Books Like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was published in 2003 and has the unusual distinction of being available in separate editions that caters to both adults and children. The novel was praised for being rich and poignant, going on to net the author, Mark Haddon, several awards. The Curious Incident is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Christopher John Francis Boone, who is on the autism spectrum. Christopher finds his neighbor’s dog killed under suspicious circumstances and decides to investigate despite the difficulties he faces. This leads to Christopher uncovering a lot of secrets and exposing a lot of lies in the process. The author describes the book as a novel about difference and about being an outsider who sees the world in a surprising and revealing way. Fans of the story will also enjoy these other books like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Convenience Store Woman

by Sayaka Murata

Convenience Store Woman is the work of Japanese author Sayaka Murata and marks her English-language debut. It is the tale of a Tokyo resident named Keiko Furukura who has never managed to fit in with society. Keiko finds peace and purpose in her life when at age 18 she begins working at a convenience store. It is here that Keiko finds it easiest to understand the rules of social interaction that eludes her in ordinary life as she can simply follow the store's manual. While working at the store, Keiko is able to function as a "normal" person for years by copying everything from the dress and mannerisms to the speech of her colleagues. Despite her happiness, Keiko is forced to take desperate action when her coworkers and family begins to pressure her to start a proper career and find a husband.

Rain Reign

by Ann M. Martin

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin is the story of a girl named Rose Howard, who is obsessed with homonyms. Unfortunately for Rose, her single father, teachers and other kids don’t understand her strange obsessions. One of the bright points in Rose's life is her dog whom she has given the name Rain because it has two homonyms, which makes it extra special. Then disaster strikes and a storm hits the rural town where Rose lives. When the rivers overflow, it results in the roads flooding and to make matters worse, Rose discovers that Rain has gone missing. This leaves her with no choice but to leave her comfortable routines and safe places behind to go search for her beloved pet.

Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keys

Flowers for Algernon was first published as a short story and then later as a full-length novel by Daniel Keyes. The protagonist in this touching novel is Charlie Gordon, a mentally challenged young man who has dreams of becoming smarter. The story unfolds through a series of progress reports written by Charlie after he becomes the first human subject for surgery that can improve intelligence. Charlie agreed to the surgery after seeing the effects it had on a mouse, named Algernon. The surgery is a success and Charlie, who initially had an IQ of 68, finds that his intelligence is increasing. Unfortunately, this opens his eyes to the world around him and he discovers that there are a lot more sadness and cruelty than he previously perceived. Then, Charlie comes to a shocking realization that will forever alter his life.

A Boy Made of Blocks

by Keith Stuart

A Boy Made of Blocks is a novel by Keith Stuart that is based on his own experiences with his son. It is the story of Alex, a man who struggles to connect with his autistic son, Sam. To Sam, the world is a frightening mystery, but Alex is so afraid of Sam's condition that he doesn't even want to be alone with his son. It reaches a point where Alex separates from his family, but then discovers that by remotely playing Minecraft with his son, it is easier for the two of them to connect. Sam finds it easier to explore and interact within the confines of a virtual world as it is not as threatening as the real world while Alex finds that he actually has a lot to learn from his son.

The Reason I Jump

by Naoki Higashida

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida is a truly unique book that offers the opportunity for readers to better understand the behavior of autistic children. Naoki wrote the book at the tender of thirteen and made use of a question and answer format to explain a lot of things that people sometimes find baffling about autism. From the reason why he likes to jump, to why he talks so loudly or even often repeats the same questions, Naoki explains everything in the novel. He also opens up about topics like his thoughts and feelings about the world and other people and what he thinks of himself. This book is a great opportunity for readers to see what it is like to view the world from a different and fascinating perspective.

The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder

by Sarah J. Harris

The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J. Harris is the story of 13-year-old Jasper Wishart. Jasper lives in a world of color as he has a condition called synaesthesia. In addition, he can't recognize faces, not even his how, because he has prosopagnosia. This obviously makes his life very challenging, but Jasper has learned to work around these obstacles using his own methods. Jasper is in the care of his single father who left the military to look after his son when Jasper's mother passed away. Jasper's world is shaken when his quirky neighbor disappears shortly after he befriends her. This leads Jasper to believe that she was killed and he is the only one who witnessed the murder. Jasper is determined to uncover the truth, but doing so is not going to be easy for someone with his condition.