Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The strength of this book lies in Christopher’s first-person voice. The reader is able to see the world through the eyes of one with Autism. I understood Christopher’s strange actions better because he explained his reasoning. But the point of view was also a weakness for me. The repetition became tiresome. I already know he doesn’t like yellow or brown. I don’t need to be reminded of it over and over. Christopher’s story is not the only one being told. The Curious Incident examines what it is like living with and caring for someone with Autism. I found myself more interested in Christopher’s parents as the story continued. Professionals are trained and choose to work with special needs populations. Parents are not usually trained nor do they choose the child they get. Christopher’s parents are flawed, make mistakes, and I really felt for them. They want what is best for their son but are people with needs, too. I’ve known autistic kids and while I saw some similarities to Christopher there were significant differences. The term autism covers a wide spectrum with vastly different manifestations. No one voice can even remotely represent it. If you’re looking to educate yourself on this disorder you’ll need to go beyond reading this book because truly, it does not represent the spectrum.

Summary: "Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the colours yellow and brown. This improbable story of Christopher’s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years. Mark Haddon make this an excellent book for children and adults alike." "

I enjoyed the charts and diagrams which Christopher uses to explain things. Some readers find them distracting. I think they added to the story and helped me follow along. The humor is dark. It is funny but is tempered by Christopher’s serious situation. Overall, the book didn’t do much for me. However, I think it is an important text. It discusses a serious disorder that is increasing in our population and manages to make the reader laugh while making him aware.

Publisher: Vintage, 2004     Pages: 226
Rating: 3 Stars     Source: IC Public Library

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

The Willoughbys uses a lot of dark humor. The four children wish their parents would die so they can be orphans like ones in books. And their parents find their kids annoying and plot to get rid of them. In the end, Mr. and Mrs. meet their demise on vacation. I found much of the humor harmless and think most kids would enjoy it. However, I disliked the way the oldest sibling, Tim, acted like a tyrant and belittled Jane by telling her she wouldn’t ever do anything important because she’s a girl. It’s all meant to be funny, and clearly everyone has flaws in this story. But I felt Tim just wasn’t funny or cute. He begins to mend his ways in the later half but his attitude towards women is never directly addressed. For this reason, Tim’s character never sat right with me. I appreciated the “big words” throughout the story. And the glossary is there for kids to learn what words like “surreptitious” and “obsequious” mean. There are several references to classics about orphans and nannies. I think I’ll have to read some of them. A cute story but The Willoughbys was a bit of a letdown.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2008     Recommended Age: 8 and up
Rating: 2.5 Stars                                        Pages: 157, 174 with Glossary and Bibliography