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    Anything But Typical
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    Anything But Typical
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    Anything But Typical
    Audiobook3 hours

    Anything But Typical

    Written by Nora Raleigh Baskin

    Narrated by Tom Parks

    4/5

    ()

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this audiobook

    Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does. Jason can be himself when he writes, and he thinks that PhoenixBird - her name is Rebecca - could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to meet her, he's terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca will only see his autism and not who Jason really is.

    "This is an enormously difficult subject, but Baskin, without dramatics or sentimentality, makes it universal." - Booklist, starred review
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMar 24, 2009
    ISBN9781423381327
    Author

    Nora Raleigh Baskin

    Nora Raleigh Baskin is the ALA Schneider Family Book Award–winning author of Anything But Typical. She was chosen as a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for her novel What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows, and has since written a number of novels for middle graders and teens, including The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah, The Summer Before Boys, and Ruby on the Outside. Nora lives with her family in Connecticut. Visit her at NoraBaskin.com.

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    Reviews for Anything But Typical

    4/5

    273 ratings40 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I picked up Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin because I enjoy reading books that help me get into the mind of someone else. I was pulled into Jason’s story and could easily relate to him. I think many of us are insecure about ourselves and afraid to reveal who we really are to others. Jason loves to write and can be himself when he's putting his writing out there on the internet. I also find writing to be very freeing, so right away I connected to him. I was happy that Jason made a friend online, but I worried about what she would think of him in person. Seeing the world from a different perspective helps us to be more compassionate. I would recommend this book to readers in grades four and up who want to learn to understand others and see what it's like to walk in their shoes. I think we all feel misunderstood sometimes, and because of that you will relate to Jason and the struggles he's going through. I look forward to reading more books by this author!
    • 4/5
      Jason Blake is an autistic, 12-year-old narrator, whose hobby is posting short stories on a website for aspiring authors. Not many people read his stories, but among those who do is PhoenixBird, who Jason eventually determines has to be a girl. A girl who likes him. A girlfriend.Jason tells about numerous episodes in his family and school life during the course of the book, but the climax comes when Jason gets to go to a national story-writing convention hosted by the website where he posts his work. And PhoenixBird is going to be there too.
    • 5/5
      Great book narrated by a boy with autism as he tries to navigate an online relationship via a writing site.
    • 4/5
      It was not a page turner, yet I read it in 2 days. I loved the family relationships. Seems so many books where there is a "special" child, the parents have marital problems. It is the 3rd book I have read lately about a child with aspberger's or autism and the points of view are totally different but much the same.
    • 4/5
      Twelve-year-old Jason has autism, so the world looks different to him. He doesn't really have any friends because most kids can't see past his disability. They think that if they can't understand you, you must not have anything to say and if you don't express your feelings like they do, you must not have any feelings. All that changes when he meets PhoenixBird on an online writing website. Emails from her are the highlight of Jason's day, but when he gets the chance to meet her at a conference, he must decide if he's brave enough to show her who he really is. I immediately liked Jason's voice and the way Nora Raleigh Baskin depicts the point of view of a kid with autism. I'd hand this to fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time or The London Eye Mystery.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful story about a boy who happens to be autistic. Such a beutifully complex character, he's just like us...he just sees the world in a different way.
    • 4/5
      Great book. Needs to be shared so that everyone can start to understand .
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Tom Parks. I think I need to read the print edition. The audio ended so abruptly for me. But for young readers not familiar with autism, this book will help them see some of the issues and challenges that people with autism face daily. (Sensory overload, not recognizing faces, adherence to a routine, etc.)

      Jason knows he's different from other kids at school and he knows that no matter what his parents say, his life will not have the big future they want so much for him. His refuge is his writing and the Storyboard website where he posts his stories. There he meets Rebecca and as his hopes soar for a new friend (maybe girlfriend?), he also dreads what she will think about him, especially when it turns out they are both attending the Storyboard conference.

      9/19/09 Read the print version. The ending is still abrupt for me but to visually see the breaks in text and the homophonic words Jason switches between made the story more cohesive than in the audio version.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book, and recently book this for my young nephew who was recently put on the autistic spectrum and having a IEP in development for next years school year. I love the way Baskin respectfully writes about a young boy's journey through social interactions during an age that is already difficult to navigate. I hope my nephew likes the read as much as I did!
    • 3/5
      I like Jason as a character. He is relatable. Sometimes the story does not make sense. It was hard pay attention.
    • 3/5
      Anything But Typical is about a 12 year-old boy named Jason. Jason has autism. He starts middle school without a one-on-one aide, which leads to all kinds of difficult situations at school with teachers who don’t understand him and being bullied by other students. However, Jason makes it through everything just as long as he can keep writing and posting stories online. One of his followers, the enigmatic ”Phoenixbird”, is Jason’s only friend. They share stories, feedback, criticism, and also talk to each other about their real lives. Jason’s struggles with school, friendships, girls, family, and everyday life are pretty realistic portrayals of what the world is like for a boy with autism. The narrative is authentic and easy to read, and it really allows the reader to get inside Jason’s head. I would recommend Anything But Typical to any middle school reader, and high schoolers looking for a fiction book about autism.
    • 5/5
      Highly recommended story of a 12 year old autistic boy.
    • 3/5
      A pretty decent book written from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy with autism, but wasn't blown away.
    • 4/5
      told from point of view of Jason the main character an autistic 12-year-old trying to cope with the "real" world; compelling story
    • 3/5
      Kids on the spectrum are the new hot topic, I think. This book did a creditable job of getting inside the head of an autistic teen who finds himself facing some of his, oh, let's call 'em fears. The voice rings achingly true, the anxiety around going to the convention is palpable and honest. The parents were also certainly real as far as I could see. I totally identified with Jason's mom.

      Nicely done. 3.5
    • 3/5
      MSBA Nominee 2010-2011, Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grades

      An autistic teenage boy struggles with school and whether or not he should meet phoenixgirl, an online writing buddy.
    • 4/5
      Jason is anything but typical. He has Asperger's Syndrome and has a very difficult time interacting with his peers. The only place he feels normal is when he's writing and posting on Storyboard, a website for writers. Through this website, he has found a friend - his first - who he can talk to without messing it up (like he usually does). Everything is going well until he realizes they are both going to the same Storyboard conference and she wants to meet him. Afraid that she will see nothing but his Asperger's, Jason worries about how the world sees him. This book would be good for children who have friends or peers with autism to better understand the how and why of their behavior. It is also a good book for anyone who has felt as if they don't belong. Similar read to Rules by Cynthia Lord.
    • 4/5
      This intriguing read allows you to walk in the shoes of Jason, an autistic boy. You are able to sympathize with both him, and maybe other people you have encountered and see what life is like for them. You realize how smart he is, he just has a different way of showing that to the world because he is umfortable telling how he feelings, touching, and looking people in the eye. Jason's only comfortable when things are consistent and he can only truly be himself when he writes stories.
    • 4/5
      Baskin, N.R. (2009). Anything But Typical. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.195 pages.Appetizer: 12-year-old Jason Blake is good with words. He's a writer. And posting his stories on an online story website is the way that he engages with people. He has trouble speaking to people in person and expressing his emotions because he is autistic. He thinks that because he has trouble expressing what he feels, many neurotypicals, like his classmates, assume he doesn't feel. Most people try to keep their distance from him and Jason silently believes that he'll never have a girlfriend.But then, when Jason goes to check for comments on his latest story online, he discovers a nice comment. A nice comment from a girl! A girl named PhoenixBird who seems to want to be his friend.As Jason and PhoenixBird continue to talk online, his parents inform him that they'll let him go to the storyboard website's annual conference. While normally this would be a dream come true for Jason, it causes him to worry. What if he sees PhoenixBird there? Will she still want to be his friend when she sees that he's different from most of the kids their age? That he has trouble holding still? Nora Raleigh Baskin does an AMAZING job of entering Jason's perspective. He's a wonderfully believable character. Jason is regularly bullied and taken advantage of by some of his classmates and Baskin does a great job of describing Jason's experiences in a fair manner. I can see why this book was one of the Schneider award winners this year.Throughout the book, there are wonderful moments when Jason describes the craft of writing. Because of these moments, I'd probably pair reading this book aloud with having students write their own stories, paying attention to the tensions, the perspective and tools students use to tell the story.I very intentionally say I'd use this book as a read aloud because there are a lot of moments throughout the book that I think a teacher needs to encourage students to discuss the content or provide some background: What autism is, the way the book jumps back and forth through time, the vocabulary, the way gender is presented, the way some of the characters feel about Jason and his feelings toward him, etc.This is one of those books, which, while it's technically middle grade, it can also be used with young adults.I assigned this to my undergrads to read and their reactions. The vast majority liked it and were impressed by Jason's perspective. They threw comments around about how this book can help educate readers on autism, how to interact with autistic people, etc. There was a lot of really great and deep discussion. Plus, the book is less angsty than Mockingbird (which I was considering using next quarter, especially since it was recently named a National Book Award finalist). Monica and I discussed it a few months ago.But I'm sorry, Mockingbird. I think I'm sticking with Anything But Typical for the time being.Dinner Conversation: "Most people like to talk in their own language.They strongly prefer it. They so strongly prefer it that when they go to a foreign country they just talk louder, maybe slower, because they think they will be better understood. But more than talking in their own language, people like to hear things in a way they are most comfortable. The way they are used to. The way they can most easily relate to, as if that makes it more real. So I will try to tell this story in that way.And I will tell this story in first person.I not he. Me not him. Mine not his.In a neurotypical way.I will try--To tell my story in their language, in your language." (p. 1)."Why do people want everyone to act just like they do? Talk like they do. Look like they do. Act like they do.And if you don't--If you don't, people make the assumption that you do not feel what they feel.And then they make the assumption--That you must not feel anything at all" (p.14)."I read the comment one more time.Because somethign tells me--That this note is from a girl. There are some boy cheerleaders, but I don't think a boy would admit that.So I thin PhoenixBird is a girl.So I think a girl has just said something nice to me" (p. 29).Tasty Rating: !!!!
    • 5/5
      Told in a very interesting and different way. First person narration.
    • 5/5
      5Q 4P - sadly the award and the topic may cut back on the popularity - hopefully not.
    • 4/5
      A very interesting, unique perspective- a child with Autism written in first person. Unsure if story authentic to actual experience of being in autism spectrum but is a really different view and will help kids to identify with traits that are present in all types of people- comfort/discomfort, worry, etc.
    • 4/5
      Jason, a talented writer, talks about his life and his challenges at school and at home because he isn't a NT (neurotypical). He's autistic. While he can knows what people expect of him in terms of behavior and speech, he finds that he often can not or does not want to behave that way. He loves to write and posts his work frequently to Storyboard, and meets an online friend, Rebecca. A quick read. Jason is an interesting narrator and provides a different voice. Jason has some commonalities with Marcelo (Marcelo in the Real World) and this book will be much more accessible to younger readers - a quicker read.I'd like to know what type of research the author did to position herself to write from this point of view. How did she gain her insight into autism?
    • 4/5
      Love the cover on my copy of Anything But Typical, so suggestive of the contents of the book – swirling thoughts of a child. This novel is written in the voice of twelve-year old Jason, an autist, who is learning to “fit in” in a regular middle school. His story is told by voicing his thoughts to the reader. I listened to this book on audio and thought that was a particularly effective device for hearing the thoughts of a young person with the condition. Jason lets us know what happens each day, the thoughts that accompany the events, what he has been instructed to do to face these situations, how he feels during them, how he interacts with his classmates and his parents. It provided a lot of insight into the difficult life of an autistic person trying to make it in a neuro-typical world.I don’t have anything with which to compare, but thought that the characterization was superb. Nicely written and very informative.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Jason is a twelve year old boy with autism, growing up and trying to figure out the neurotypical world around him. Isolated from his peers, Jason loses himself in his writing. He posts his work on a fanfic website, where it draws the attention of a girl his own age. Over the internet, the two form a tenuous friendship, and Jason revels in having a new friend. But when they have the opportunity to meet at a writer's convention, Jason fears that the girl, Rebecca, will only see his autism and not the boy inside.What is unique about this book is that Raleigh Baskin tells it from Jason's point of view, but she does so in such a way that Jason's voice is at once unique, authentic, and completely recognizable to anyone who has ever struggled to fit in. This is a good recommendation both for kids with and without autism, as it will make readers think about what it means to be different, but even the most neurotypical kid will find something to identify with in Jason. A wonderful book for upper grade kids.For ages 10 and up.
    • 4/5
      Excellent, easy to read book for all ages that gives a fabulous insight into the mind of a boy with Aspergers Syndrome - especially how he relates to his peers in school and his family and how he learns to adapt to living everyday in a 'NT' world.
    • 4/5
      I think this is a pretty good portrayal of how a high-functioning autistic boy would think and act. I have Asperger's Syndrome, so they say, and although I do better than Jason I can recognize a lot of my problems in him. The conflict with the story convention is well done and I thought the ending was perfect -- hopeful, and realistic. Very good story overall, and it just might make NT readers a little more sympathetic and understanding towards people with autism.
    • 4/5
      A fantastic book about a twelve year old with autism, written in his views about the difficulties of his life. It is great to hear the challenges that Jason Blake goes through, from trying to control his occasionally uncontrollable arms to the challenges of making friends, let alone a girl friend. The book goes back and forth as he tells about his life, which does get confusing but I believe it enhances the story. I would recommend this in any young classroom so that they could see what troubles these children with disabilities go through in life.
    • 4/5
      Before I wrote this review I did something I do not normally do. I read someone else’s review. Prior to reading this review I was prepared to sing the book’s praises. After, I was less enthusiastic. The other review was written by an autistic person. Surprised by their opinion and review I listened to the book one more time. So my review is based on this person’s observations and critique and my opinion of the book. The other review ranked the book as a three out of five.In the book “Anything But Typical,” Baskin sheds light on the behaviors “neuro-typicals” view as odd. Insight into why an autistic person may not respond when addressed by people, flap their hands, pull their own hair, rock, etc… make sense. There is an extraordinary amount of introspection on the part of the autistic child, Jason. Per an autistic reviewer, autistic people do not self analyze their own actions and reactions incessantly. Jason is an autistic child attempting to integrate into mainstream society. Online he has anonymity and has caught the eye of a girl. She applauds his writing skill and engages him in an email friendship. I had a similar experience when I took classes online. In the “real world” he can’t be just an average kid. Other people perceive him as odd and don’t understand his ticks and reactions.Autism appears in many degrees. The autistic person may be severely socially inept or they could have minor problems and areas of difficulty. The book is about a more severe case of autism. The boy struggles with his autism in order to fit into the neuro-typical world. His loving family strives to love, support and understand him. The actions and reactions of others that interact with Jason show the confusion and misunderstanding of this condition.I’m very tolerant of others with disabilities and illnesses. I suppose that is partially due to my own condition. I have a better understanding of what causes the “odd” actions of autistic people. This book will do more than make people tolerant. It will foster understanding of an enigmatic condition. I would recommend the book.☻☻☻☻
    • 4/5
      When I write, I can be heard. And known.But nobody has to look at me. Nobody has to see me at all.Nora Raleigh Baskin’s novel, Anything but Typical, takes us into the thoughts and life of Jason, an 11-year-old boy with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Jason understands his differences and understands what is expected of him in behavior and social interaction, yet he finds that he cannot make himself behave in those ways. Despite his many challenges, he is a prolific author who knows much about the writing process. Jason posts his stories on a Storyboard website, through which he meets and becomes friends with a girl. What will happen when his parents take him to the Storyboard Convention, where his online girl friend will be in attendance? Jason’s courage in facing the challenges of his life is inspirational on many levels. Baskin’s attempt to portray and understand the mind of an autistic child is commendable. Her research into autistic behavior is obvious by Jason’s speech patterns and behavior. This book will be an excellent resource for readers who have had little exposure to autistic children. Her insight into the challenges of Jason’s life could help readers to gain further understanding into the reality of autism. However, for those who are familiar with autism, Jason’s behavior feels slightly cliché: his hand-flapping, hair pulling and refusal to make eye contact are so characteristic of the condition, it almost feels as if she focuses on these behaviors too heavily. Her insight into why Jason acts this way is intriguing. For children who have autistic classmates and friends, this book could be invaluable in helping them their unique behaviors and view of the world. For children who have autism, Jason’s experiences will ring familiar and help them realize they are not alone in their condition. Recommended for ages 9-11.