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A Different Kind of Boy

A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism
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Regular price £16.99
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A little nine-year-old boy looks down at the gymnasium floor. The room is filled with children who like and respect him, but he has no real friends. He can barely name anyone in his class, and has trouble with the simplest things - recognizing people, pretending, and knowing when people are happy or angry or sad. Much of his life has been filled with anxiety. He is out of step with the world, which to him is mostly a whirlwind that must be actively decoded and put into order. And yet he was only one of seven fourth graders in the United States to ace the National Math Olympiad. In fifth grade he finished second in a national math talent search.

That boy is autistic. He is also loving, brilliant and resilient. In this book, his father writes about the joys, fears, frustration, exhilaration, and exhaustion involved in raising his son. He writes about the impact on his family, the travails of navigating the educational system, and the lessons he has learned about life, what it means to connect with other people, and how one builds a life that suits oneself. And, oh, yes, math. Lots about math.
  • Published: Dec 12 2001
  • Pages: 256
  • 228 x 150mm
  • ISBN: 9781843107156
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Press Reviews

  • BellaOnline Reviews

    This book is perfectly suited for anyone who wants to know more about living with a child who is autistic and would be beneficial to family members who have someone on the Autism Spectrum. This will help parents know what struggles other families have gone through and give guidance on how to navigate the system to enable your child to thrive in their surroundings.
  • Gifted Education Communicator

    Daniel Mont opens our minds and our hearts. In his words: Alex is autistic. Alex is also loving, brilliant and resilient. He has taught me a great deal about life, about what it means to connect with other people and about how one builds a life that suits oneself. Through raising Alex I've learned about a lot of things-how the mind works, how special education should work, the generosity of children, and-oh, yes, math. Lots about math.
  • Book Reviews

    This book is a cut above other parent narratives, because of it unsparing honesty, yet its positive view of Alex's strengths
  • The Midwest Book Review

    "'A Different Kind of Boy' is a heartfelt, candid and ultimately inspiring tale of the struggle of a father to teach his gifted child the awareness the boy needs to survive and connect with others, while making the most of his prodigious talents. A Different Kind of Boy is highly recommended reading for any parent of an autistic of specially gifted child.'