The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark HaddonDescription
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon opens with fifteen-year-old Christopher holding the neighbor’s dead dog, getting blamed for its death, and subsequently punching a police officer because he tried to touch him.
Christopher has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social situations are very difficult for him. He lost his mom and his dad is doing his best to hold it together with a son who has specific food requests, sensory challenges, and answers every question honestly and literally, including not responding in a conversation if he has not been asked a question.
When Christopher decides that he is going to solve the case of who killed the dog, Wellington, his father is dead set against it. He does not want Christopher butting into other people’s business, especially since the neighbor already called the cops on him and possibly still believes that he is guilty. Christopher, however, is not only determined to solve the mystery, he is also determined to write his discoveries into a book.
As Christopher investigates, he finds more than he ever bargained for, and he is able to do more than anyone thought he was capable of.
Christopher has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social situations are very difficult for him. He lost his mom and his dad is doing his best to hold it together with a son who has specific food requests, sensory challenges, and answers every question honestly and literally, including not responding in a conversation if he has not been asked a question.
When Christopher decides that he is going to solve the case of who killed the dog, Wellington, his father is dead set against it. He does not want Christopher butting into other people’s business, especially since the neighbor already called the cops on him and possibly still believes that he is guilty. Christopher, however, is not only determined to solve the mystery, he is also determined to write his discoveries into a book.
As Christopher investigates, he finds more than he ever bargained for, and he is able to do more than anyone thought he was capable of.
Would I Teach This Book?
Would I teach The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time? The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is told from the point of view of a child whose life is impacted by the flaws of his parents. Unlike other books, where parents are understanding and lovely supporters, Christopher’s father is far from perfect. Yes, he loves his son, but the book also shows him getting frustrated with his son. In real life, parents get frustrated with their children. They get frustrated with their children when they don’t follow directions or do something that they have directly been told not to do. Christopher’s father gets angry in a real way–that is not super careful to protect his son or always showing understanding of him.
People who do not understand ASD may respond in an impatient or unkind way that only makes things worse. Sometimes those that do understand may not always respond in a positive way. However, in the decision of what to teach, and having a choice, this may not be the influence that I would want to bring into my classroom. Allowing students to better understand what it is like for a person who has ASD is important, but it also seems important to show parents who are more understanding and accepting. Perhaps for a college audience The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time might bring important conversations, but for a middle school audience, the parental interaction might be a bit much.
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People who do not understand ASD may respond in an impatient or unkind way that only makes things worse. Sometimes those that do understand may not always respond in a positive way. However, in the decision of what to teach, and having a choice, this may not be the influence that I would want to bring into my classroom. Allowing students to better understand what it is like for a person who has ASD is important, but it also seems important to show parents who are more understanding and accepting. Perhaps for a college audience The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time might bring important conversations, but for a middle school audience, the parental interaction might be a bit much.
View all my reviews
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