On the fence between 2 and 3 stars.

Disclaimer: my personal experiences with autism are primarily limited to high-functioning individuals.

It was definitely interesting to see inside the head of a boy with autism — old enough to start making sense of his world but young enough to still find the wonder in it — but I hardly think Naoki can speak for “all people with autism” (as he repeats many times throughout the book), particularly when his speculations and musings are so singular. I also wasn’t a fan of the way he so casually assumed he knew what other people (neurotypical or -atypical) were thinking or feeling, particularly since he had quite a pessimistic view of what he calls “normal” people. That said, the writing itself is lovely and the short stories charming, and the plea for sympathy and patience comes through clearly.