Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome

Part of the Reading Well scheme. 27 books selected by young people and health professionals to provide 13 to 18 year olds with high-quality support, information and advice about common mental health issues and related conditions.Winner of the NASEN & TES Special Educational Needs Children's Book Award 2003Have you ever been called a freak or a geek? Have you ever felt like one? Luke Jackson is 13 years old and has Asperger Syndrome. Over the years Luke has learned to laugh at such names but there are other aspects of life which are more difficult. Adolescence and the teenage years are a minefield of emotions, transitions and decisions and when a child has Asperger Syndrome, the result is often explosive.Luke has three sisters and one brother in various stages of their adolescent and teenage years but he is acutely aware of just how different he is and how little information is available for adolescents like himself.Drawing from his own experiences and gaining information from his teenage brother and sisters, he wrote this enlightening, honest and witty book in an attempt to address difficult topics such as bullying, friendships, when and how to tell others about AS, school problems, dating and relationships, and morality.Luke writes briefly about his younger autistic and AD/HD brothers, providing amusing insights into the antics of his younger years and advice for parents, carers and teachers of younger AS children. However, his main reason for writing was because "so many books are written about us, but none are written directly to adolescents with Asperger Syndrome. I thought I would write one in the hope that we could all learn together".

A remarkable book from a unique boy!, an excellent book, Compelling reading…Luke has written a book that's intelligent, articulate, sensitive and funny., Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome allows the reader a glimpse into the fascinating but frustrating world of an intelligent and capable adolescent and leaves us with some understanding of his philosophy of life. Novices and experts alike will find Luke Jackson's book full of practical ideas that will enable them to make a positive difference in the lives of people with Asperger Syndrome., Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome is a cool, confident work that belies the author's youth. The experts reckon that Luke has a reading age of 18-plus, but most people that age would be hard-pressed to produce such witty, effortless prose… [his] positive – almost celebratory – view could well make this a favourite among children, AS and otherwise, who find themselves out of tune with their classmates.

Luke Jackson is 13 years old and has three sisters and three brothers. One of his brothers has AD/HD, one is autistic and Luke has Asperger Syndrome. He is the author of A User Guide to the GF/CF Diet for Autism, Asperger Syndrome and AD/HD, also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.