THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Vintage Contemporaries, 2003. 226 p. PBK $14.00 ISBN 978-1400032716

SUMMARY: "Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother."

RISKS: Vulgar language

EVALUATION: The voice of Christopher John Francis Boone is crystal clear and constant throughout this unique novel. There aren't many books out there that utilize the first person with an autistic protagonist as Haddon does - and does well. It is an enlightening and beautiful experience to be inside the mind of Christopher, with quirks and details right on the mark, as he solves the mystery of what initially began as the murder of his neighbor's dog but reveals something much bigger about his own family. Christopher tells the clever story with the accuracy of a Cartesian detective and with perfect guilelessness.

READER'S ANNOTATION: When Christopher's world has gone crazy, perhaps his inability to think like everyone else is his greatest gift.

TOPICS: mental illness; autism; divorce; savants; England; mysteries;

AWARDS: Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees, 2008; ALA Popular Paperbacks, 2006; Colorado: Blue Spruce Award Nominees, 2006; Georgia: Georgia Peach Award Nominees, 2006; Indiana: Eliot Rosewater Award Nominees, 2006; New Hampshire: Flume Award Nominees, 2006; New Jersey: Garden State Teen Book Award Nominees, 2006; New Jersey: Garden State Teen Book Award Winners, 2006; Texas: Tayshas Reading List, 2006; ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2004; Alex Awards, 2004; SLJ Best Adult Books for High School Students, 2003

Ages 15 & up