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Same But Different: Teen Life on the Autism Express by Ryan Elizabeth Peete, Holly Robinson Peete
thepinkkprincess's review against another edition
4.0
Great book for young people to get a look into the lives of a family living with autism. Based on twins Ryan and RJ Peete's life, children of former NFL football player, Rodney Peete and actress, Holly Robinson Peete. One twin has autism and the other does not. The book alternates chapters from the perspective of one teen, then the other.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
5.0
Charlie and Callie are twins. Charlie has autism. Callie does not. This is their story.
Same but Different is written by Holly Robinson Peete and two of her children, RJ and Ryan Elizabeth Peete. Holly is an actress who has shifted her focus to parenting and nonprofit work and writing. Her kids are twins, and mirror the experiences of Charlie and Callie, the characters in this story. According to the extra matter, Ryan Elizabeth wrote the chapters voiced by Callie, and RJ wrote the chapters voiced by Charlie. So, as I told the middle schoolers I booktalked this to, this book is about as close to nonfiction as you can get, while still shelving it in the fiction section - at least, as far as I can tell.
The plot isn't the emphasis here - I don't remember much about what actually happens in the book. It's all about the characters - these two kids, as they handle high school with autism or with a brother who has autism.
I find the graphic design of the book very interesting. Ryan Elizabeth's chapters are designed with a motif of straight lines. RJ's are introduced with a motif of scribbly lines. Which didn't quite ring true for me. In my head, straight lines connote left-brainyness, and tangled lines connote right-brainyness, and I think of people with autism as particularly left-brainy. So that seems less accurate. To me. Which could be wrong.
I guess if they were stuck with those two images and they paired the straight lines with the person with autism, some might see that as inferring that there is less going on in the brain of that person, which is CERTAINLY not true.
Meh. Imagery is complicated.
I do want to note the intersectionality of this book. In a year where I really wanted to feature marginalized voices, this is an #ownvoices book about both disability and being black. And being a twin, for that matter. When I started reading for this booktalking season, I was especially wanting to feature books that would underline that black lives matter, therefore a solid 4/12 of my booktalk choices are by black authors about black characters (at least two more are about black characters by authors of other skin tones). I was also motivated to pick it up because I expect to refer back to it when my kid (who has autism) hits high school, unless something better comes along. Which, hopefully, it will, since he's got about a decade until then.
We Need Diverse Books!
Extra star or two because of the uniqueness and legitimacy of the story.
Same but Different is written by Holly Robinson Peete and two of her children, RJ and Ryan Elizabeth Peete. Holly is an actress who has shifted her focus to parenting and nonprofit work and writing. Her kids are twins, and mirror the experiences of Charlie and Callie, the characters in this story. According to the extra matter, Ryan Elizabeth wrote the chapters voiced by Callie, and RJ wrote the chapters voiced by Charlie. So, as I told the middle schoolers I booktalked this to, this book is about as close to nonfiction as you can get, while still shelving it in the fiction section - at least, as far as I can tell.
The plot isn't the emphasis here - I don't remember much about what actually happens in the book. It's all about the characters - these two kids, as they handle high school with autism or with a brother who has autism.
I find the graphic design of the book very interesting. Ryan Elizabeth's chapters are designed with a motif of straight lines. RJ's are introduced with a motif of scribbly lines. Which didn't quite ring true for me. In my head, straight lines connote left-brainyness, and tangled lines connote right-brainyness, and I think of people with autism as particularly left-brainy. So that seems less accurate. To me. Which could be wrong.
I guess if they were stuck with those two images and they paired the straight lines with the person with autism, some might see that as inferring that there is less going on in the brain of that person, which is CERTAINLY not true.
Meh. Imagery is complicated.
I do want to note the intersectionality of this book. In a year where I really wanted to feature marginalized voices, this is an #ownvoices book about both disability and being black. And being a twin, for that matter. When I started reading for this booktalking season, I was especially wanting to feature books that would underline that black lives matter, therefore a solid 4/12 of my booktalk choices are by black authors about black characters (at least two more are about black characters by authors of other skin tones). I was also motivated to pick it up because I expect to refer back to it when my kid (who has autism) hits high school, unless something better comes along. Which, hopefully, it will, since he's got about a decade until then.
We Need Diverse Books!
Extra star or two because of the uniqueness and legitimacy of the story.
mnboyer's review against another edition
2.0
PopSugar 2018 reading challenge #20
This is very thinly veiled fiction; in fact, it is basically autobiographical and I'm not sure why the family didn't just choose to take this direction. Perhaps by calling it fiction, the siblings that are the basis for the book will never read what the other wrote about them. Or, if they do, they'll chuckle and say it was fiction.
But honestly, I loved and hated this book. I think there are a lot of honest moments here: moments where siblings are angry with one another, moments where parents are essentially absent, moments where again, siblings really hate one another but actually just want to protect one another and do right by each other. Yet autism itself is viewed rather negatively throughout. There are never true moments where people say, "yeah, everything is okay" -- no, this focuses on all of the negative aspects. Not really any positive, uplifting moments.
There are also some serious moments where I wonder where the parents are. I'm not trying to parent shame, but there's a scene where the family is on an airplane on the way to a vacation. The book focuses on twins, one who has autism and one that does not. The twin without autism (Callie) ends up essentially babysitting her autistic brother (Charlie) the entire flight. Why is Callie being put in charge of Charlie on this flight? Why is Callie talking to the stewardess, helping her brother with things, etc.??? Again, not trying to parent shame, but would like to highlight that Callie shouldn't be put in constant charge of her brother in situations like these. Where are the parents in these moments?
Overall, I left this book feeling rather negative. I see two siblings who do love one another, but the things they write about each other (especially Callie, really) can be pretty horrid (and while yes, I'm sure they feel this way... immortalize these words for others?). I don't see a lot of positive examples of autism being displayed. Everything is just bleak.
This is very thinly veiled fiction; in fact, it is basically autobiographical and I'm not sure why the family didn't just choose to take this direction. Perhaps by calling it fiction, the siblings that are the basis for the book will never read what the other wrote about them. Or, if they do, they'll chuckle and say it was fiction.
But honestly, I loved and hated this book. I think there are a lot of honest moments here: moments where siblings are angry with one another, moments where parents are essentially absent, moments where again, siblings really hate one another but actually just want to protect one another and do right by each other. Yet autism itself is viewed rather negatively throughout. There are never true moments where people say, "yeah, everything is okay" -- no, this focuses on all of the negative aspects. Not really any positive, uplifting moments.
There are also some serious moments where I wonder where the parents are. I'm not trying to parent shame, but there's a scene where the family is on an airplane on the way to a vacation. The book focuses on twins, one who has autism and one that does not. The twin without autism (Callie) ends up essentially babysitting her autistic brother (Charlie) the entire flight. Why is Callie being put in charge of Charlie on this flight? Why is Callie talking to the stewardess, helping her brother with things, etc.??? Again, not trying to parent shame, but would like to highlight that Callie shouldn't be put in constant charge of her brother in situations like these. Where are the parents in these moments?
Overall, I left this book feeling rather negative. I see two siblings who do love one another, but the things they write about each other (especially Callie, really) can be pretty horrid (and while yes, I'm sure they feel this way... immortalize these words for others?). I don't see a lot of positive examples of autism being displayed. Everything is just bleak.
readerpants's review against another edition
3.0
Catalogued as YA at SPL, but inaccurately I think - much more solidly MG.
pretty_little_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
the feelings portrayed just got to me. The teenage frustration and angst have been portrayed so well.
What I understand is this: if you have a family member who is autistic, he is still your family member. It is perhaps normal and comparatively easy to write about how much you love them.
But opening up about the bad days, the days when you are angry at yourself and at each other - that is something that not everybody can do. Undoubtedly it puts you in a very vulnerable position and not everyone is ready to do that.
But I appreciate the honesty that laced these fictional albeit inspired by real people. I rated it 3.75 stars.
What I understand is this: if you have a family member who is autistic, he is still your family member. It is perhaps normal and comparatively easy to write about how much you love them.
But opening up about the bad days, the days when you are angry at yourself and at each other - that is something that not everybody can do. Undoubtedly it puts you in a very vulnerable position and not everyone is ready to do that.
But I appreciate the honesty that laced these fictional albeit inspired by real people. I rated it 3.75 stars.
akieffer1013's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed this one! A great look at different perspectives. Definitely recommend for middle schoolers!
hannahelaina's review against another edition
3.0
3.75
i think this is a great book to learn about the life of someone who thinks differently from others! if you are looking for a quick read, this could be it!
i think this is a great book to learn about the life of someone who thinks differently from others! if you are looking for a quick read, this could be it!