The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Author: Mark Haddon

Publisher: Scoresby, Victoria: Random House Australia, 2004

Annotation:

This unconventional murder mystery novel is written in first-person unreliable narrative of Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old autistic guru with intelligence and passion of mathematics and space with a huge social fear and phobia of anything happening outside of his daily routine. Prime numbers are used as chapter numbers with visual representations and an appendix of proving complex mathematical formulas. The writing style and tone is bittersweet and moving, which gives an insight in Christopher’s thinking and mind. The storyline is character-driven where Christopher discovered the dead body of the neighbour’s poodle Wellington and decides to be the detective in the style of his favourite Sherlock Holmes. He embarks the journey by going through number of things outside his routine and comfort zone. He discovers family secrets and revelations about his mother, as he lived with dad as single parent thinking his mum had passed away.

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The way it hurts

Author:            Patty Blount

Publisher:        Napperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks Fire, 2017

Annotation:

Music is everything for guitarist Elijah’s life, which tells a realistic story about his rock band playing that he can do anything to be successful and get a big break. He cares for his sister Anna, who has autism, that he prioritises. Elijah meets actress Kristen at a high school musical production of Cats and he could not get his eyes off her. He invited her to lead sing with the band, as it would make the band more famous for fans. However, social media response turned negative with physical threats and cyberbullying which impacted on Kristen. Not only it impacts on her, but the fan behaviour does impact on Anna too which Elijah wakes up to this. The storyline is character-driven with the tone of high-drama.

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Rain Reign

Author: Ann M. Martin

Read by: Laura Hamilton

Length: 4hrs and 7mins

Publisher: USA: Brilliance Audio, 2014

Annotation:

This first-person narrative story of Rose, who is a fifth-grader diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and lives with strict and troubled father, is emotionally intense and attention-grabbing. She is an enthusiast and obsessed with homonyms, as the book title Rain Reign is an example of a homonym, and prime numbers. Her challenges in reading social cues, understanding emotions and controlling her outbursts and obsessions does make things difficult. Having a set of patterns, routine and habits would help deal control the difficulties day-by-day. The storyline is character-driven with the theme of me and my dog, where Rose shares an inseparable bond with her beloved dog pet that comforts and protects Rose.

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Audible Australia with audio sample

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