Teacher’s  Guide  Freaks  Like  Us  by  Susan  Vaught  
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SYNOPSIS:  

Somewhere between “Bye, Jason” and five o’clock, Sunshine Patton disappears from
the face of the earth.

Jason,  Derrick,  and  Sunshine  are  more  than  high  school  classmates.  
They   are   friends   whose   relationship   stretches   back   to   the   first  
grade,   a   time   when   they   recognized   they   weren’t   like   the   other  
children.   Their   common   bond   is   their   “alphabets”:   Jason   with   his  
SCZI   (schizophrenia);   Derrick   with   his   ADHD   (attention   deficit  
hyperactivity   disorder);   and   Sunshine   with   her   SM   (selective  
mutism).   To   the   world,   they   are   freaks;   to   each   other,   they   are  
family.  
 
Once  Sunshine  disappears,  though,  Jason  (a.k.a.  Freak)  becomes  a  prime  suspect  because  he  was  
the  last  one  to  see  her  and  because  of  his  unpredictable  schizophrenic  episodes.  Everyone,  from  
the   tenacious   FBI   agent   Mercer   to   Jason’s   seemingly   unflappable   father,   suspects   that   Jason  
knows  more  than  he  is  telling.  What’s  worse,  due  to  the  cacophony  of  voices  in  his  head,  even  
Jason   can’t   be   certain   of   his   innocence.   Does   he   know   more   than   the   voices   are   letting   him  
remember?      
 
Each   chapter   of   Susan   Vaught’s   Freaks   Like   Us   propels   the   reader   through   an   hour-­‐by-­‐hour  
tangle  of  twisting,  turning  revelations.  Determined  to  find  Sunshine,  Jason  and  Derrick  are  never  
certain  whom  they  can  trust—Jason  shoulders  the  additional  burden  of  multiple  realities,  some  
in  which  he  is  guilty  of  hurting  Sunshine.  Solving  the  mystery  of  Sunshine  means  that  Jason  will  
have  to  grapple  with  all  the  voices  in  his  head,  relive  painful  memories,  and  be  brave  enough  to  
fight  anyone…even  himself.  
 
THEMES:  
 
The   predominant   themes   in   Freaks   Like   Us   are   friendship   and   loyalty.   Beginning   at   age   six,   Jason  
(Freak),   Derrick   (Drip),   and   Sunshine   meet   and   decide   to   become   best   friends.   Although   their  
disabilities   brought   them   together,   it   is   their   shared   life   experiences   of   “riding   a   short   bus   and  
hanging   out   in   a   single   self-­‐contained   classroom   labeled   SED   (Severely   Emotionally   Disturbed)”  
that   bind   the   trio.   Jason   explains,   “Drip   and   Sunshine   and   me   we’ve   got   secrets   we   won’t   tell  
anybody,  even  [my  doctor]  or  our  parents  or  you  or  anybody  else.  We’ve  got  promises  to  each  
other   and   nobody   can   make   us   break   them.”     It   is   Jason’s   intense   friendship   and   loyalty   to  

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Sunshine,  with  the  help  of  Drip  that  propels  him  through  the  convolution  of  reality  and  mental  
illness.    
 
Subthemes   include,   but   are   not   limited   to,   self-­‐awareness,   self-­‐acceptance,   overcoming   personal  
limitations,  and  coming-­‐of-­‐age.    
 
 
AUSTRALIAN  HIGH  SCHOOL  CURRICULUM  USE  
 
• Year  9  English  –  Thematic  Unit  ‘Heroes  and  the  Quest  Narrative’  
• Year  12  English  –  Thematic  Unit  ‘Whose  Reality?’  
• VCE  English  -­‐  Identity  &  Belonging  
 
THEMES:  The  Unreliable  Narrator,  Mental  Illness  
 
 
WRITING  STYLE:  
 
Freaks  Like  Us  is  a  fast-­‐paced  psychological  thriller/mystery  in  which  the  hero  and  the  villain  may  
very   well   be   the   same   character.   The   story   is   told   from   the   first-­‐person   point   of   view   of   Jason  
“Freak”   Milwaukee,   a   high   school   senior   who   lives   with   schizophrenia.   The   additional  
schizophrenic   voices   Freak   experiences   cause   his   stream-­‐of-­‐consciousness   narrative   to   oscillate  
between  lucid  exposition  and  bewildering,  discordant  observations.  While  Freak’s  mental  illness  
may   cast   him   as   an   unreliable   narrator   at   times,   he   is   persistently   likable   and   humorous.   Few  
authors   could   successfully   render   such   an   authentic   voice   and   perspective;   however,   Susan  
Vaught   is   a   practicing   neuropsychologist   with   many   years   of   experience   working   with   a   wide  
range  of  mental  abilities.    
 
 
AUTHOR  BACKGROUND:  
 
Susan  Vaught  is  the  author  of  many  acclaimed  novels  for  young  adults,  including  Trigger,  My  Big  
Fat  Manifesto,  Going  Underground,  and  the  Oathbreaker  series,  which  she  co-­‐authored  with  her  
son,   J.   B.   Redmond.   She   is   also   a   practicing   psychologist   in   western   Kentucky,   where   lives   with  
her  family  and  many  rescued  animals.  
 
 
AUTHOR  MOTIVATION:  
 
For  a  long  while,  I  wanted  to  write  a  story  with  a  main  character  who  had  schizophrenia,  but  at  
the   same   time,   I   felt   determined   that   the   story   didn’t   need   to   be   about   his   mental   illness.   I  
wanted   to   capture   the   struggle   of   daily   life,   the   will   and   fortitude   it   takes   for   a   person   with  
psychosis   to   get   through   a   regular   day,   much   less   a   difficult   or   traumatic   moment   in   their  
personal   history.   I   wanted   to   get   the   character,   story,   and   voice   exactly   right,   to   honor   all   the  
people  who  have  ever  trusted  me  to  help  them  cope  with  this  devastating  disorder.  My  biggest  
challenges   were   making   the   character   accessible   to   people   who   did   not   know   much   about   the  
disorder,  and  making  his  troubled  world  completely  understandable  to  readers.  I  couldn’t  get  the  
story   started,   until   one   day   when   I   was   paging   through   pictures   on   the   Internet   hunting   for   an  

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image   that   could   represent   a   character   in   another   story.   I   happened   upon   a   certain   face.   The  
young  man  in  the  picture  gazed  off  to  the  side,  clearly  trying  to  pay  attention,  but  so  distracted.  I  
saw  the  strength  and  vulnerability  I  had  been  looking  for,  and  Jason’s  voice  came  to  me.  The  way  
to  work  his  hallucinations  into  the  text  came  to  me  at  the  same  moment,  and  the  first  chapter  
more   or   less   fell   out   in   just   a   few   hours.   The   mystery   aspect   of   the   story,   that   very   important  
missing  person,  came  as  a  total  surprise  to  me  at  the  end  of  the  first  chapter.  My  fingers  typed  
the   sentence,   and   I   sat   staring   at   it,   knowing   it   was   right.   Then   I   went   on   a   journey   with   Jason   to  
find  what  was  most  important  to  him,  no  matter  what  he  had  to  risk  or  sacrifice.  
 
EDITORIAL  COMMENT:  
 
Working  with  Susan  on  her  books  I  always  learn  something  new;  I  always  get  to  jump  inside  the  
head   of   someone   fascinating.   But   two   of   Susan’s   books   (and   my   two   favorites)   feature   a  
narrating  character  whose  own  memories  and  reliability  are  utterly  fractured:  Trigger,  in  which  
the  main  character,  Jersey,  has  survived  a  suicidal  gunshot  to  the  head,  and  now,  Freaks  Like  Us.  I  
knew,  when  I  read  the  first  chapter  of  Freaks,  that  we  were  in  for  an  incredible  ride,  but  I  didn’t  
plan   on   falling   so   hard   for   both   Jason   and   Sunshine.   I   suspect   Susan   may   have   had   the   same  
feeling  as  she  wrote  because  the  words  seemed  to  spill  forward  on  the  page  and  she  wrote  it  in  
record  time—all  while  working  a  full-­‐time  job.  When  a  book  reads  so  quickly  and  is  so  engaging,  
it  can  be  tricky  to  edit  because  I  have  to  force  myself  to  take  a  step  back  and  be  critical,  but  that’s  
also  what  makes  it  a  joy.  -­‐-­‐Victoria  Wells  Arms,  Editor  at  Large  
 
STUDY  NOTES:  
 
What  thoughts  come  to  mind  as  you  read  the  title,  Freaks  Like  Us,  and  view  the  cover  art  of  an  
upside-­‐down  short  school  bus?    
 
Jason   (Freak),   Derrick   (Drip),   and   Sunshine   have   been   best   friends   since   first   grade.   They   share  
secrets   they’ll   never   tell   anyone   and   promises   they’ll   never   break.   What   are   specific   memories  
you  have  of  your  closest  friends?    (Shh,  you  don’t  have  to  tell  who  those  friends  are.)      
 
Freak   nearly   died   trying   to   find   Sunshine.   To   what   extent   would   you   go   to   help   one   of   your  
friends?    What’s  the  most  unselfish  act  you  have  ever  done  for  a  friend?      
 
There   comes   a   point   in   Freak’s   journey   that   everyone   believes   he   is   responsible   for   Sunshine’s  
disappearance—even  his  father  believes  Freak  is  guilty!    Describe  the  thoughts  and  the  feelings  
you  would  have  if  you  were  trapped  in  a  world  where  no  one  believed  you.  How  would  you  go  
about  your  daily  routines  knowing  everyone  suspected  you  of  doing  wrong?      
 
Freak   must   live   with   schizophrenia,   a   disabling   brain   disorder   that   causes   him   to   hear   voices   that  
other   people   don’t   hear,   and   see   things   that   aren’t   real.   In   order   to   simulate   a   bit   of   Freak’s  
experiences,   have   two   or   three   friends   record   their   voices   simultaneously.   Perhaps   one   person  
can  be  mean  and  accusatory,  another  person  can  be  sweet  and  affirming,  and  the  third  person  
can  simply  make  random  wah-­‐wah  noises.  Make  sure  the  recording  lasts  several  minutes.  Listen  
to   the   recording   using   earbuds   or   headphones   while   trying   to   do   simple   tasks   like   solving   a  
crossword   or   Sudoku   puzzle.   Perhaps   even   have   a   telephone   conversation   using   one   ear   while  
listening   to   the   voices   in   your   other   ear.   What   thoughts   and/or   emotions   surface   as   you   go  
through  this  experience?      
 

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In  her  acknowledgment  section  of  Freaks  Like  Us,  Susan  Vaught  writes  to  her  readers,  “You  know  
the   real   secret—that   we’re   all   Freaks   at   heart   and   there’s   nothing   wrong   with   that,   no   matter  
what   anyone  tries  to  tell  you.”  What   do   Vaught’s   words   mean   to   you?     What   is   it   that   makes   you  
different  from  others  around  you?    How  do  your  differences  help  or  hinder  you?      
 
Teacher’s   Guide   was   created   by   Shannon   D.   Collins,   Ph.D.,   who   teaches   eighth   grade   English  
Language  Arts  in  Tennessee,  USA.