Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.  New York: Vintage, 2003. 

ISBN 1400032717.  Paperback, 226 pages, $14.00, ages 13 and up.

#annotation

The journal account of a boy with Asperger’s who seeks to uncover the answer to a neighborhood puzzle.  His journey leads to new realizations about himself and his family relationships.

#booktalk

Ÿ 3.“My name is Christopher John Francis Boone.  I know all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7.057.” 

Ÿ 7.“This is a murder mystery novel. Siobhan said that the book should being with something to grab people’s attention.  That is why I started with the dog.  I also started with the dog because it happened to me and I find it hard to imagine things which did not happen to me.”

Ÿ19.”Chapters in books are usually given the cardinal numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6 and so on.  But I have decided to give my chapters prime numbers 2,3,5,7,11,13 and so on because I like prime numbers.”

            Ÿ101.“Mr. Jeavons said that I liked maths because it was safe.  He said I liked maths because it meant solving problems, and these problems were difficult and interesting but there was always a straightforward answer at the end.  And what he meant was that maths wasn’t like life because in life there are no straightforward answers at the end.  I know he meant this because this is what he said.  This is because Mr. Jeavons doesn’t understand numbers.” 

Ÿ 233. “And I know I can do this because I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? And I found my mother and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything.”

#awards

Whitbread Book Award for Best Novel and Best Book of the Year

Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book

Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize

Trailer for the stage production:

Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean

Taylor, Sarah and Towle, Ben. Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean.  New York: Disney Hyperion Books, 2010.

 ISBN 978423113379.  Hardback, 80 pages.  $17.99.  Ages 10 and up.

#annotation

An account of Amelia Earhart’s transatlantic flight in 1928, told in black, white, and aqua cartoons from the perspective of a fictional narrator.  

#booktalk

Calling all adventurous girls!  A century ago, could you dream of any career, and traveling to any global destination, like you can now?  Amelia Earhart’s transatlantic flight of 1928 broke records and changed expectations in more than just aviation. She was also an example for independent, brave females.  Fictional Grace is a girl in Newfoundland who wants to be a journalist, and Amelia’s brief stop in her town sparks her interest and admiration.  She waits and worries with the rest of the world to see if the weather will permit Amelia’s plane to take off, and rejoices at its risky but successful journey conquering other competitors. Years later, Grace has followed her ambitions and is reporting news about Amelia.  This time, however, the plane has disappeared…