Module #4 Realistic Fiction

Title: Mind Blind

Citation:

Roy, J. (2010). Mindblind. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.

Summary:

Nathaniel Clark is a fourteen-year-old who has Asperger's Syndrome. His father doesn’t understand him and forces him into situations that trigger emotional episodes. He struggles to maintain relationships with his peers and tries to prove that he is a genius by writing songs for his rock band so that he can become a member of the prestigious Aldus Institute, the premier organization for the profoundly gifted. His mother is very supportive and seems to get him. Some days he would rather withdraw and hide than face the world.

Review:

/* Starred Review */ Gr 6 – 10 — Imagine you have a photographic memory but can't read everyday social cues; you can understand quantum physics, but cannot understand a mother's need to give you a hug. Imagine your happiest moments are spent in your room with your computer, but your mother and your therapist make you venture out into society on a daily basis. Nathaniel, a 14-year-old with Asperger's syndrome, faces these dilemmas and more. Mindblind is told in his voice, making use of memory flashbacks that he has coded much like files on a computer. He is homeschooled and has finished college, but has yet to learn how to handle tough social situations such as drinking at parties, negotiating boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, taking responsibility for friendships, and working through pitfalls in his interactions with his parents. Nathaniel is honest and funny, poignant and detached, driven to achieve his best, and is puzzled by the behaviors of others. Roy writes with a strong voice and the authenticity of one who knows children with Asperger's, yet Nathaniel's problems and concerns can and should reach a wider audience. The book is comparable in scope and effectiveness to Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Doubleday, 2003), yet contains its own unique character and story.—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD --Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo 
Review Source:

Smith-D'Arezzo, W. (March 2011). Mindblind (Book Review). School Library Journal, 57(3), 170-170.

Impressions:

Mindblind is an interesting look into the world of a person with what is often a very debilitating disorder. Many people with Aspergers truly are clueless of anyone’s perspective but their own. In this story Nathaniel is very high functioning, but can easily be pushed outside his comfort zone causing him to have emotional breakdowns. As a former special education teacher I enjoyed reading this book. The book jacket says the author has a son much like Nathaniel so I’m assuming this is a fairly accurate portrayal of a person with Aspergers.

Suggested Use(s):

This would make a good jumping off point for discussing what Aspergers is. Students could discuss how the day to day life of someone with Aspergers is different and/or similar to their own.

S\This book might help students with Aspergers to realize they aren’t alone.

Additional Information:

Interest Level: Young Adult

Reading Level: 6 and up

Lexile Measure: 1010