Customer Reviews

Inside Out

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4 star:		(4)
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This story is a good portrayal of a kid who just wants to be normal even though his little brother is autistic. I was fascinated both by James' condition and the reactions of his family. I loved this book and would read it again; I wish it were still in print!

i frist read this book as a kid. now that i am studying to work with autistic kids a read it again. it is very good. it gives one of the best descpitions of an austic kid. alot of other books do it wrong. irecomend give this to kid with autstic siblings. i agrree with the review who said that this is much better writting that the babby sitters club books.

I came across The Baby-Sitters Club #32 - The secret of Susan. That book is about a neighborhood girl with autism who goes to a special school. The author of that series, Ann Martin, mentioned at the back of the book that she had some personal experience with autistic kids and this is how she was able to discuss the topic in a book. It was also noted that before she created The Baby-Sitters Club series she wrote an earlier book entitled, Inside Out, also on the subject of a child with autism.

Inside Out is written in the third person via an eleven-year old boy named Jonathan. He has a younger brother, James who at four years of age has autism and keeps the family up nightly with his screaming. Lizzie is the other sibling at eight years of age. There are nineteen chapters covering 152 pages for young readers and those adults interested in learning how autism affects an older sibling along with his friends on a daily basis. Comparing the two books by this same author I felt more connected with the characters in Inside Out. I preferred the writing style and felt it was an easier read.

I was interested in the activities Jonathan and his friends pursued, the relationships between siblings and parents and how everyone handled their stress. It was very enlightening as a parent to boys to learn about behaviors and coping mechanisms, things I can relate to more than the other book centering on girls who offer babysitting services.

A shopping trip with James was a nightmare and they tried to have someone home watching him so no one had to endure a scene. Once when Jonathan came home from school his Mother was crying after such a trip.

There are conversations between Lizzie and Jonathan about their parents and they assume that their Dad works late so he can avoid James. They clean the house and prepare dinner often so their Mom can take a nap after a rough night being up with James. They always talk about James in front of him as if he were not there. There are times that James acts like a wild animal and scares the family.

Inside Out shows the compassion for another sibling and the bonds that are formed when the family takes part in the therapies and schooling of the special child. This offers a glimpse into the family dynamics with an autistic child. The characters were developed and realistic. I felt happy reading about Jonathan and his growing devotion toward James.

"It's not much fun when you take your four-year-old brother to the playground and he starts eating gravel. Or when you can't sleep at night because he spends it screaming. Or when the kids at school tease you about having a brother who's a retardo. But that's what it's like for Jon. His little brother James is autistic. And lately is seems that everything's getting spoiled because of James. Jon just wants to be normal---he's tired of being laughed at by the "in-kids." And if that means forgetting about James or other people's feelings, who cares? Shouldn't Jon get a chance to think about himself to a while?" This is a brief synopsis of "Inside Out," one of the books that Ann M. Martin wrote prior to her enormously popular "Baby-sitters Club" series. It's a realistic and sensitive story of an 11-year-old boy who just wants to be normal and the conflicted feelings he has about having a disabled sibling. I wish someone would put this book back into print!

I loved this book very much. It dealt with difficult subjects like autism, but in a 12 year old way. It was a very emotional book, and it showed Ann Martin can write things other than Baby Sitter's Club books well. =0) I reccomend this book for all children.

Jonno just wants to be part of the in-crowd, but it's impossible because of his brother who's different.

This book is much better than Babysitters' Club #32: The Secret of Susan, which is a rather cliche presentation of a child who has autism.

Jon, 11 describes life with his 8-year-old sister Liz and 4-year-old brother, James. James has severe autism. He does not converse; he repeats whole passages of things he has heard; he has an aptitude for music and he sadly lacks self care skills.

James' brand of autism is so severe that social contraints do not keep his behavior in check. He strips in public; grabs any object that catches his interest and sings when the mood moves him. I loved the parts where he sang Beatle songs; that spoke to cultural appreciation as well as excellent taste.

The other children are adversely affected by James' behavior. Liz has low esteem because she fears other kids will think James reflects badly on her and she is unhappy with her hair. Jon does not know how he will be received in the neighborhood as well or how to explain James to people who don't know him.

I like the earnest conversations the children have with their parents and how no promises are made for James. He is accepted, but expectations are placed on him. By the book's close, the young Beatle fan is enrolled in a special program to meet his needs.