The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida, is a short collection of questions, answers, and a couple short stories that all are written in hopes of showing what life’s like for somebody who is autistic. This collection was written when Higashida was 12 years old and is mainly compiled of the questions that people ask him about certain behaviors based in autism that they consider odd or confusing. He also wrote a few short stories, in an attempt to display autism in a way that neurotypical people could understand.
I enjoyed seeing the mindset of somebody who is autistic and how they might perceive the world differently, but the story’s translation feels awkward sometimes. There are some spots where the words feel very professional and almost adult, while at other times the writing is clunky and the words don’t fit together. The question and answer sections are short and to the point without going into too many complex details, which makes it more accessible. Higashida does a good job making autism fathomable to a neurotypical audience, especially in his short stories. However, Higashida does only offer one perspective on autism, so while this book is an interesting read, it should be remembered that not all of his experiences and reasons are going to be exactly the same as any other autistic individuals.