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

A teen with autism investigates the murder of a neighbor's poodle and learns way, way more.

We chose this for the library's book discussion group. I read this in 2003 when it came out - and I remembered that I loved it - but on reread I discovered that I remembered NOTHING about this book. So it was pleasantly like the first time all over again!

Since the book came out, there have been a lot of depictions of Aspergers and autism in books and TV and film, and I think the general public has a better understanding today. But I know that when I first read this book, Christopher's thoughts and perceptions were groundbreaking. I'm always fascinated by how other people's brains work, and this book gives amazing insight.

I loved it just as much the second time around, and now I'll even remember why I'm recommending it.

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer

Sunny has spent five years being the perfect mother: wearing the blonde wig, making the mother-shape in the world, organizing, responding and acting properly. And yet, her son Bubber is autistic and must wear a helmet in the car to prevent head-banging.

Her husband, Maxon, has spent his life trying to respond and react appropriately in social settings: nodding, raising his eyebrows, and using inflection in his voice to convey emotion. And yet, now that he's in a rocket headed to the moon, his robotic Asperger's brain may make him Earth's perfectly evolved hope for space colonization.

When something sets each Sunny and Maxon's missions off-course, it's not just a minor glitch - these are major situations, not in the plan or part of the forecast. Nobody graphed this out on the whiteboard. Will the cracks show? Will anybody be OK?

I loved, loved, loved this book and I'm not sure I can fully describe why, but I'll try. The characters are perfectly flawed, yet trying their hardest to be normal: They don't see is that normal is a mirage. Each has a unique perspective coloring their world vision, and I thoroughly delighted in their thoughts and theories.

Additionally, the narration of the audiobook by Joshilyn Jackson was truly, monumentally EPIC. Her voices for each character were rich and unique, truly fitting such spectacular and strange people.

The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

Music-obsessed boy meets off-kilter science girl and they immediately hit it off. A friendship forms, but neither is sure how to discuss their interest in the other: she's closed off, he's got Aspergers. But somehow, they understand one another better than anyone else can.

These teens are instantly likeable, and they've got a funny, quirky friendship with just enough tension to keep you wondering how it will end. And the music references - let's just say I laughed out loud more than once: KISS/kiss wordplay, the importance of John Oates, and the impulse control it takes to not follow your instinct when a girl's t-shirt says "Squeeze."

I read it in a sitting. Chapters alternate between Liana's voice and Hank's, so you get a fair balance in viewpoint and a great look inside each character's head. Highly recommended.

This Is Just Exactly Like You by Drew Perry

Jack Lang's a guy who reacts to life. He just puts his head down and plows through the million little things that come at him each day. He's not the kind of guy to plan ahead or even give a thought to the causes or outcome of each drama in his day.

But there's a major seismic shift going on: Jack's midlife crisis has manifest itself in impulsive and monumental behavior; his wife got fed up and has moved across town (and into his best friend's house); and their autistic six-year-old son suddenly communicates ... in Spanish.

I loved Jack, and I loved this book. Laugh-out-loud funny dialog and extremely relate-able characters made this book a quick read and very hard to put down. There's a certain innocence and purity in Jack's actions; he really, honestly thinks he's doing his best in every situation (if he's thinking about it at all), and you gotta love a guy like that.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

Fans of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" will love this book too.

Ted, our narrator, is a high-functioning autistic boy who lives in London. He explains that he isn't sick or anything ... it's just that his brain runs on a different operating system. He works hard to navigate and understand a world that he sees slightly differently than others.

But that difference comes in handy when Ted's cousin Salim goes missing. While everyone else spends time crying, yelling, and worrying, Ted has been thinking through all the pieces of Salim's disappearance. And for once, Ted and his sister Kat seem to be on the same team.

Can they find Salim? Will anyone listen, even if they do figure it out? And what does a duck look like when it forgets how to quack?

I think kids will enjoy discovering the answers.