Naoki Higashida
Naoki Higashida is a Japanese author born in 1992 and diagnosed with autism at age five.
He wrote The Reason I Jump when he was 13 years old, using an alphabet grid to communicate.
The book was published in English in 2013, translated by Keiko Yoshida and David Mitchell.
Higashida's work has garnered both praise and skepticism.
While many celebrate his achievement as a young author with autism, some question the extent of his mother's involvement as a communications facilitator.
Higashida has since written other books and become an advocate for autism awareness.
