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Jay
Grows an Alien by Caroline Levine
$13.95   
2007, ISBN 1-931282-29-3
Jay often feels out
of place in the world around him, but doesn't know why. Being called names
like "space cadet" and "asp-booger" confuses him even
further. He has looked up "asp" in the dictionary and knows
he is not an asp, a "small poisonous snake from Egypt." But
what is he then? Caroline Levine's short novel, Jay Grows an Alien, follows
Jay, a young boy with Asperger Syndrome, at school and home. Over the
course of the novel, as he deals with bullies, faces the difficulties
of a sibling relationship, and befriends a cyborg from outer space, Jay
begins to find his place and comes to understand that differences in him
and others are unique and special.
Intended for children
ages 9 to 14 with Asperger Syndrome, as well as their neurotypical peers,
Jay Grows an Alien helps anyone see that "there are many parts of
Asperger's that are positive." As Jay's dad points out, "You
wouldn't want to lose them." In addition to independent reading,
the book can be used by teachers to promote understanding of differences.
Following Jay's story is a section entitled "Sayings and What They
Mean" that covers the implied meanings of commonly used slang and
idioms that literal-minded students like Jay often find confusing.
ISBN 1931282293
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