بین سندرم آسپرگر و اوتیسم با عملکرد بالا است.
-------------------------------
کیتلین بیماری آسپرگر داره، همهی داستان رو اینطوری که کیتلین توی ذهنش پردازش میکنه میبینیم، گفتگوهای درونیش و حسش نسبت به آدمها و اتفاقها رو. نویسنده در توصیف احوالات و دلیل رفتارهای کیتلین واقعا عال�� عمل کرده، خیلی واضح و دقیق کنش ها و واکنشهای ذهن یه دختر یازدهساله مبتلا به آسپرگر رو توصیف کرده . دوست دارم دوباره و چندباره بخونمش.
نشانگان آسپرگر به صورت شکل ملایمی از طیف اوتیسم شمرده میشود، و وجه تمایز آن، حفظ مهارتهای تکلمی و ضریب هوشی (iQ) بالاتر از میانگین جامعه و حافظه بلند مدت قوی است و مورد تمایز دیگر خودآگاهی این افراد نسبت به شرایط خود و آزادانه صحبت کردن درباره محدودیت ها است؛ هرچند بعضی از پژوهشها نشاندهندهٔ تفاوت اساسی بین سندرم آسپرگر و اوتیسم با عملکرد بالا است.
-------------------------------
کیتلین بیماری آسپرگر داره، همهی داستان رو اینطوری که کیتلین توی ذهنش پردازش میکنه میبینیم، گفتگوهای درونیش و حسش نسبت به آدمها و اتفاقها رو. نویسنده در توصیف احوالات و دلیل رفتارهای کیتلین واقعا عال�� عمل کرده، خیلی واضح و دقیق کنش ها و واکنشهای ذهن یه دختر یازدهساله مبتلا به آسپرگر رو توصیف کرده . دوست دارم دوباره و چندباره بخونمش.
October 17, 2010
One of my sisters loved this, the other didn't like it. I'm somewhere in between. I thought the writing was well-done: smooth and polished. But otherwise, I thought this was heavy-handed (the author's note is a sad muddle which kind of explains this) and very one-note.
Perhaps this is a small thing, but Devon's Eagle Scout project is a big part of the book, and it irritated me that what is described as his project would not earn him an Eagle--it just isn't big enough and doesn't include the required elements. I suppose it's possible that there's a wider scope to the project that wasn't described, but it doesn't really seem that way. He also would have been extremely young to earn an Eagle. (I assumed, until his age was specified and middle-school attendance mentioned, that he was quite a bit older--in high school--like the vast majority of Eagle Scouts.) While it isn't impossible--I have known of a few boys who earned the Eagle in eighth or ninth grade--it's unlikely. The boys I knew of had parents who were extremely involved in their kids' Boy Scout programs and pushing them regularly (or, in some cases, giving huge support to the boy's overdrive). The single dad in this book would not have had the time or (I think, based on what we see here) competitive drive to make it happen.
Perhaps this is a small thing, but Devon's Eagle Scout project is a big part of the book, and it irritated me that what is described as his project would not earn him an Eagle--it just isn't big enough and doesn't include the required elements. I suppose it's possible that there's a wider scope to the project that wasn't described, but it doesn't really seem that way. He also would have been extremely young to earn an Eagle. (I assumed, until his age was specified and middle-school attendance mentioned, that he was quite a bit older--in high school--like the vast majority of Eagle Scouts.) While it isn't impossible--I have known of a few boys who earned the Eagle in eighth or ninth grade--it's unlikely. The boys I knew of had parents who were extremely involved in their kids' Boy Scout programs and pushing them regularly (or, in some cases, giving huge support to the boy's overdrive). The single dad in this book would not have had the time or (I think, based on what we see here) competitive drive to make it happen.
October 19, 2022
I enjoyed this when I first read it 10 years ago, but my experiences with autistic people, and as an autistic person, have changed massively since then. I wanted to re-read this to see if the book did portray autistic people well, and unfortunately it did not.
I'm a little conflicted, because I can't deny that Caitlin is an incredibly well written character. On the flip side, it's very clear that the author strongly believes in ABA Therapy, as the book centers around that and she even put in her end notes "the main character has aspergers syndrome but is receiving early intervention through the public school system". "Early intervention". Um.
It was difficult to read through the scene where Caitlin's "therapist" started drawing a line and explaining to her that some people are "high functioning" and some aren't, which isn't a thing. You're autistic or you're not. And Caitlin herself seems unaware that she's autistic, which leads to her arguing with people about it, and the adults around her do not correct this in their mission to make her "normal".
I'm a little conflicted, because I can't deny that Caitlin is an incredibly well written character. On the flip side, it's very clear that the author strongly believes in ABA Therapy, as the book centers around that and she even put in her end notes "the main character has aspergers syndrome but is receiving early intervention through the public school system". "Early intervention". Um.
It was difficult to read through the scene where Caitlin's "therapist" started drawing a line and explaining to her that some people are "high functioning" and some aren't, which isn't a thing. You're autistic or you're not. And Caitlin herself seems unaware that she's autistic, which leads to her arguing with people about it, and the adults around her do not correct this in their mission to make her "normal".
January 26, 2011
As someone who has Asperger's, 10-year-old Caitlin has trouble understanding why people act a certain way and how to react to them in turn. She would always turn to her older brother Devon to explain things and situations for her, but Devon dies in a tragedy that rocks their entire community. So not only is Caitlin left without her most trusted friend and big brother, she must learn how to deal with the way her father is now acting, the way others treat her in school, learning empathy, and most important of all, getting to Closure.
If you haven't heard of this book yet, just to tell you, it won the National Book Award for young people's literature. And let me tell you, it certainly deserved it. Through Erskine's book we see the world through Caitlin's eyes and mind. She doesn't Get It (as she would say) most of the time, as she can't understand certain emotions or reactions. She has to work really hard to see how another person is feeling and how to make them feel better, instead of worse. It's very illuminating to see how a person with Asperger's might view the world, and gives us a tool to understand them better and the way they see things better.
Despite her lack of understanding others, Caitlin is remarkably intelligent and an incredible artist. Throughout the book, Erskine uses Caitlin's artistic talents as a device—her refusal to use color goes hand in hand with the way she likes to see the world. Black and white are much easier to deal with than colors that can run together and blur. But as she begins to learn empathy and friendship, as she begins to find the ever-illusive Closure, Caitlin begins to see that color might be useful.
What really struck me about this novel was the rawness and realness of everything. Erskine does not really censor much, but not in an inappropriate way. What I mean is, Caitlin just reports things as she sees them, bluntly and accurately—this is especially true when she describe her father's violent reaction when he hears the news of his son's death and his subsequent grieving (mostly detachment, refusal to speak of Devon, and lots of crying), and how she herself is dealing with the loss of the only person who seemed to understand how to talk to her. We also see things that Caitlin misses. She has incredible skills of observation, and doesn't shy away from telling us everything—actions and gestures that she doesn't understand are not lost on us, and I felt it all the more.
We also see the way a tragedy can affect everyone involved, even those who are related to the ones who caused it. It's heartbreaking, but the quest for Closure is a bold and valiant one that Caitlin tries to share with the entire community.
The mockingbird title comes from Devon and Caitlin's shared love for the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout, Caitlin keeps returning to this, to her nickname Scout that Devon gave her, and to all of their likeness to the three main characters in the film and book (Jem, Scout and Atticus). In the end, Devon is the symbolic mockingbird—dead despite his innocence, but living on in the memory of his family and of his community.
Incredibly moving and poignant (I use that word not as a cliche; I mean it with all my heart), Caitlin shows us a world that we mostly try to ignore. She shows us ways to deal with grief, both good and bad, but all real; after death and tragedy, we must find our way to Closure, and to living again.
If you haven't heard of this book yet, just to tell you, it won the National Book Award for young people's literature. And let me tell you, it certainly deserved it. Through Erskine's book we see the world through Caitlin's eyes and mind. She doesn't Get It (as she would say) most of the time, as she can't understand certain emotions or reactions. She has to work really hard to see how another person is feeling and how to make them feel better, instead of worse. It's very illuminating to see how a person with Asperger's might view the world, and gives us a tool to understand them better and the way they see things better.
Despite her lack of understanding others, Caitlin is remarkably intelligent and an incredible artist. Throughout the book, Erskine uses Caitlin's artistic talents as a device—her refusal to use color goes hand in hand with the way she likes to see the world. Black and white are much easier to deal with than colors that can run together and blur. But as she begins to learn empathy and friendship, as she begins to find the ever-illusive Closure, Caitlin begins to see that color might be useful.
What really struck me about this novel was the rawness and realness of everything. Erskine does not really censor much, but not in an inappropriate way. What I mean is, Caitlin just reports things as she sees them, bluntly and accurately—this is especially true when she describe her father's violent reaction when he hears the news of his son's death and his subsequent grieving (mostly detachment, refusal to speak of Devon, and lots of crying), and how she herself is dealing with the loss of the only person who seemed to understand how to talk to her. We also see things that Caitlin misses. She has incredible skills of observation, and doesn't shy away from telling us everything—actions and gestures that she doesn't understand are not lost on us, and I felt it all the more.
We also see the way a tragedy can affect everyone involved, even those who are related to the ones who caused it. It's heartbreaking, but the quest for Closure is a bold and valiant one that Caitlin tries to share with the entire community.
The mockingbird title comes from Devon and Caitlin's shared love for the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout, Caitlin keeps returning to this, to her nickname Scout that Devon gave her, and to all of their likeness to the three main characters in the film and book (Jem, Scout and Atticus). In the end, Devon is the symbolic mockingbird—dead despite his innocence, but living on in the memory of his family and of his community.
Incredibly moving and poignant (I use that word not as a cliche; I mean it with all my heart), Caitlin shows us a world that we mostly try to ignore. She shows us ways to deal with grief, both good and bad, but all real; after death and tragedy, we must find our way to Closure, and to living again.
June 20, 2010
Simply the best children's ficton I've read since I was a kid. Tears sprung into my eyes by the end of the first short chapter, and I was hooked. It's complex but not overly complicated, and the Big Things That Happen (as Caitlin might put it) are slowly revealed. I love how the intersection of other characters such as first-grader Michael and class bully Josh are deftly tied together -- the ending is a stunner to pull off and had not one note of triteness or seemed forced in any way. The issues presented are tough: violence in schools, death of a relative, and the search for Closure, all told through the eyes of a bright young protagonist with Asperger's, which makes the emotional impact of this story even greater. Each time Caitlin describes and fails to understand the emotional impact of what's going on around her, we as readers take on that emotion and are empathetically draw to carry the emotion for her, making for a really intense read that is hard to put down. Erskine's enviable writing skills make me totally Get It, and love her for it.
June 8, 2016
Aquele livro feito para nos emocionar! Gostei bastante desta historia. Não conhecia muito bem os contornos da narrativa mas envolvi-me muito com as personagens. Adorei a Caitlin. A sua forma de ver o mundo é tao peculiar e fascinante ao mesmo tempo! Adorei que a historia tivesse sido contada através dos seus olhos. Não estava a contar que o livro aborda-se o tema dos tiroteios nas escolas e apesar da autora o ter feito de forma subtil, acho que foi muito bem conseguido. A escrita da autora é simples mas muito emotiva, o que me agradou bastante. Adorei simplesmente. Penso que é um livro indicado tanto para adultos como crianças. Aconselho e muito xD
October 19, 2020
کیتلین عزیزم، من هربار میترسم یا گریه میکنم دنبال یک بالشت میگردم، یک کوسن یا یک پارچه حتی که صورتم را در آن فرو ببرم چون وقتی سرم را به بالشت فشار میدهم چشمهایم را میبندم و فکر میکنم با این کار اشکهایم راحتتر خالی میشوند و من اگر بیشتر گریه کنم زودتر خوب میشوم و آدمها نمیدانند وقتی گریه میکنم یعنی میخواهم زودتر اندوه و غم را که از نوک پایم شروع شده و تا پشت چشمهایم آمده و زیر پوستم جریان دارد را خالی کنم تا جا برای شادی و دویدن خون تازه و شاد در رگهایم باز شود و از من میخواهند گریه نکنم ولی وقتی صورتم را در بالشت فرو میبرم یعنی دارم تلاش میکنم خوب شوم و دیدم که تو وقتی دلت برای دُوِن تنگ میشد – خیلی خیلی تنگ میشد – دنبال ملحفه دون به اتاق خالیاش میرفتی تا خودت را بیندازی در سفیدی آن حجم مهربان و گریه کنی تا دلتنگیات بهتر شود..
کیتلین عزیزم، من هم وقتی چیزی یا کسی را دوست دارم اول از همه فکر میکنم چطور میتوانم بخشی از او شوم؟ تا بحال دلم خواسته دستبندی باشم که همیشه روی مچ دست راستش میبندد، دستمال گردنی که دور تا دور گلویش را میپوشاند، گل سری که موهای کنار گوشش را با آن جمع میکند. حتی یک بار دلم خواست برش کیکی شوم که به دهان میبرد. یک روز هم تصور کردم کاش آن سبد حصیری گرد بودم که گربهام همیشه درون آن میخوابد چون هیچکجا جز آنجا احساس امنیت و آسودگی نمیکند.
و تو هیچکس را اندازه برادرت دُون دوست نداشتی و وقتی که مُرده بود و تو از دلتنگیاش داشتی بهانه میگرفتی دلت خواست قلب دون شوی، برای این کار چشمهایت را بستی و گفتی توی حفره خالی میروی و تصور میکنی جای آن قلب هستی. قلب دُوِن. دستهایت دهلیزها هستند و پاهایت بطنها و خون را با فشار پخش میکنی چون باید کاری کنی که دون زنده بماند. اول خون را با فشار توی ریهها میفرستی تا اکسیژن بگیرند بعد به دهلیز و بطن چپ و بعد آئورت تا خون در تمام بدنش جریان پیدا کند. تمام دریچههایت مشغول کار هستند پس خون در جریان است و ضربانش را حس میکنی و تکان میخوری پس زنده هستی و میخواهی سینه او هم زنده باشد.
و من فکر میکنم هیچوقت نتوانستهام مانند تو خودم را نزدیک به یک نفر کنم و این تو بودی که تا دریچه های آئورت دون رفتی و حسش کردی..
کیتلین عزیزم من با تو دوباره به واژههای درایت، همدلی، خاتمه و درک فکر کردم و در لغتنامهها دنبال معنای آنها و مثالهایی برایش بودم چون تو داشتی برای بزرگ شدن، قوی شدن و کنار آمدن با جای خالی دُوِن، اتاق خالی او و تخت خواب خالیاش این واژهها را یاد میگرفتی و در زندگیات بکار میبردی.
کیتلین عزیزم، هر کتابی برای من نقطه بیرحمانهای دارد برای ضجه زدن و گریه کردن. آن روز ساعت ۹:۲۵ دقیقه صبح وقتی در واگن مترو بودم و تو را میخواندم به اینجای قصهات که رسیدم اشک ریختم:
به دُون فکر میکنم و آرزو میکنم کاش بود. چقدر سخت است که دیگر هیچوقت نمیتواند کمکم کند. حالا دیگر نه سوار دوچرخهاش میشود نه بیسبال بازی میکند نه کشتن مرغ مقلد را تماشا میکند و نه دیگر میتواند پیشاهنگ عقاب باشد. صدای گریه میشنوم و بعد دست بابا می آید که موهای خیسم را از روی چشمهایم کنار میزند. اما نمیتوانم جلوی گریهام را بگیرم. بخاطر دُوِن. بخاطر اتفاقاتی که برایش افتاد. بخاطر اینکه دیگر زنده نیست و نمیتواند هیچ کاری بکند و بخاطر اینکه نمیتواند دیگر خوشحال بشود یا به چیزی افتخار کند یا اینکه کسی را دوست داشته باشد. برای دون گریه میکنم چون تمام احساساتم بخاطر دون است نه بخاطر خودم.
و هیچکس به سادگی تو نمیتوانست از رنج نبودن دیگری بگوید، از حفرهها و جزئیاتی که با نبودن یک نفر برای همیشه خالی میماند.
درباره کتاب:
مرغ مقلد داستان لطیف و غمگینی از زبان یک دختر مدرسه ای به نام کیتلین است که بیماری آسپرگر ـ نوعی از اوتیسم - دارد. کیتلین، دُوِن برادر بزرگترش که بهترین و نزدیکترین دوست و حامیاش بوده را در حادثه تیراندازی مدرسه ویرجینیادیر از دست داده. کیتلین هنوز دون را زنده تصور میکند و به سختی میتواند بدون او زندگی کند چ��ن از یکطرف ناگهان تنها شده و هنوز از چیزهای زیادی میترسد و از طرفی پدری دارد که هنوز درگیر اندوه دون است.
کیتلین در مدرسه به کمک مشاورش - خانم بروک - سعی میکند ارتباط برقرار کردن با آدمها را یاد بگیرد، در این میان با واژهها و مفاهیم جدیدی آشنا میشود که تا بحال نمی شناخته. او با واژه خاتمه آشنا می شود و میداند که باید بالاخره به سوگواری و اندوه خود و پدرش خاتمه دهد، و راه خاتمه دادن را در تمام کردن پروژه جعبه چوبی پیشاهنگی میبیند که وقتی دون زنده بود دوست داشت آن را بسازد و در جشن پیشاهنگی مدرسهاش آن را نشان دهد. جعبه ای که بعد از مرگ او نیمه کاره در ات��قش رها شده بود.
کیتلین عزیزم، من هم وقتی چیزی یا کسی را دوست دارم اول از همه فکر میکنم چطور میتوانم بخشی از او شوم؟ تا بحال دلم خواسته دستبندی باشم که همیشه روی مچ دست راستش میبندد، دستمال گردنی که دور تا دور گلویش را میپوشاند، گل سری که موهای کنار گوشش را با آن جمع میکند. حتی یک بار دلم خواست برش کیکی شوم که به دهان میبرد. یک روز هم تصور کردم کاش آن سبد حصیری گرد بودم که گربهام همیشه درون آن میخوابد چون هیچکجا جز آنجا احساس امنیت و آسودگی نمیکند.
و تو هیچکس را اندازه برادرت دُون دوست نداشتی و وقتی که مُرده بود و تو از دلتنگیاش داشتی بهانه میگرفتی دلت خواست قلب دون شوی، برای این کار چشمهایت را بستی و گفتی توی حفره خالی میروی و تصور میکنی جای آن قلب هستی. قلب دُوِن. دستهایت دهلیزها هستند و پاهایت بطنها و خون را با فشار پخش میکنی چون باید کاری کنی که دون زنده بماند. اول خون را با فشار توی ریهها میفرستی تا اکسیژن بگیرند بعد به دهلیز و بطن چپ و بعد آئورت تا خون در تمام بدنش جریان پیدا کند. تمام دریچههایت مشغول کار هستند پس خون در جریان است و ضربانش را حس میکنی و تکان میخوری پس زنده هستی و میخواهی سینه او هم زنده باشد.
و من فکر میکنم هیچوقت نتوانستهام مانند تو خودم را نزدیک به یک نفر کنم و این تو بودی که تا دریچه های آئورت دون رفتی و حسش کردی..
کیتلین عزیزم من با تو دوباره به واژههای درایت، همدلی، خاتمه و درک فکر کردم و در لغتنامهها دنبال معنای آنها و مثالهایی برایش بودم چون تو داشتی برای بزرگ شدن، قوی شدن و کنار آمدن با جای خالی دُوِن، اتاق خالی او و تخت خواب خالیاش این واژهها را یاد میگرفتی و در زندگیات بکار میبردی.
کیتلین عزیزم، هر کتابی برای من نقطه بیرحمانهای دارد برای ضجه زدن و گریه کردن. آن روز ساعت ۹:۲۵ دقیقه صبح وقتی در واگن مترو بودم و تو را میخواندم به اینجای قصهات که رسیدم اشک ریختم:
به دُون فکر میکنم و آرزو میکنم کاش بود. چقدر سخت است که دیگر هیچوقت نمیتواند کمکم کند. حالا دیگر نه سوار دوچرخهاش میشود نه بیسبال بازی میکند نه کشتن مرغ مقلد را تماشا میکند و نه دیگر میتواند پیشاهنگ عقاب باشد. صدای گریه میشنوم و بعد دست بابا می آید که موهای خیسم را از روی چشمهایم کنار میزند. اما نمیتوانم جلوی گریهام را بگیرم. بخاطر دُوِن. بخاطر اتفاقاتی که برایش افتاد. بخاطر اینکه دیگر زنده نیست و نمیتواند هیچ کاری بکند و بخاطر اینکه نمیتواند دیگر خوشحال بشود یا به چیزی افتخار کند یا اینکه کسی را دوست داشته باشد. برای دون گریه میکنم چون تمام احساساتم بخاطر دون است نه بخاطر خودم.
و هیچکس به سادگی تو نمیتوانست از رنج نبودن دیگری بگوید، از حفرهها و جزئیاتی که با نبودن یک نفر برای همیشه خالی میماند.
درباره کتاب:
مرغ مقلد داستان لطیف و غمگینی از زبان یک دختر مدرسه ای به نام کیتلین است که بیماری آسپرگر ـ نوعی از اوتیسم - دارد. کیتلین، دُوِن برادر بزرگترش که بهترین و نزدیکترین دوست و حامیاش بوده را در حادثه تیراندازی مدرسه ویرجینیادیر از دست داده. کیتلین هنوز دون را زنده تصور میکند و به سختی میتواند بدون او زندگی کند چ��ن از یکطرف ناگهان تنها شده و هنوز از چیزهای زیادی میترسد و از طرفی پدری دارد که هنوز درگیر اندوه دون است.
کیتلین در مدرسه به کمک مشاورش - خانم بروک - سعی میکند ارتباط برقرار کردن با آدمها را یاد بگیرد، در این میان با واژهها و مفاهیم جدیدی آشنا میشود که تا بحال نمی شناخته. او با واژه خاتمه آشنا می شود و میداند که باید بالاخره به سوگواری و اندوه خود و پدرش خاتمه دهد، و راه خاتمه دادن را در تمام کردن پروژه جعبه چوبی پیشاهنگی میبیند که وقتی دون زنده بود دوست داشت آن را بسازد و در جشن پیشاهنگی مدرسهاش آن را نشان دهد. جعبه ای که بعد از مرگ او نیمه کاره در ات��قش رها شده بود.
December 30, 2022
Já tinha ouvido falar deste livro há muito tempo, mas nunca me interessou o suficiente para pegar nele (o título no Brasil é horrendo, na minha opinião). Até que a Silvéria mo recomendou e mo emprestou. Não sei porque é que não o li mais cedo, sinceramente, adorei e é um livro que tem tudo aquilo que um livro deveria ter, ensina-nos algo novo, faz-nos colocar no lugar de alguém muito diferente de nós e ajuda-nos a ser pessoas um bocadinho melhores. A história é contada pelo ponto de vista da Caitlin que tem Síndrome de Asperger, o irmão morreu recentemente num tiroteio e a relação com o pai, a única pessoa da família que lhe resta, não está a ajudar. É muito interessante ver o mundo pelos olhos da Caitlin, conseguimos perceber o porquê de ela ter certas reacções, que nós, pessoas normais no espectro do comportamento, não conseguimos compreender. A nota que a autora deixa no final do livro é sobre isso mesmo, o mundo é um sítio mais feliz se conseguirmos ter empatia pelos outros, deixarmos portanto de ser egoístas e só pensar no nosso umbigo, e se pararmos para pensar e compreender os motivos do outro é meio caminho andado para não o prejudicar, e até é possível ajudá-lo depois disso. Muito interessante também é a dificuldade que os autistas têm de perceber uma metáfora, um provérbio ou uma expressão, a compreensão que têm é toda à letra, o que por si só pode levar a alguns desentendimentos. Em suma, é um livro infanto-juvenil muito bom, não é bobo nem superficial, bem pelo contrário, todos os adultos deviam lê-lo, mesmo aqueles que não gostam do género.
Quero dar também os meu parabéns à tradução que não deixa nenhuma ponta solta e nos explica as palavras e expressões que não têm tradução para português.
Quero dar também os meu parabéns à tradução que não deixa nenhuma ponta solta e nos explica as palavras e expressões que não têm tradução para português.
June 27, 2018
دوسش نداشتم خیلی! شاید چون بعد از خطای ستارگان بخت ما خوندمش و موضوع کلی هردو درباره نوجوون هایی بود که بیماری دارن و جذابیت های خطای ستارگان ... اصلا تو مرغ مقلد نبود و شاید ذهنم مقایسه میکرد ناخودآگاه این دو کتاب رو باهم
ولی مشخص نبودن دیالوگ ها از متن و از همدیگه، اذیتم کرد که نمیدونم اصل کتاب هم همینطور هست یا ناشر داخلی این چنین کرده که بعید میدونم
راوی کتاب دختر کلاس شش می هست که بیماری آسپرگر داره و برادر بزرگترش در تیراندازی مدرسه کشته شده، مادرشون هم سالها قبل براثر سرطان فوت کرده و حالا یک پدر غمگین و افسرده مونده با دختر آسپرگریش
پدر داستان بشدت خنثی و بیعرضه است! دردی که این دختر بیمار هست که به پدر کمک میکنه کمی از حال و هوای افسردگی خارج بشه
آشنایی که کتاب بهم درمورد این بیماری و افراد مبتلا به بهم داد، خوب بود
و میدونم از کتابهایی هست که یکسری از دانش آموزهام خوششون میاد، هرچند معلمشون تو گودریدز به کتاب سه امتیاز داده باشه :))
ولی مشخص نبودن دیالوگ ها از متن و از همدیگه، اذیتم کرد که نمیدونم اصل کتاب هم همینطور هست یا ناشر داخلی این چنین کرده که بعید میدونم
راوی کتاب دختر کلاس شش می هست که بیماری آسپرگر داره و برادر بزرگترش در تیراندازی مدرسه کشته شده، مادرشون هم سالها قبل براثر سرطان فوت کرده و حالا یک پدر غمگین و افسرده مونده با دختر آسپرگریش
پدر داستان بشدت خنثی و بیعرضه است! دردی که این دختر بیمار هست که به پدر کمک میکنه کمی از حال و هوای افسردگی خارج بشه
آشنایی که کتاب بهم درمورد این بیماری و افراد مبتلا به بهم داد، خوب بود
و میدونم از کتابهایی هست که یکسری از دانش آموزهام خوششون میاد، هرچند معلمشون تو گودریدز به کتاب سه امتیاز داده باشه :))
December 14, 2017
کتاب از دید دختربچهای که آسپرگر داره روایت میشه و به نظر میرسه خیلی واقعی تونسته حال بچهای با آسپرگر رو دربیاره و خواننده کاملا کیتلین رو درک میکنه. من کتاب رو گذاشتم تو جیب کاپشنم و هر جا دو دقیقه وقت داشتم یه کمش رو خوندم. حالم دگرگون شد باهاش و از روزی که شروعش کردم به تفاوت بچهها با هم بیشتر دقت میکنم تو خانه کودک و به عینه روی برخوردم با یکی از بچهها تاثیر داشت خوندن این کتاب.
اگه بچه دارید یا با بچهها کار میکنید حتمن بخونیدش.
اگه بچه دارید یا با بچهها کار میکنید حتمن بخونیدش.
March 2, 2016
“ Eu consigo ler qualquer livro, porque o meu nível de leitura é tão alto que eles nem o conseguem classificar. .Às vezes leio o mesmo livro uma e outra e outra vez. O que é bom nos livros é que o que vem lá dentro não muda nunca. Os livros não são como as pessoas. Os livros são seguros."
Opinião aqui:
http://clarocomoaagua.blogs.sapo.pt/o...
Opinião aqui:
http://clarocomoaagua.blogs.sapo.pt/o...
June 21, 2021
100000/10 First book I've cried in. Ever. I think...
April 4, 2017
Caitlin învață despre empatie, despre culori și despre prieteni în timp ce își caută Împăcarea. Toată povestea mi s-a părut a fi încercarea unui copil fragil de a înțelege un labirint fără sens, numit viață.
October 13, 2019
It was a great experience reading the book. It is so deep snd sensitive. I really like how the author looks deep inside in human's soul.
Caitlin is a litlle girl with Asperger whose elder brother was killed. Helpd by the school counselor she finds her way into a big, unclear world. Her story is told with feelings and love.
I really liked this book and I think one must read it in order to - at least - have a clue about Asperger and to better understand people with Asperger.
Caitlin is a litlle girl with Asperger whose elder brother was killed. Helpd by the school counselor she finds her way into a big, unclear world. Her story is told with feelings and love.
I really liked this book and I think one must read it in order to - at least - have a clue about Asperger and to better understand people with Asperger.
September 30, 2013
***Spoiler Alert***
I don’t get it. That is most likely how you will feel as you read this book. But once you get to the end, you will Get It, just like the main character, Caitlin. In this realistic fiction book, the author does a good job of putting me in the place of a person with Asperger’s while telling a story with lots of emotion. It is not my favorite book, but it certainly teaches some good lessons.
This story takes place after a school shooting, and Caitlin’s family and fellow students have to deal with the effects at both home and school. Caitlin, the main character, has Asperger’s, which is a type of autism. Therefore, she has a difficult time understanding people’s feelings and emotions. Her bother, Devon, was one of the victims of the school shooting. So now the family is only Caitlin and her dad, who has to deal with the loss of his son while taking care of Caitlin. Throughout the story, Caitlin sees a school counselor who tries to help her learn about other people’s emotions and learn about empathy. This creates the person vs. self conflict in the book because Caitlin must learn to empathize. Caitlin also learns that she, her father, and the whole community need closure to move on from the shooting. Caitlin and her father end up building a wooden chest, which was Devon’s Eagle Scout project. This helps bring them closure. Caitlin also makes a new friend in Michael, who lost his mother in the school shooting. By befriending Michael, Caitlin also learns a bit about empathy. In the end, Caitlin finds closure and begins to understand people’s feelings.
A theme of this book clearly is empathy. Not only does Caitlin have to learn how to feel empathy, but it seems as though the author’s purpose is to make the reader feel empathy for Caitlin. The first person point of view helps us feel empathy for Caitlin. This point of view helps the reader see things as Caitlin sees them. It helps us get an understanding of what someone with Asperger’s would think like. She has an emotions chart that she uses with the counselor to help her recognize people’s emotions. We can see Caitlin try to use this chart when she sees people. For example, Caitlin thought this as she saw a boy sitting alone on the playground, “I wonder why he’s sitting like that. He’s rubbing his eyes so he’s either sleepy or sad. I think those are the only two things it could be.” I know I do not have to think like this; my brain automatically can recognize other people’s emotions. It is interesting to see how Caitlin has to train her brain to do this.
I was moved by the symbol of Caitlin’s drawing in the book too. She was really good at drawing, but she only drew in black and white throughout the book. However, at the end, she finally drew something in color. This is a symbol for the way Caitlin views things throughout the story. At first she only saw things one way or the other (black and white), but in the end she understands how emotions change and everyone see things differently (colors).
I compare this book to Anything But Typical because they are both told in first person by a child with a form of autism. I liked Anything But Typical better though because I think the author did a better job of helping me relate to the main character. In Mockingbird, I understood the way Caitlin’s mind worked, but I had a hard time feeling empathy for her.
Overall, I enjoyed the book because it did teach me some empathy, but I did not love it. I would rate this book a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 because I did not relate to Caitlin as much as I would have liked. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the book Anything But Typical and any books like that where the theme involves empathy and understanding people who are different from ourselves. Mockingbird helped me to Get It, and hopefully you will read this book to Get It and learn a bit about empathy.
I don’t get it. That is most likely how you will feel as you read this book. But once you get to the end, you will Get It, just like the main character, Caitlin. In this realistic fiction book, the author does a good job of putting me in the place of a person with Asperger’s while telling a story with lots of emotion. It is not my favorite book, but it certainly teaches some good lessons.
This story takes place after a school shooting, and Caitlin’s family and fellow students have to deal with the effects at both home and school. Caitlin, the main character, has Asperger’s, which is a type of autism. Therefore, she has a difficult time understanding people’s feelings and emotions. Her bother, Devon, was one of the victims of the school shooting. So now the family is only Caitlin and her dad, who has to deal with the loss of his son while taking care of Caitlin. Throughout the story, Caitlin sees a school counselor who tries to help her learn about other people’s emotions and learn about empathy. This creates the person vs. self conflict in the book because Caitlin must learn to empathize. Caitlin also learns that she, her father, and the whole community need closure to move on from the shooting. Caitlin and her father end up building a wooden chest, which was Devon’s Eagle Scout project. This helps bring them closure. Caitlin also makes a new friend in Michael, who lost his mother in the school shooting. By befriending Michael, Caitlin also learns a bit about empathy. In the end, Caitlin finds closure and begins to understand people’s feelings.
A theme of this book clearly is empathy. Not only does Caitlin have to learn how to feel empathy, but it seems as though the author’s purpose is to make the reader feel empathy for Caitlin. The first person point of view helps us feel empathy for Caitlin. This point of view helps the reader see things as Caitlin sees them. It helps us get an understanding of what someone with Asperger’s would think like. She has an emotions chart that she uses with the counselor to help her recognize people’s emotions. We can see Caitlin try to use this chart when she sees people. For example, Caitlin thought this as she saw a boy sitting alone on the playground, “I wonder why he’s sitting like that. He’s rubbing his eyes so he’s either sleepy or sad. I think those are the only two things it could be.” I know I do not have to think like this; my brain automatically can recognize other people’s emotions. It is interesting to see how Caitlin has to train her brain to do this.
I was moved by the symbol of Caitlin’s drawing in the book too. She was really good at drawing, but she only drew in black and white throughout the book. However, at the end, she finally drew something in color. This is a symbol for the way Caitlin views things throughout the story. At first she only saw things one way or the other (black and white), but in the end she understands how emotions change and everyone see things differently (colors).
I compare this book to Anything But Typical because they are both told in first person by a child with a form of autism. I liked Anything But Typical better though because I think the author did a better job of helping me relate to the main character. In Mockingbird, I understood the way Caitlin’s mind worked, but I had a hard time feeling empathy for her.
Overall, I enjoyed the book because it did teach me some empathy, but I did not love it. I would rate this book a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 because I did not relate to Caitlin as much as I would have liked. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the book Anything But Typical and any books like that where the theme involves empathy and understanding people who are different from ourselves. Mockingbird helped me to Get It, and hopefully you will read this book to Get It and learn a bit about empathy.
April 15, 2017
The main reason why I chose this book is because the main character is Caitlin, a fifth-grader who has Asperger’s. I don’t think I have ever come across a book about a girl with Asperger’s before – let alone one that is from her point-of-view. Now, I do not have Asperger’s myself, so I’m just going to link you to disability in kid lit’s review here (http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/04...), which makes a huge number of important points about ableist microaggressions within the novel. It is clear that Erskine is not on the autism spectrum. In her author’s note, she mentions that her daughter has been diagnosed, and that she wanted to represent girls with Asperger’s in her fiction. But yeah, I was made uncomfortable by some of the implications made in the novel. Caitlin is often forced to look into her therapist’s eyes, which I know is something that many people in the autism spectrum find difficult. There is also the idea that she must learn how to empathise, rather than how to display her empathy. This is obviously implying that people who have Asperger’s simply do not know how to empathise, and that made my jaw drop in shock. Just – WHAT?!
Also, the ending is way too neat – not only in its representation of Asperger’s, but on a structural level, too. Caitlin suddenly Gets It (i.e. what her father needs from her emotionally). I’m not going to lie, this made me cringe a bit, because it was way too pat and the core conflict of the novel was too easily fixed. This could have been such an interesting novel if Caitlin hadn’t just Got It, but rather slowly began to display the empathy she felt for her father. I understand that the book was written for a middle-grade/young adult audience, but a key emotional subtlety was missing for all levels.
However, I thought that there were a couple of interesting points in the novel – mainly how Caitlin thinks about the world around her. She capitalises the concepts that she’s trying to learn – including Minding Your Manners, and Looking At The Person. This really helped me to understand her way of seeing the world, and I thought it was done quite well. Finally, what I did not realise is that the central conflict – the death of Caitlin’s brother, Devon – was based upon the Virginia Tech mass school shooting. I…was not expecting this. The way that Erskine drew the community together in their grief was incredibly moving.
Overall – I’m not going to beat around the bush. I think this book was written for neurotypicals. I was quite disappointed in it, and I hope that the next book I read that features neurodiversity will be better.
Also, the ending is way too neat – not only in its representation of Asperger’s, but on a structural level, too. Caitlin suddenly Gets It (i.e. what her father needs from her emotionally). I’m not going to lie, this made me cringe a bit, because it was way too pat and the core conflict of the novel was too easily fixed. This could have been such an interesting novel if Caitlin hadn’t just Got It, but rather slowly began to display the empathy she felt for her father. I understand that the book was written for a middle-grade/young adult audience, but a key emotional subtlety was missing for all levels.
However, I thought that there were a couple of interesting points in the novel – mainly how Caitlin thinks about the world around her. She capitalises the concepts that she’s trying to learn – including Minding Your Manners, and Looking At The Person. This really helped me to understand her way of seeing the world, and I thought it was done quite well. Finally, what I did not realise is that the central conflict – the death of Caitlin’s brother, Devon – was based upon the Virginia Tech mass school shooting. I…was not expecting this. The way that Erskine drew the community together in their grief was incredibly moving.
Overall – I’m not going to beat around the bush. I think this book was written for neurotypicals. I was quite disappointed in it, and I hope that the next book I read that features neurodiversity will be better.
November 29, 2010
An excellent addition to the growing list of fiction books with an autistic narrator. Ostracized by other 5th grade students already (because of her autism), Caitlin's role as the sister of a middle school boy killed in a school shooting only serves to make others more uncomfortable around her. Caitlin works hard to deal with the tragic, sudden death of her beloved brother and her father's resulting devastation. With the help of a wise school counselor she also makes progress towards learning how to interact and socialize more appropriately with kids at school and other adults. Kids who read this will definitely come away with a greater understanding of how autistic people experience the world. Hopefully, the cruel and insensitive way some other students (and even teachers) treat Caitlin will make readers cringe and develop more empathy for disabled people in the real world. And the clear message that everyone has unique strengths is an important one. My only quibble with the book is that Caitlin is described as having Asperger's and she seemed somewhat more impaired to me. I was very moved by the story and characters in this powerful book. It would make an excellent book club selection for 7th grade and up.
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