Today I have Jacqueline Houtman stopping by to speak on bullying. She has also offered a signed paperback of her novel The Reinvention of Edison Thomas.
Many thanks to
Jodie and Amy for hosting this month of Bullying Awareness posts. It has been
very enlightening to read about so many different aspects of bullying from so
many perspectives. It’s my turn today.
Bullying is a huge problem
for kids in our schools. It’s an even bigger problem for kids with Asperger’s
syndrome, which is a part of the autism spectrum, a group of conditions
that affect the way a person communicates with others. People with Asperger’s syndrome may
have an advanced vocabulary but struggle with some of the more subtle aspects of
spoken language and social interactions. Kids
with Asperger’s have been called the single most bullied population, and
studies have reported that up to 94% of Aspergian kids
have been bullied. Aspies are three times more
likely to be the target of bullies than their typically developing
siblings.
Aspergian kids can
seem “a little different,” which makes them tempting targets for bullies. They
can be socially and
physically awkward. They have trouble reading social cues, and they may be gullible and
eager to please. Kids on the autism spectrum may not even
realize that they are being bullied.
It’s that last bit
that I wanted to highlight in my novel for young people, The Reinvention of Edison Thomas (Front Street/Boyds Mills Press 2010).
Eddy, the protagonist, is on the autism spectrum. Like most kids on the
spectrum, he has to deal with bullies. His tormentor, Mitch, was once a friend
of Eddy’s, but now Mitch targets Eddy for some nasty pranks, getting him sent
to the Principal’s office.
Because Eddy isn’t
very socially aware, I wanted the reader to figure out before Eddy does that
it’s his old buddy Mitch who’s behind the increasingly distressing pranks. Eddy
still perceives Mitch as his friend, and so he’s sort of stuck in that mindset.
Mitch realizes this, and takes advantage of Eddy. I wrote the book from Eddy’s
point of view, but I had to also show the reader what Eddy’s missing. I didn’t
think Eddy was self-aware or eloquent enough to pull it off in first person, so
I went with third person.
The good news is
that Eddy eventually finds some real friends to help him out. They like him for
who he is—a science geek with a quirky sense of humor and an amazing memory for
seemingly random facts. They help him learn how to navigate the stormy seas of
middle school.
I’m pleased that The Reinvention of Edison Thomas has just been released in
paperback, with a new cover and additional material, including discussion
questions and resources. I’ll be giving a signed copy away.
BIO
Jacqueline
Houtman spent much of her life in training as a scientist, earning a PhD in
Medical Microbiology and Immunology. After leaving the lab, she began a career
as a freelance science writer. Her middle grade novel, The Reinvention of
Edison Thomas (Front Street 2010) is an example of what she calls “sciency
fiction,” incorporating accurate science as an integral part of the story.
It is the winner of the Tofte/Wright Children’s Literature Award and has
been selected by Read On Wisconsin!, the Kansas State Reading Circle, CCBC
Choices and reading lists for the Charlie May Simon Award, the Charlotte Award,
and the Garden State Children’s Book Award. She can be reached through her
website, Twitter (@jjhoutman), or Facebook.
Rules:
13+
Open to US/CAN
Winner must respond within 48 hours
Great post and such an important subject.
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