The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

• Genre: Fiction; young adult contemporary mystery
• Originally Published: 2003
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1090L; grades 8-12
• Structure/Length: 51 chapters (numbered in the protagonist’s prime numbering system); approx. 226 pages; approx. 6 hours on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: In the village of Swindon, England, 15-year-old Christopher Boone discovers his neighbor’s poodle dead in the yard. His need to determine the root cause of the dog’s murder presents a series of complications and new discoveries for this teen with autism.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Physical abuse and bullying toward a neurodiverse character; pet death; adultery       

Mark Haddon, Author

• Bio: Born in 1962 in Northampton, England; earned degrees at Oxford University and Edinburgh University; also an artist and illustrator; background includes working with adults and children with disabilities, working on television projects, publishing for children, teens, and adults, and poetry projects
• Other Works: Gilbert’s Gobstopper (1987); Agent Z Goes Wild (series; 1994); Ocean Star Express (2001); The Red House (2012); The Porpoise (2019)
• Awards: Whitbread Book of the Year (2003); Book Trust Teenage Fiction Award (2003); Booker Prize (longlisted; 2003); Alex Awards (2004); YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)                   

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Coping Mechanisms and Safety in an Uncertain World
• The Quest for Understanding Between Different Minds
• Accomplishing Goals and Overcoming Obstacles