Mockingbird

( 245 )

Overview


Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon has died, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure- and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may ...
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Mockingbird

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More About This Book

Overview


Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon has died, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure- and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be black and white after all.
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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Ten-year-old Caitlin Smith has Asperger's syndrome, which is why she is processing a horrific event differently than everyone else in her small Virginia town. As the result of a school shooting, her beloved brother, Devon, and two others are dead. Caitlin's mother is also dead, lost to cancer when Caitlin was just three. She addresses these losses matter-of-factly; her lack of tact is especially hard on her father, a kind man who is falling apart. Over the course of the story, Caitlin, who like many with Asperger's has incredible brainpower but few social skills, must learn empathy. She narrates—a risky choice that mostly works. Her Amelia Bedelia-like misunderstandings of figurative language provide much needed moments of levity, and her extreme conscientiousness is endearing. Erskine (Quaking) works in powerful imagery throughout—Devon's unfinished Eagle Scout project was a wooden chest, and for Caitlin, it's entwined with the irreparable bullet wound in Devon's chest. Although an author's note links the novel with the 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech, this novel is not about violence as much as about the ways in which a wounded community heals. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)
Kirkus Reviews
This heartbreaking story is delivered in the straightforward, often funny voice of a fifth-grade girl with Asperger's syndrome, who is frustrated by her inability to put herself in someone else's shoes. Caitlin's counselor, Mrs. Brook, tries to teach her how to empathize, but Caitlin is used to depending on her big brother Devon for guidance on such matters. Tragically, Devon has been killed in a school shooting. Caitlin, her dad and her schoolmates try to cope, and it is the deep grief they all share that ultimately helps Caitlin get to empathy. As readers celebrate this milestone with Caitlin, they realize that they too have been developing empathy by walking a while in her shoes, experiencing the distinctive way that she sees and interacts with the world. Erskine draws directly and indirectly on To Kill a Mockingbird and riffs on its central theme: The destruction of an innocent is perhaps both the deepest kind of psychosocial wound a community can face and its greatest opportunity for psychological and spiritual growth. (Fiction. 8-12)
Booklist
[A] fine addition to the recent group of books with autistic narrators.
Horn Book
A strong and complex character study.
Los Angeles Times
Fascinating characters.
VOYA - Leah Sparks
Ten-year-old Caitlin has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that makes it difficult for her to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Unable to accurately read others' emotions through their behavior and body language, she relies on a facial expressions chart and the guidance of her older brother Devon to navigate social situations. As the novel opens, Caitlin and her father are dealing with the aftermath of Devon's death in a random school shooting. Although she misses her brother's advice and wishes life could be as it was, Caitlin is unable to understand her father's grief—that is, until she reads the word "closure" in her beloved dictionary and decides that this is what she and her father need. Author Kathryn Erskine (Quaking, Philomel, 2007, YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers) was inspired to write Mockingbird by the shootings at nearby Virginia Tech University in 2007. She wisely chose to have Caitlin narrate her own story, saving it from becoming too didactic or sentimental. Although teens may not initially understand Caitlin's seemingly unemotional acceptance of tragedy and her literal interpretation of events, they will soon become caught up in her search for closure and cheer for her as she discovers herself capable of friendship, love, and empathy. A good choice for supplementary reading in a high school psychology class, Mockingbird will also appeal to book groups for middle and high schoolers; siblings and friends of young people with Asperger's and other developmental disorders; and middle school students who enjoy thoughtful characters and a good story. Reviewer: Leah Sparks
Children's Literature - Mary Quattlebaum
Virginia author Kathryn Erskine takes the reader into the world of Caitlin, a girl with Asperger's syndrome, as she struggles to understand the death of her older brother. Caitlin finds it much easier to "read" dictionaries than people; and in the course of regular meetings with her school counselor, she tries to learn social skills that will enable her to connect with others. She also wants to help her grieving father and the community to achieve "Closure" in the aftermath of the school shooting that took her brother's life. In Erskine's capable hands, Caitlin emerges as a wholly believable, admirable hero as she forges a unique path to friendship and healing. A lovely, important book. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum
School Library Journal
Gr 4–6—Ten-year-old Caitlyn seeks closure. She's not entirely sure what closure is, but she knows that it will help her come to grips with the death of her big brother Devon. And she's not the only one who needs it—the school shooting that claimed Devon's life has plunged her entire town into a morass of sorrow and confusion. But Caitlyn has Asperger's syndrome. She experiences the behavior of others as a series of unrelated vignettes whose meaning she must puzzle out. While she has some tools for solving these puzzles—the facial expressions chart in the counselor's office helps—her best guide has always been Devon. Caitlyn's extremely literal interpretations, unbiased reactions, and open-hearted attempts at friendship and empathy help those around her gain fresh perspectives. Devon always knew this about her, which is why he called her Scout, after the character in To Kill a Mockingbird. Caitlyn's errors and successes at parsing her world invite discussion and reflection. Although it can be difficult to distinguish between Caitlyn's thoughts and her dialogue when listening to this book by Kathryn Erskine (Philomel, 2010), Angela Jayne Rogers's unadorned narration is poignant and forthright, making this title ideal for a group read/listen.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, MD
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780142417751
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 2/3/2011
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 36,842
  • Age range: 10 - 12 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.05 (w) x 7.75 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Meet the Author


Kathryn Erskine spent many years as a lawyer before realizing that she’d rather write things that people might actually enjoy reading. She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland. The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although . . . how did the headmistress know that it was “the wee redhead” who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab? Erskine draws on her childhood—and her second childhood through her children—for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with “life saving” flavonoids.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 245 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(176)

4 Star

(32)

3 Star

(21)

2 Star

(4)

1 Star

(12)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 245 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 10, 2012

    Sob

    This story was so depressing. Its about this girl with assbergers. Shes so confused when her brother dies. I find it so sad, her narration and confusion. I personally coundnt get past the first chapter without sobbing, let alone the entire book. I quit early, which is unlike me. Then again im the type of person that cant get through a horror book without nightmares for weeks. I really FEEL the characters emotions .

    24 out of 41 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted February 12, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Rules
    Al Capone Does My Shirts
    Anything but Typical

    Astounding!

    I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy from the author, and let me tell you: the buzz about this book is well-deserved. Few, if any, other books about characters with Asperger Syndrome are anywhere near as accurate as this. (I should know; I've gone through much of what Caitlin does.) That alone would be an impressive achievement, but the author doesn't just stop there. Every character is three-dimensional, even the "bully." (I cannot express just how impressed I am with that.) The story is very sad, but not depressing, and manages to wrap itself up pleasingly but not perfectly. This book has a few problems; namely, that the writing takes a little while to get used to (VERY accurate in depicting how actual kids with AS write, though), but fortunately it manages to make sense the whole time and doesn't go off into tangents, like a certain well-known book with an autistic narrator which will not be named...

    If there is any justice in this world, come January next year this book will be awarded some sort of Newbery recognition. The past few years of Medal and Honor books have been excellent, and this book is worthy of standing among them. I just hope that the cover art, which is a little bland, doesn't scare people away from reading this great story. You simply must buy it when it comes out in April. Teachers, this will be great for you too. (Appropriate for ages 10-up.)

    21 out of 25 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2011

    Parenting Asperger's is challenging, this book is right on! Love it!

    Being the mother of an Aspie is more than a little challenging, but this book gave me so much hope & comfort. My daughter with Asperger's is 10 years old & so much of the book mirrors our life. I found myself laughing, crying & shaking my head in agreement with the world as Caitlin sees it. Asperger's has a range of symptoms, but the black & white thinking is right on the mark! I feel blessed to have read this book & highly recommend it, for anyone! I feel so comforted & know I am far from alone. Thank you, Ms. Erskine for a wonderful book!

    17 out of 21 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 15, 2012

    Beautiful, layered, and eloquently written

    Mockingbird is one of the books that is offered for my state's reading competition. At first I was very skeptical about reading it because of the boring cover art and the fact that I didn' t know what Asperger's Sydrome was. Eventually, I picked it up and boy am I glad that I did!

    Mockingbird is about a yound girl named Caitlyn, who has Asbergers. She sees thing very differently from the ordinary 5th grader, and this is preventing her from a proper chilhood woth friends and laughter. What makes it worse is her older brother, Devon, was shot and killed. Devon was the only one that really understood Caitlyn and her needs, and without him, she has a very difficult time expressing her thoughts and deciphering everyone else's words and expressions.

    This story will bring a new understanding to Asbergers in your mind and it really illustrates the life of a veey special girl, with a very special problem. Mockingbird is a quite sad story, not really aomething to read if you want something uplifting, but if you want a touching story about a young girl's struggle to grasp the world ariund her, I would say definitely go for it.

    I would recommend this story to anyone ages 11 and up. 11 is how old Caitlyn is and it would be difficult to understand this story if you haven't experienced some on what being 11 is like. Also, it could be a little bit difficult for someone younger to read because of the way the story is written. It doesn't follow all of the "rules" of writing. Mockingbird is also a great book for adults and teachers. It would be an easy read to prettymuch any age in range that I suggested, so really it wouldn't hurt to try it out.
    -Kyrsten, Age 12

    10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 10, 2012

    Love it!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

    This book is sad but joyful it just made my friend cry.

    8 out of 16 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ

    This book is incredible the problem this girl has and the troubles her and her dad go through because of her brother's death will really touch your heart!

    6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 29, 2011

    AMAZING!!!!!!!!

    It was sad but made me think how much i love my family.

    5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 23, 2011

    Wonderful

    Amazing, touching, inspiring, incredible book.

    5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 4, 2011

    Great book!

    This was a phenomenal book, the author's style of going in the main character head was a good way of demonstrating the characters feelings and what it would feel like to have Asperger's. I recommendbthis book to people who have had a tragic loss or someone who is familiar with or want to know more about Asperger' s Syndrome.

    5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 29, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Mockingbird is at once heartbreaking, sad and hopeful. It takes you by the hand, leads you down the path of love and loss and never lets you go.

    Mockingbird is a special, little book. After Caitlin's older brother Devon is killed in a school shooting, Caitlin and her father struggle to make it through their grief but they are constantly reminded of Devon and can't seem to find closure. If that isn't difficult enough, Caitlin suffers from Asperger's Syndrome so what she sees is often black or white and nothing in between. What makes this story so special is that it's told from Caitlin's point of view. This means that when she feels overly anxious about loud noises or finds herself unable to read someone's expression, we hear or see it from her perspective.

    When I first picked this book up, I found it a tad hard to follow. Caitlin's thought patterns are a bit jumbled and it takes a little bit of time to find the rhythm in her words, but when you do, you can't help but feel her pain. She loved her brother. He was the only one in the family that "got" her. He anticipated her needs and without him around, she is forced to reassess how she communicates with others.

    Here is a quote from page 21 which is where she wants to enter Devon's room even though she's been told not to:

    I wish I could go in and say Devon, I'm hungry, and he'd grin and his dimples would show and he'd say, You and me both, and we'd go find Dad and order a pizza because it's Thursday and we'd eat warm drippy extra cheese pizza in front of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

    The other thing to note, is that all the dialogue is italicized. I got used to it and it did not detract from the story at all. Seeing things from Caitlin's point of view was an incredibly powerful experience. This book is geared towards young adults but I think anyone reading it will be drawn to Caitlin. In one sense she is terribly complex but at the core, she is like any other eleven-year-old. She wants to be understood, she wants to fit in and she yearns for friends like any other kid her age.

    Mockingbird is a quick but important read and if you're wondering if there is a connection between this book and To Kill a Mockingbird, there is, but you'll have to read the book to find out what it is.

    4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2013

    Lovelovelove!!!!!

    This is a great book plus it helps u understand more about aspergers and how people with it think. I used to not like working with kids espessally one with diseases like this but now i think i want to be a spical needs teacher and i thank god that me or my siblings are not having to go through life like that. I love this book and im only on chapter 11 !!!!!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 2, 2011

    Amazing, Inspiring.

    I read this book a little while ago and I loved it. It was so inspiring. A lot of it made me cry, but it wasn't sad tears. Try this, PLEASE!

    3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 1, 2013

    This is a wonderful book!!!!

    This book is soo good i even had dreams from it! I am still reading this phenominaly written book but it still brings me tears in my eyes!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2012

    Awesome book

    I love this book! It is the best book ive ever read but it is very sad.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2012

    I love it sooooo much

    There is a girl who has special needs and her brother alwaysed helpd her through life.When he dies at a school shooting her world is basicaly turend up sidedown when somebody at school tells her adout closer and she sets out to find it for her and her dad di you think she will be ablto do it!!!!e

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2012

    MUST READ!!!

    MUST READ!!!!!
    After you read this book read: So. B. It. Yes that is the title. So. B. It. is also a MUST READ!!!!!
    look it up on your Nook and you can see what it is about.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 13, 2012

    X

    This book is absoulutley amazing. It is about a charactor who has aspegers disease. She is really confused with life. It makes you understand what these people go through with this disease and what happens during tragedys. At first it was sad but it endded really well. Very well written.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 13, 2012

    Anononymus #300

    This was a fantastic book and it shows that even
    if someone is different doesn't mean that you should treat them different which is something we can all agree on. I incourage reader's to read this because once you start reading this you wont want to put it down. I was sad when the story ended it because it was just to good.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2012

    This book made me cry so much inside...

    Honestly, i dont even remember what happened inside this book... all i remember is feeling my heart was heavy and it just touched me inside. You know what i mean? I totally recommend this book. It is a bit on the easier side but that shouldnt bother you at all sice the story is so beautiful. Anyways, hope you decide take a chance on this one!!(: See ya! <3333

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 3, 2012

    Amazing

    This book is amazing dont pay attention to the people who r saying it bad, they just dont see the meaning of this book and that is : when something's bad, dig inside and find something good

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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