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Yes
A humorous, sensitive and surprising view of our world through the eyes of Marty, a boy with autism who decides it's high time to join in.Marty Morgan is considered a loser; weird, different, the little kid who really thought he was going to be murdered when it was his turn to go to the 'murder house'. Definitely B-crowd material ... or, truth be told, D-crowd. Because although he attends a mainstream school, he's not he has low-level autism. Puzzled by others' emotions, words and facial expressions, he has blended into the background, but now he decides it's time to take control of his destiny. It's time for him to 'man up', as his father would say. So when Luke Costigan, his one true friend - who is physically 'disabled' - wants to take part in the Young Enterprise Scheme, in spite of his misgivings, and past experience of Luke's grand plans, Marty (or M&M) to his friends, says YES. And that is just the beginning ... 12+
272 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2011
2 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Burnside
7 books3 followersDeborah was born in Napier and lives on a rural block in Jervoistown in Taradale with her husband and three sons. She runs a waste disposal company with her husband. In her spare time she writes.
Burnside took part in the NZSA mentoring scheme in 2001, working with Tessa Duder. This was the catalyst for her first novel, On a Good Day (2004), published by Penguin NZ. The work was listed as a 2005 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book and was short listed in the LIANZA awards.
'Sky Fishing', an adult short story was published in the anthology, Hot Ink (Steele Roberts 2002) and a picture-book, An Everyday Sunday, was runner-up in the inaugural Joy Cowley Awards in 2003. Her appreciation of competitions for fostering new writers led to Burnside combining her creative talents with her business acumen and she was instrumental in setting up HB Shorts, a Writing Competition, which has helped discover and encourage new and talented authors in the Region.
She departed from fiction in 2005 with, It’s True! This Book Is a Load of Rubbish, which explores facts about rubbish and recycling (Allen & Unwin 2005) and was runner up in the Austrailian Wilderness Awards.
Night Hunting (Puffin, 2008) is Burnside's first junior fiction book, and tells the story of a young boy who is finally old enough to go hunting with family friend, Rotorua Bill. The work was listed as a 2009 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book.
Her newest Young Adult novel, YES was released in November 2011 by Harper Collins NZ and was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2012.
Burnside took part in the NZSA mentoring scheme in 2001, working with Tessa Duder. This was the catalyst for her first novel, On a Good Day (2004), published by Penguin NZ. The work was listed as a 2005 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book and was short listed in the LIANZA awards.
'Sky Fishing', an adult short story was published in the anthology, Hot Ink (Steele Roberts 2002) and a picture-book, An Everyday Sunday, was runner-up in the inaugural Joy Cowley Awards in 2003. Her appreciation of competitions for fostering new writers led to Burnside combining her creative talents with her business acumen and she was instrumental in setting up HB Shorts, a Writing Competition, which has helped discover and encourage new and talented authors in the Region.
She departed from fiction in 2005 with, It’s True! This Book Is a Load of Rubbish, which explores facts about rubbish and recycling (Allen & Unwin 2005) and was runner up in the Austrailian Wilderness Awards.
Night Hunting (Puffin, 2008) is Burnside's first junior fiction book, and tells the story of a young boy who is finally old enough to go hunting with family friend, Rotorua Bill. The work was listed as a 2009 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book.
Her newest Young Adult novel, YES was released in November 2011 by Harper Collins NZ and was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2016
I'm honestly surprised by the amount of stars readers are giving this book.
Completely ignoring some major grammar and typo mistakes found in the book, let's begin.
I've read numerous 'Asperger's novels' and this is riddled with factual errors. Example: Marty says he has trouble with puns and idioms yet he uses them all the time. Some may argue that he's learnt what these mean and can then speak them with ease to his friends and family but the error comes in his thinking. This sentence "I just thought she'd want to be involved because she likes doing stuff, and when she was here we all hung out and now I miss her." Marty wouldn't use the word 'stuff' and would not use the phrase 'hung out'.
Asperger's kids are also extremely clever but this is never shown. Deborah emphasizes the fact that he's clumsy and has a bad memory, and a reoccurring factor is people thinking or calling Marty a retard or saying there is something wrong with his brain. This sentence, "I might be having an anxiety attack. It's when you heart starts beating way too fast and you feel like you're going to get wicked heartburn or something." would be almost over-explained by an Asperger's kid. Marty definitely shouldn't have added "or something" and should know exactly what an anxiety attack was and probably have used some medical lingo.
Apart from the factual errors I also had trouble working out how old the characters were. In the beginning I though Marty was 12 but soon realized he had 'feelings' for Francesca so I allowed myself to think maybe 13. Later in the book he states that he was looking out the window at school and watching a group of Year 9s play a game like bullrush, making him a Year 10 or higher, so 14 or 15 maybe. I still find it hard to believe.
The inappropriate touching just took me overboard and I can't comment further. Was that even necessary?
It was just a bad attempt at making a kid's book into an young adult's book.
Completely ignoring some major grammar and typo mistakes found in the book, let's begin.
I've read numerous 'Asperger's novels' and this is riddled with factual errors. Example: Marty says he has trouble with puns and idioms yet he uses them all the time. Some may argue that he's learnt what these mean and can then speak them with ease to his friends and family but the error comes in his thinking. This sentence "I just thought she'd want to be involved because she likes doing stuff, and when she was here we all hung out and now I miss her." Marty wouldn't use the word 'stuff' and would not use the phrase 'hung out'.
Asperger's kids are also extremely clever but this is never shown. Deborah emphasizes the fact that he's clumsy and has a bad memory, and a reoccurring factor is people thinking or calling Marty a retard or saying there is something wrong with his brain. This sentence, "I might be having an anxiety attack. It's when you heart starts beating way too fast and you feel like you're going to get wicked heartburn or something." would be almost over-explained by an Asperger's kid. Marty definitely shouldn't have added "or something" and should know exactly what an anxiety attack was and probably have used some medical lingo.
Apart from the factual errors I also had trouble working out how old the characters were. In the beginning I though Marty was 12 but soon realized he had 'feelings' for Francesca so I allowed myself to think maybe 13. Later in the book he states that he was looking out the window at school and watching a group of Year 9s play a game like bullrush, making him a Year 10 or higher, so 14 or 15 maybe. I still find it hard to believe.
The inappropriate touching just took me overboard and I can't comment further. Was that even necessary?
It was just a bad attempt at making a kid's book into an young adult's book.
June 5, 2019
When I approached the conclusion of this novel, I was unfortunately relieved.
I rarely read books by New Zealand authors, so I was very excited to embark on this story by Deborah Burnside. Sadly I struggled to finish it, not because of the writing nor the characters; however, it was due to the plot or lack thereof. I understand with many books- especially 'coming of age' stories; where I would categorize this novel- that the plot generally places second in favor of character development, although when regarding this novel it was just repetitive and boring.
Whilst I didn't enjoy Yes as much as I could've, I genuinely found all the characters intriguing. I believe the author intended for each character to acknowledge a dilemma in their lives and- for a nice twist-we found out with them.
Throughout the book, the main character would say or do the wrong things, not realize it and eventually chide himself as a result of his actions, wishing he were normal. I didn't understand why this was consistently occurring until the author revealed at the end, that our protagonist 'Marty' had Asperger's and spent a lot of time attempting to find a way to navigate his diagnosis, learning life lessons along the way.
I genuinely appreciated these informative portions of the novel ,it was very satisfying reading about how these characters untangled their problems.
I rarely read books by New Zealand authors, so I was very excited to embark on this story by Deborah Burnside. Sadly I struggled to finish it, not because of the writing nor the characters; however, it was due to the plot or lack thereof. I understand with many books- especially 'coming of age' stories; where I would categorize this novel- that the plot generally places second in favor of character development, although when regarding this novel it was just repetitive and boring.
Whilst I didn't enjoy Yes as much as I could've, I genuinely found all the characters intriguing. I believe the author intended for each character to acknowledge a dilemma in their lives and- for a nice twist-we found out with them.
Throughout the book, the main character would say or do the wrong things, not realize it and eventually chide himself as a result of his actions, wishing he were normal. I didn't understand why this was consistently occurring until the author revealed at the end, that our protagonist 'Marty' had Asperger's and spent a lot of time attempting to find a way to navigate his diagnosis, learning life lessons along the way.
I genuinely appreciated these informative portions of the novel ,it was very satisfying reading about how these characters untangled their problems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2022
Martin "M&M" Morgan, also called Marty, is having a tough time with it during the current school year. He has autism, which means he has lots of trouble trying to figure out what people mean when they say certain things, and sometimes his inability to quickly process things gets him into trouble. He currently has just one friend - he used to have two, but Frannie switched to a new school so they hardly see her anymore - called Luke, though Marty usually calls him Legless on account of him only having 1 1/2 legs. Marty also has a dad who does not understand his autism and is constantly yelling at Marty for things outside of his control; he has a mom who has become fed up with the status quo at home and wants to go on an extended holiday - without reservations or a schedule to hem her in - for a couple of months; Marty has an older sister, Mel, who moved in with her boyfriend Declan, which pissed off their dad, so now their dad isn't speaking to Mel or Declan.
And, to top it all off, Marty's grandfather just passed away. His grandfather who was always patient with Marty, always encouraged him, and along with his grandmother, taught him how to crochet so he can make himself hats that will keep his hair pressed flat against his head. But Marty doesn't know how to process his grief. He doesn't really even understand what he's feeling.
So, with all of that in the background, we have Marty struggling with school because he has trouble remembering and keeping track of things, and because his Dean thinks it'll be a good idea for him, he joins Luke and three other classmates on a project (YES, for Young Enterprise Scheme) to start a business.
I really enjoyed this book, though it definitely took me some time to get into because of the way it was written. With Marty as the narrator, the book was written the way his neurodivergent brain works. As such, it bounces around and makes connections that are not necessarily easy to see in the beginning. Once I began to get a feel for it, though, it was fairly smooth sailing. For me, that took until about chapter 5 before I had a solid grip on the thought processes. Despite that slight difficulty, I think the way it is written is a major strength of the novel, and I definitely would not want to change it.
As a warning, what I did not know before getting into the book is that Marty is around 16 in the book, although his age is never actually stated. As such, I didn't realize that it was going to touch on some rather tough subjects. The book does have alcohol use (although it takes place in New Zealand, where the drinking age is lower) and drug use; sexual assault is touched on and a younger teenager should definitely have a conversation with their parents or an adult they trust on the concept of consent when they get to that scene. Finally, the book is set during New Zealand's school 2001 school year, which would be ending in September/October, and the 9/11 attacks do make an appearance. The attack was handled well, but the scenes surrounding it were tough to read and I did need a tissue or 3 from some of the personal memories it brought back.
Overall, while I would normally consider this a YA book, I do think a mature MG child would be okay to read it. Though, any parents who are concerned about some of the content should absolutely read it first, as you know your kids and what they can handle better than I do.
And, to top it all off, Marty's grandfather just passed away. His grandfather who was always patient with Marty, always encouraged him, and along with his grandmother, taught him how to crochet so he can make himself hats that will keep his hair pressed flat against his head. But Marty doesn't know how to process his grief. He doesn't really even understand what he's feeling.
So, with all of that in the background, we have Marty struggling with school because he has trouble remembering and keeping track of things, and because his Dean thinks it'll be a good idea for him, he joins Luke and three other classmates on a project (YES, for Young Enterprise Scheme) to start a business.
I really enjoyed this book, though it definitely took me some time to get into because of the way it was written. With Marty as the narrator, the book was written the way his neurodivergent brain works. As such, it bounces around and makes connections that are not necessarily easy to see in the beginning. Once I began to get a feel for it, though, it was fairly smooth sailing. For me, that took until about chapter 5 before I had a solid grip on the thought processes. Despite that slight difficulty, I think the way it is written is a major strength of the novel, and I definitely would not want to change it.
As a warning, what I did not know before getting into the book is that Marty is around 16 in the book, although his age is never actually stated. As such, I didn't realize that it was going to touch on some rather tough subjects. The book does have alcohol use (although it takes place in New Zealand, where the drinking age is lower) and drug use; sexual assault is touched on and a younger teenager should definitely have a conversation with their parents or an adult they trust on the concept of consent when they get to that scene. Finally, the book is set during New Zealand's school 2001 school year, which would be ending in September/October, and the 9/11 attacks do make an appearance. The attack was handled well, but the scenes surrounding it were tough to read and I did need a tissue or 3 from some of the personal memories it brought back.
Overall, while I would normally consider this a YA book, I do think a mature MG child would be okay to read it. Though, any parents who are concerned about some of the content should absolutely read it first, as you know your kids and what they can handle better than I do.
January 8, 2012
This engaging story is about a couple of teenage boys coming to terms with all that life throws at modern teenagers – girls, homework, and uncooperative parents. I am reluctant to tell you that the main character Marty has a mild form of autism, because although it is central to the way the story is told and to the way Marty sees the world, the book is not about “dealing with autism”.
It is neither condescending nor seeking sympathy. Autism is in the background but only to just explain the unusual and charming way that Marty experiences his world.
Marty’s best friend, Luke, is coping with his own issues – he’s lost a lower leg to meningitis – and both get involved with a school based business young enterprise scheme (YES) in part to be close to the girls they are both besotted with. As in real life, Marty has to deal with a number of issues and personal challenges along the way. As their YES project progresses, life’s challenges threaten to overpower their lives. The constant in Marty’s life is his recently deceased grandfather – a rock whose influence was far reaching in the boy’s life and whose absence is sorely missed.
This is a story that almost any teenage readers could associate with.
Each of the teenage characters, including the flawed but irresistible female muses, is utterly believable. I had fallen in love with Marty by page 10, and really wanted his life issues to be resolved. More importantly I wanted to go on the journey with Marty and see where he ended up. Most teenagers will enjoy sharing Marty’s journey as well and will relate to much of this modern story themselves.
First published on the Booksellers NZ blog: http://booksellersnz.wordpress.com/
It is neither condescending nor seeking sympathy. Autism is in the background but only to just explain the unusual and charming way that Marty experiences his world.
Marty’s best friend, Luke, is coping with his own issues – he’s lost a lower leg to meningitis – and both get involved with a school based business young enterprise scheme (YES) in part to be close to the girls they are both besotted with. As in real life, Marty has to deal with a number of issues and personal challenges along the way. As their YES project progresses, life’s challenges threaten to overpower their lives. The constant in Marty’s life is his recently deceased grandfather – a rock whose influence was far reaching in the boy’s life and whose absence is sorely missed.
This is a story that almost any teenage readers could associate with.
Each of the teenage characters, including the flawed but irresistible female muses, is utterly believable. I had fallen in love with Marty by page 10, and really wanted his life issues to be resolved. More importantly I wanted to go on the journey with Marty and see where he ended up. Most teenagers will enjoy sharing Marty’s journey as well and will relate to much of this modern story themselves.
First published on the Booksellers NZ blog: http://booksellersnz.wordpress.com/
March 30, 2014
M&M (Marty Morgan) is worrying about his Mum’s decision. She is going on an O.E – on her own, leaving him with his Dad, who’s never really understood him and how he is.
Marty has problems ‘reading’ people, being organised or understanding what’s going on around him in social situations. His mum is the one who’s always helped him with that. But Marty’s best mate Luke (Legless) also helps him out with this stuff too. When Luke decides they should enter the Youth Enterprise Scheme, Marty goes along with it.Luke’s plan is to impress a girl he likes, but the result is so much more.
I loved the main character in YES. Told in first person, I found Marty very real, and was fascinated in the way he thought about things and dealt with the world around him – right from when he was very small. Fascinating character study.
May 10, 2012
It won childrens book awards.... but I'm not sure why. I found it difficult to get into, and the main characters 'ramblings' were irritatingly long.
I'm not sure how it can be a 'childrens' book either. There is one very inappropriate part towards the end, the climax of Marty and Frannies relationship.
I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of 15.
I'm not sure how it can be a 'childrens' book either. There is one very inappropriate part towards the end, the climax of Marty and Frannies relationship.
I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of 15.
April 16, 2012
Yes is a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards and I was lucky enough to be chosen by Booksellers NZ to review it.
Yes has been really well written.
It is exceptionally fluid, reads very smoothly and sucks you in almost immediately.
The characters are fresh and real, and Marty is the quirkiest character I think I have ever read.
In part due to his autism but the kid has a strange and interesting way of looking at the world, making him a very funny guy indeed.
With his almost constant internal rambling and over active imagination Marty's brain wanders off on a near constant tangent and at times I felt like I was trying to tune a station in on my car stereo, he is so all over the place!.
But in a good way, because I knew where I was at all times, his mind set didn't distract from the story at all, it totally enhanced it.
The author, Deborah Burnside has expertly managed to pull what can only be described as a tough and compelling story into a coherent and heart warming tale of adversity, struggle, self discovery and success.
Yes did all the things that a great book should.
Yes made me giggle, and laugh.
Yes made me feel.
I cared greatly for all of the characters, and at times Yes brought a tear to my eye. (Definitely the sign of a great read:))
Set against the backdrop of the early 2000's in small town New Zealand, Yes is a book you will love falling in love with. I know I have!
Yes is a surprisingly honest to goodness read.
4 Stars ;]
February 7, 2014
I was reading this New Zealand book while also reading some exemplars for Level 2 NCEA so I want to express my opinion in a rather 'school' manner! The trouble I experienced with 'Yes' is that the story was worthy, but not very exciting or interesting. The characters were believable but not really filled in. It was a bit like reading a book with the guts smoothed over and tidy. How much more do you get out of a book that makes you laugh or cry, or a book that starts you thinking about your own world. Have a look at 'The Boy Who Ate Stars' or ' The Curious Incident...' for books that have so much more impact. How about the school boy challenge set in 'The Flour Babies', or grind your teeth on the emotions of 'The Fault in our Stars' or admire the steel backbone of Ree Dolly in 'Winter's Bone'. I'm still giving this book 3 stars for a well-written story, but I hope the next one I read goes much deeper.
September 30, 2015
An enjoyable read - though the purpose of some of the adult characters is unclear.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews