The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Author: Mark Haddon

Illustrator: Cover illustration: Marc Boutavant; Cover design: Suzanne Dean; Hand lettering: Tim Marrs

Publisher: Vintage Books

Suggested reading age: 12+

Themes: Being autistic, abandonment, broken family, mystery, courage

Opening lines: "Opening paragraph: “It was seven minutes after midnight. The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of Mrs Shears’ house. Its eyes were closed. It looked as if it was running on its side, the way dogs run when they think they are chasing a cat in a dream. But the dog was not running or asleep. The dog was dead.” Ch. 2"

Summary: When Christopher, the protagonist of this novel, discovers a neighbour’s dog dead, he decides to investigate “this case” and find out who murdered it. Not that it mattered much to everyone else, but it did to him. His father does not like this idea as it may cause a lot of trouble and his fears turn out to be right. On the self-assigned mission to find the truth, that is so dear to him, he is bound to uncover many more mysteries of his neighbourhood and his own family. Christopher starts writing a book about his investigation and records his findings in it.

My impressions: This book is a page turner for sure. Well, you probably need to know from the very beginning that Christopher is autistic and sees the world through a different lens. Mark Haddon makes us, his audience, experience a whole carousel of emotions. Most importantly, he makes us so incredibly close to Christopher’s reality of life. He is the truth that allistic people might fail to understand.

And yes, the chapters are not your common 1,2,3. Christopher does not like it this way, they are 2,3,5,7. It’s one of the many clever touches that make this book so distinctive.

This book would appeal to:

Anyone who enjoys realistic stories told from a completely different point of view. It’s perfect for readers who are curious about how people experience the world differently, or who like mysteries that aren’t just about solving a crime but also about understanding people. If you like stories with unusual narrators and a lot of heart, this one’s for you.

For teachers and parents - Educational Value:

This book opens up meaningful conversations about empathy, honesty, and what it means to see the world through another person’s eyes. It gives readers a real sense of how an autistic mind works - logical, precise, and deeply thoughtful. It’s also a great text to explore themes like family, independence, and resilience.

Teachers can use it to build students’ critical thinking and inference skills, and even link it with subjects like psychology, ethics, or creative writing. Most importantly, it helps young readers understand difference without judgement—and that’s a lesson that stays.

About the author: Mark Haddon (he/him) was born in Northampton, UK, in 1962. His novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Jonathan Cape, David Fickling, 2003) was published in two imprints—one for children and one for adults—to immediate success. It won 17 literary prizes, including the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year. His second novel, A Spot of Bother (Vintage), was published in 2006 and shortlisted for the 2006 Costa Novel Award.

Poetry Foundation

Author's website: https://www.markhaddon.com/

Rating: 5/5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐