Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is OK!

by Clay Morton, Gail Morton, Alex Merry (Illustrator)

Johnny is different. He is never exactly on time, he can't seem to stick to a routine and he often speaks in cryptic idioms. Johnny is neurotypical, but that's OK.

A picture book with a difference, Why Johnny Doesn't Flap turns the tables on common depictions of neurological difference by drolly revealing how people who are not on the autistic spectrum are perceived by those who are. The autistic narrator's bafflement at his neurotypical friend's quirks shows that 'normal' is simply a matter of perspective.

Genres: Picture Books, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Disability, Childrens, Friendship, Fiction, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2015

Reviews

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great inclusive children's story - for everyone.

[Alysa Fenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly really appreciated the way this book was written. It highlights a neurotypical person from the perspective of a neurodivergent person and points out all the things the NT person does that are different, but it's okay they do things differently when that is what would typically be considered "the norm." It really shines a light on how neurodiversity is often portrayed in children's books for young readers.

[Kaya W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok read. Nothing spectacular.

[Claire (Book Blog Bird) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really sweet picture book about a kid whose best friend is sometimes a couple of minutes early or late to play dates, doesn’t have a couple of subject that they know literally everything about and who doesn’t flap his hands when he gets worked up about something. Because his friend is neurotypical, and that’s ok too. This book showed the world with the assumption that autism is the norm and that NT is weird. Really good.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice picture book from the perspective of an autistic child, and his experiences with trying to understand a neurotypical friend. All brains are different, and I like that this is flips the usual script that disabled people are the ones you need to be assured are OK too.

There are so many books about a huge spectrum of identity issues where the thought ends with "...and that's OK!" Of course it's OK, but telling the reader that it's OK implies that someone (the reader, the writer, whoever) thought it wasn't. This book flips that trope and applies it to the ableds of the world. They're not disabled ... and that's OK!

I wish this was written by an autistic person instead of parents of an autistic person. We need more own voices writing for children about neurodiversity.

[Marieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even the author's note is a satirical jab towards children's books that well-intendedly but often condescendingly aim to teach children about befriending someone with a disability.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really can't stand those books that are like, "My SISTER has THE DIABETES, and HERE'S ALL THE STUFF SHE CAN'T DO...." [Insert deafness, blindness, autism, dyslexia, or whatever thing the author is trying to instruct kids on living next to (not with).] "BUT I'VE DECIDED THAT'S OK WITH ME ANYWAY."

This is not that. This is specifically turning that on its head and making people who think/write/talk like that see how it sounds or feels to a person with a "difference" or "disability," anyone who just isn't typical or the norm in some way.

So freeing! So great for a conversation about how all humans should talk to each other! Read it, with your kids or without them.

[J L's Bibliomania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap looks at life from the perspective of the unnamed narrator, a grade-school-aged autistic boy, and his friend Johnny who is neurotypical (NT for short). As my older son said, it’s a book about an autistic dude who thinks he’s normal and the rest of the world is weird. I’m both thrilled to see this book and a bit disappointed too. For details on why, please see the full review posted at JL'sBibliomania

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book that takes the perspective that neurotypical kids are the odd ones out. The book explores Johnny's differences as narrated by his autistic friend and reiterates that being neurotypical is okay. It really reveals the way in which we often see marginalised identities described as being "okay" but still requiring analysis. It doesn't stop there--even the note to parents in the back is from the perspective that neurotypical kids comprise a certain percentage of the population so your children should learn about them. It's not just refreshing to flip the script, it's necessary. This would be a great book for autistic kids.

I think this would be an excellent resource at schools. I might not read it in front of the entire classroom, since some kids might take it as a joke, but it could be a good one for small groups of neurotypical children who struggle to empathise with their neurodivergent classmates. The text is short enough to make it very readable with young audiences.

[DW Rowlands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is a wonderful resource for parents who need to teach their children about neurotypicality, and will surely help many children understand the difficulties and disabilities their neurotypical peers regularly struggle with. It is inspiring that the narrator is able to recognize that his friend Johnny is "ok" despite Johnny's difficulties with punctuality and routines, expressing emotion, and developing proper special interests.

[Ossy Firstan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Menarik! Jika biasanya kita baca versi tokoh neurotipikal yg nyeritain temannya yg difabel, kalo ini lewat sudut pandang pertama tokoh yang autis, dia menceritakan temannya yg neurotipikal (ga punya gangguan perkembangan).

[Aneesa]

Explains that everyone's brain is different, and being neurotypical is ok too. Describes some of the frustrating quirks of your neurotypical friends.

[Elizabeth]

I was hesitant to read this book because it had been hyped up so much, but it is in fact delightful -- and, I think, accessible to NT (neurotypical) as well as autistic kids.

The authors are parents of an autistic kid (rather than this being #OwnVoices), and it focuses on the stereotypical manifestations of autism. But it was intended as a parody book -- and honestly, I feel like it does actually work as a non-parody book.

From an interview with the authors:

*Reason the authors wrote it:

When we first started writing the book, we saw it strictly as a satire on children’s books about autism, which, though well-intentioned, always end up being condescending. Even as they call for tolerance of autistic behaviors, many of them make it clear that they consider those behaviors bizarre and wrong. So we were poking fun at those books, aping their style and subverting their conceits in order to point out the prejudices that most people are unaware of. That aspect of the book will probably only be appreciated by teens and adults who are either on the spectrum or close to someone who is. But somewhere along the way, we realized that the book also works on another level: it really does explain neurotypical behavior to children with autism, who often do need help relating to non-autistic kids. It has been really interesting to us to hear from readers, because about half of them see the book as a parody, and about half of them see it as a genuinely useful children’s book.

*Target audience:

We wrote the book for our son and others on the spectrum who are a little tired of being painted as the “odd” ones who must be “tolerated” or “accommodated.” In reality, our son spends most of his time “tolerating” and “accommodating” the absurdities of the NT world. Why have a schedule at school if you are going to disrupt that schedule every other day? Why require students to attend a pep rally that, for some of them, will be an excruciating assault on their senses? These practices really make no sense, but he must tolerate and accommodate them. So it’s a kid’s book that provides our kid’s perspective and, in doing so, validates that perspective. When he looks at it now, he laughs at the situations he recognizes from his life. We hope that later, when he is older, he will look back at it and see that we never thought of his cognitive and behavioral style as being wrong or in need of a cure. As for parents who do see high-functioning autism that way, we hope that this book will at least make them question their assumptions about the relative merits of their child’s uniqueness and the “normal” ways of thinking and acting.

[Arminzerella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An autistic boy talks about his friend, Johnny, a neurotypical boy, who displays no autistic qualities. Even though they are different and respond to situations differently, these differences are ok and they can still be friends. A really cool book that explains what having autism is like by flipping the perspective of what is normal around. Kids from both perspectives will be able to appreciate this book. I love this book.

Excerpt:
Johnny is supposed to come to my house at 4:00, but sometimes he comes at 3:58 or 4:03. I gave him a watch for his birthday to help him arrive on time, but he still has this problem. He may be hopeless when it comes to punctuality, but we still get to spend time together and have fun, so that’s OK.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is OK! is a children's picture book written by Clay and Gail Morton and illustrated by Alex Merry. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed autistic boy and his friend Johnny who is neurotypical, NT for short and their view of the world.

The Mortons' text is simplistic and easy to understand and depicts these two precious boys very well and how they function in a world that is totally alien and weird to them. Merry's art is simply wonderful and colorful, which keeps the reader captivated.

Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is OK! gives the perspective of life and friendship from someone with autism. The main character and his friend, Johnny, might not act the same, have all the same interests, or even communicate the same, but they can still be friends, and that's just more than okay – it's great. It is really inspiring that the narrator recognizes that his friend is okay, despite their many differences and quirks.

I really liked the fact that the book turns the table on common depictions of neurological difference by having an autistic narrator observing the world to reveal how people who are not on the autistic spectrum are perceived by those who are. The autistic narrator's bafflement at his neurotypical friend's quirks shows that "normal" is simply a matter of perspective.

All in all, Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is OK! is more than a wonderful children's book. It is also a great resource for parents and children understand the difficulties and disabilities that their neurotypical peers regularly struggle with.

[Cameron Becnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap NT is okay! is a disability children’s book written by Clay Morton and Grail Morton and illustrated by Alex Merry. This book is about an autistic kid talking about his friend Johnny. Johnny is neurotypical and displays traits that his friend was able to identify like making eye content, not flapping his arms, not having a special interest to talk about a lot, or not having a meltdown. The boy’s mother says that “everyone’s brain is different, and different isn’t always wrong.” I find this book interesting as this story has an autistic child being the narrator of the story and he is comparing his neurotypical friend’s lifestyle to his. It feels like the book assumes being autistic is the norm while being neurotypical is odd. The book also has a nice message on neurotypical children and how do they compare to autistic children. The illustrations are a bit simplistic, but they have details shown with the colors used. I would recommend this book for 2nd-4th grade students as this can make students understand what’s the difference between autism and neurotypical children and what traits do both display. It probably wouldn’t be read out loud in a full classroom as some students wouldn’t understand the topic, but it can be read to a small group. I hope that when students read this book, they can understand something about themselves that they didn’t know and use that knowledge to respect other children with disabilities. I give this book a 5 for its concept of a child with autism trying to understand his neurotypical friend and how people are born different and different is okay.

[Tarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap, is a must read for all students AND adults. Authors Clay Morton and Gail Morton, bring to light a perspective that is not usually seen in a children’s book, the perspective of a child with autism.
In the book, the main character has a friend named Johnny. Johnny does things differently, “but that’s OK.” Johnny is NT, which is neurotypical (someone who lacks most or all characteristics of autism) and so he experiences things differently than the main character. Johnny doesn’t understand the importance of being on time, get upset by a change in schedule or how to be an expert at certain topics such as hydraulic forklifts, “but that’s OK.” Johnny is good at understanding the rules of school and being social with other kids and “that’s OK.” The main character and Johnny, might not act the same, have all of the same interests or even communicate the same, but they can still be friends, and that’s not just OK, it’s great!
This book gives the perspective of life and friendship from someone with autism. Students with autism get to relate to the main character in the book for once. This book is a great tool for parents and educators because it helps to shift our view of understanding. It is also a great tool to show students that friendships come in all shapes, sizes and that’s OK.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

A hilarious and sweet story. Told from the perspective of an autistic child, we learn about Johnny, who is neurotypical. Because of this, Johnny does things differently than the narrator. He doesn't show up at the right time, he varies his routine, he speaks in idioms, and wants to interact with others all the time. Despite their differences, the children are great friends and enjoy spending time together. Through their friendship, the narrator shows that being neurotypical is okay even if you don't always understand it.

I love the way this book flips the script on the trope of neurotypical children introducing their neurodivergent friends/classmates in books and on TV.

A sweet book with great humor. Fantastically written. Nice illustrations.

This book was so much fun. Also includes an authors' note at the end that continues the idea of centering the autistic perspective and pointing out the strange things neurotypical people do. Two thumbs up for these researchers and parents of an autistic child.

[Marfita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may have rated this high for the wrong reasons. It struck me as really funny. It's about an autistic boy's neurotypical friend and is meant to introduce non-NT kids to what NTs are like. The note to the parents in the back says that "as many as 67 in 68 children may be neurotypical" and that your child might have one in his or her life, or "almost certainly will at some point." [Inappropriate laughter.]
Looking at NTs from an autistic point of view is actually quite funny for an NT like me. As one of the majority, I don't think of how someone in a minority status would see me. I must look really weird, not melting down over a change, not being exactly on time, not being obsessed with some subject and sharing it despite the look of boredom ... ruh-roh. I might not be as NT as I thought. This book points that out but reinforces on each page that "that's okay." Well, phew! We're all okay! What a great message!
The illustrations are okay. Typical for this sort of book (really liked the one of Johnny looking you right in the eye - it is disconcerting!).

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book for anyone who has or knows a child on the spectrum, showing what it might be like viewing friendship from the other side of the relationship through such observations as:

"Johnny is supposed to come to my house at 4:00, but sometimes he comes at 3:58 or 4:03. I gave him a watch for his birthday to help him arrive on time, but he still has this problem.

"He may be hopeless when it comes to puncuality, but we still get to have fun together, so that's OK."

Or:

"Johnny doesn't have a topic that he knows everything about, like World War II or hydraulic forklifts.

"He may never be a real expert at anything, but he is a good person, so that's OK."

Or:

"On the playground Johnny always wants to play with other kids. He never goes off into his own world.

"Sometimes I wonder if he ever gets a chance to just sit and think about his favorite commercial or the recorded message on the subway. Maybe he's a little too obsessed with social interaction…but that's OK."

Makes you think.

[Cynthia June Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book turns the tables on the typical neurodiverse/neurotypical understanding and presents neurodiversity as normative and neurotypical behaviors and mannerisms as different and requiring extra understanding.

The narrator is an autistic boy who describes his neurotypical friend Johnny. Neurotypical Johnny looks into your eyes; Johnny doesn't have the TV show songs memorized; Johnny is too social; Johnny accepts changes etc. Each of Johnny's mannerisms is accompanied by variations of the refrain "but that's OK."

Text: average/fair.
Illustrations: simple pencil drawings do little to enhance the text.

Includes a note for parents.

A "social problems" book.
No plot arc.

Quotation from book: "We have a lot of fun together, but sometimes he acts pretty strangely. Mom says it is because he is NT, or neurotypical. He doesn't have autism, so his brain works differently from mine, but that's OK."

Copyright 2016: I hope by now better books have been written.
May fill a hole in some library collections.

[Nick Aucoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this book mentioned online and had to check it out. I don't have children. I just read it for my own curiosity...and was laughing the entire time. The whole concept holds a certain charm to it.

Growing up, I certainly was introduced to book and films in school that gave the messaging of "this person is [insert minority group] and you probably think they're weird - but they're just different and that's okay!". It felt odd to me as a child. Even as an adult, I've come across uncomfortable content with similar messaging. It was great to see that narrative flipped on its head. Highlighting all the differences from the perspective of the autistic child can offer a great glimpse into another POV for a NT person and offer some relatable/humorous content for a neurodivergent person. The end note for parents was really great satire as well.

[Nicole Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm inclined to like this book, because it reverses the typical presentation of some "other" identity (e.g., race other than white, nationality other than American, disability) as "perfectly okay, even though they're different," instead presenting the "standard" identity as "perfectly okay, even though they're different from the main character," who is neurodivergent. Even the authors' note at the end is framed this way, which is a nice touch. HOWEVER, I would rather hear the opinions of neurodivergent people about this book, because the authors are not autistic, but are the parents of an autistic child. Listening to parents of disabled people over the disabled people themselves can be extremely problematic, and since I'm neurotypical, I don't think that my appreciation of the book counts for much. (The art was fine. Nothing mind-blowing.)

[Jolynne Dougherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stimming, Autism, Dealing with differences in others - This book is a great conversation starter. Written from the autistic's point of view. I am not sure who it is written for but it would be a great book to read with a child. It is an interesting book to read as an adult alone and to think about how differences are okay. It is written by the parents of an autistic son. The part about idioms makes me smile because being the mother of an autistic son, I can remember many psych evals where they'd ask him what "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". Probably after the third time they asked him that, I coached him for his eval and told him what it meant. Idioms in all languages are very interesting. This is all apropos of nothing, but I am glad that I read the book.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic book! It's so important for children to read things from their own point of view, rather than read a book "about" themselves from another's point of view.

I read it to my son and he said, "Wow, Mom, I know a lot of friends like Johnny"

It's also helpful for NT's to stop and consider how they may appear, and maybe stop being so patronizing.

If you enjoy this book, you'll no doubt enjoy their NT is OK facebook page, where the same idea continues and adds commentary on news stories and other stuff. :)

[Jj · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is something creepy about this one--maybe the illustrations, or the fake voice of the child that the adult author takes on. But I like the idea of the whole thing and the way it turns perspective on its head, treating the neurotypical (NT) "normal" child as strange and different because they are not neurodivergent like the narrator. I'm not keen on the writing or phrasing, or the illustrations, but this book definitely has some value and offers a useful way to introduce to an audience (of any age) what the world can look and feel like for someone who is not neurotypical.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It's written from the point of view of a kid with autism. This kid has a friend, Johnny, who is neurotypical. Johnny's behavior can be bewildering sometimes—he sometimes arrives at 3:58 or 4:02 instead of at 4:00 as scheduled! he looks into people's eyes while he's talking to them! he has no idea which company manufactured the security system at his school building! The kid and his mother confer on this and decide that while Johnny may seem strange, he's a good person and is fine just as he is.

[Harriet Lynn Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is centered in an neurodiverse (autistic) perspective, and that is so hard to come by. I feel like most of the books I've read about neurodiversity are from the neurotypical sibling's perspective. But what really got me is the note to parents at the end. They say that the CDC says that 67/68 children are neurotypical. This is a reversal of the usual ableist rhetoric when people cite the Center for Disease Control for the rising numbers of autistic children. Neurodiversity is not a disease.

[Jenno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. The "typical" perspective is that of a child with an autism spectrum disorder, and he can't understand why his friend does certain things, like maintain eye contact, show up early/late, remain calm when plans are changed at the last minute, etc., and every scenario presented ends with "...but that's ok!" Such a wonderful way to let ASD kids see themselves in a book, and a wonderful way to teach NT (neurotypical) kids about non-NT kids.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When he talks to you, Johnny looks directly into your eyes, which can make you pretty uncomfortable. He doesn’t mean any harm, though. That’s just the way he is, and that’s OK.” This picture book presents Johnny, a NT (neurotypical) child who is friends with a little boy who explains how his friend lacks the characteristic traits of autism. This picture book subverts more stereotypical representations of friendships between children with and without Autism in a clever way.