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

Title: The Curious Incident of The Dog in Night-Time

Author: Mark Haddon

Publisher: Random House (UK)

Genre: Middle-Grade; Family;

Rating: 4 and a half stars

Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them.

Fifteen-year-old Christopher has a photographic memory. He understands math and science very well, but he can't understand other human beings. When he finds his neighbour's dog lying dead on the lawn, he decides to track down the killer and write a murder mystery about it. But his murder mystery leads to other mysteries and can he deals with the truth about his life?

When I started reading this book, I have no expectation. I knew this book is an award winning but I've been disappointed with some award winning books so it I decided that I will keep my mind open... thus I was blown away. The Curious Incident of The Dog in Night-Time is one of the best middle-grade book I've ever read. It was powerful, beautiful, and mind-blowing. It started with a seemingly simple thing, leads to many things. Christopher lived with his father and study in school for special need children. One day he found his neighbour's dog dead and decided that he would be a detective and solved the murder mystery. Despite his father banned him to be near the neighbour's house, Christopher continue his investigation but it lead to other mysteries and the secret that his father kept. It's like a snowball effect and I really like it.

Not only that, I think Mark Haddon is success in presenting Christopher without making him too in-human or too human. Christopher is a boy with special needs but instead of exploiting that to make us feel sorry for Christopher, Haddon makes us see Christopher as any other boy. Most of books about special need children constantly remind us how different they are for us, but not this book. Other characters are also interesting; although the story was written from Christopher's point of view, I have no problem to understand other characters and their personalities. Despite his lack of understanding about human being, Christopher is a very good observant and it helped a lot. Other thing I like the most is the ending, it's not happily-ever-after ending, but it's good-enough-for-now ending, which I think very suitable for this book and portrayed our life perfectly.

Lynossa

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

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh and Interview

Title: The Crowfield Curse

Author: Pat Walsh

Publisher: The Chicken House

Rating: 4 stars

‘Very well. We will talk again.’ Jacobus Bone lifted a hand in dismissal. The cuff of his long sleeve slipped back just far enough to reveal part of his hand. Or what was left of it. William stared at the stumps of two fingers and a thumb and caught his breath in shock.
Jacobus Bone was a leper.

Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Fiction Prize 2010, The Crowfield Curse set in year 1347. Fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives, is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old Magic.

I like this book! I like the characters, I like the story, the plot the setting, everything! It's not an epic fantasy in another realm, it's a world beside our normal world. The world where fays live and Old Magic lingers in the corner of dark forest. I really like the hob, Brother Walter. I think he's cute; especially when he's hanging on Will's shoulder while they were running. The other characters weren't so impressing as the hob but I quite like William, Brother Snail, and Shadlock. Despite his fate, William is a normal kid who wishes for warm food and less work. He's not super handsome or super awesome; he's average yet there's something about him that makes him special. I felt attached to him especially after reading how he felt toward the death of animals. I love animals and I can understand the hopeless feeling he felt.


I think this book will appeal to children from 8-15 years old, and also adults who enjoy middle grade book (like me). It's easy to like, fun to read, and very enjoyable. The only downfall I can think of is that in the beginning this book lack of action. But I think the events which happened during the first part of the book built the tension until it reached the climax in the end so it was okay for me. Now I can't wait for the second book to come!

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I received e-copy from the author. I requested it because I was intrigued by its cover and description and she kindly sent in to me. After I finished the book, I email her to ask some questions. Here are those:

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh and Interview

Orange Girl by Jostein Gaarder

This review is part of Loving the Review Challenge hosted by Brandi of Blkosiner's Book Blog and Sniffly Kitty of Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books. Basically all I need to do it post my review with the banner and link it to Siffly Kitty or Brandi's blog.

Title: Orange Girl

Author: Jostein Gaarder

Publisher: Orion Publishing

Rate: 4 and a half stars

“My father died eleven years ago. I was only four then,
I never thought I’d hear from him again, but now we’re
writing a book together.”

To Georg Røed, his father is no more than a shadow, a distant memory. But then one day his grandmother discovers some papers stuffed into the lining of an old red pushchair. The pages are a letter to Georg, written just before his father died, and a story, The Orange Girl. But The Orange Girl is no ordinary story – it is a riddle from the past centering around an incident in his father’s youth. One day he boarded a tram and was captivated by a beautiful girl standing in the aisle, clutching a huge paper bag of luscious-looking oranges. Suddenly the tram gave a jolt and he stumbled forward, sending the oranges flying in all directions. Since that day, his father became obsessed with finding the identity of the Orange Girl, and now, from beyond the grave he is asking his son to help him solve the puzzle...

Few days ago Kay-c asked me what book should she read if she wants to start reading philosophy book. I immediately said' Jostein Gaarder's!'. Jostein Gaarder was the reason why I read philosophy book in the first place. I read Sophie's World years ago and I was hooked! So I started reading his other books. Orange Girl isn't my favorite Gaarder but that doesn't mean this book isn't worthy of your time. On the contrary, I think this is one of the must-read book; especially if you're taking interesting in philosophy. In my opinion every book that made you thought about the meaning of your life was in some way engaging you in philosophical thinking; and this book is one of those books. However unlike Sophie's World, philosophy in this book was presented subtly and you barely realize it. That's why I consider this as a very good start if you want to read philosophy novels.

The character, Georg, was cute and very smart. Most of Gaarder's books feature kids as his main character and he's good at creating believable characters. The plot was a bit slow in the beginning but as you progress in reading you will discover many interesting things; beautiful things and sad things. I was completely blown away by the ending, it was so sad but it make sense to me, it kinda complete my imagination of Georg's father and it didn't disappoint me at all. I think this story will capture the heart of everyone who experienced the lost of a beloved person.

Lynossa

Orange Girl by Jostein Gaarder

How To Be A Pirate by Cressida Cowell

Title: How To Be A Pirate by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Author: Cressida Cowell

Publisher: Little Brown (UK)

Rating: 3 and a half

"Who shall fight Dogsbreath?" repeated Gobber the Blech.
Ten of the boys stuck their hands up with cries of "Ooooosirmesirpleasechoosemesir," wildy excited at the thought of being smooshed into a pulp by Dogsbreath the Duhbrain. This was predictable. That's what most Hooligans were like.

The second adventure of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the heir of Hooligan Tribe. His previous success doesn't guarantee that everyone suddenly love him, I mean after all they're Hooligans. So when Hiccup and Fishlegs found a coffin with a writing 'Do Not Open and telling everyone Not to Open it, it doesn't mean they listened to him. A man emerged from inside the coffin and claimed to be a honest farmer who got stuck inside the coffin and told tale about Hiccup ancestor's treasure. Soon the berk island was busy with the preparation of treasure hunting. What would Hiccup do? Will he joined in excitement?

I love this series, although How to Be a Pirate isn't my favorite among the 8th books but I'm still loving it. The same with first book, the author manage to present the goofy and silliness in a very nice way. The dorky drawing add more to the humor. It's a fun light reading that kids will surely enjoy it. Even adult would enjoy it as well as a break from heavier books. Although it seems like a no-brainer book, but underneath it all there's a hidden message inside of this series about kindness, and having treasures doesn't mean it will guarantee happiness. And this message is subtly written without making it seems like preaching.

Lynossa

How To Be A Pirate by Cressida Cowell

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Harper Collins Children (US)

Rating: 4 Stars

There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.
The knife had a handle of polished black bone, and a blade finer and sharper than any razor. If it sliced you, you might not even know you had been cut, not immediately.

 Nobody Owens lived and grew up in the graveyard, raised by ghosts and well-guarded by mysterious man who belong to neither the world of living nor dead. Graveyard isn't a safe place; there are plenty dangers and adventures. But for Bod that is his beloved home, especially when outside the graveyard a dangerous man named Jack still looking for him, the same man that killed his family...

The excerpt was the opening passages from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Despite the horror opening, this is a children book. Gaiman is well-known for presenting horror into children situation without forgetting the innocent and the fun that became a signature in every children book. Similar to Coraline, this is a terrific story presented in a very delicate way that glued my eyes to those pages. This is one of the books I read over and over again without getting bored. I like everything about this book; I like how it was written, I like the characters, I like the cover, and I like the illustrations (I read the hardcover version).
The main character Bod was believable; even though he grew up in Graveyard. He experienced all the things just the same as any other kids; having friends, play hide-and-seek (sometimes inside a tomb), and dealing with bullies. But he was special also; not only he could see and talk to the ghosts, he has the ability to fade so people couldn't see it, and plant nightmares into people's mind. Other characters such as Silas, Bod's ghost parents, and Jack the Man were also believable. Gaiman didn't explain them in long detailed paragraph but I could picture them quite easily. Some authors can be over the top with character description but lack in describing ambiance and surrounding situation, that's now what happened with this book. Every little thing about this book makes me love it and I hope Mr. Gaiman will write another adventures of Nobody Owens!

Lynossa

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

I must admit even though I'm an adult, I still enjoys reading children books. Hiccup series is one of my favorite children books; I like it so much, if I have kids I’ll shove it to their throats. Hiccup was an unusual Hero in every way. Born as Viking, he was skinny, short, plain, and prefers to use his head to think, and not to bump it to his enemies as most of Vikings in his era would do.
Hiccup was the son of his tribe’s Chieftain which instantly (because they’re Viking not some democrati ...moreTitle: How to Train Your Dragon by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III 

Author: Cressida Cowell 

Publisher: Hodder Chidren's Books (UK) 

Rate: 4 stars 

I must admit even though I'm an adult, I still enjoy reading children books. Hiccup series is one of my favorite children books; I like it so much, if I have kids I’ll shove it to their throats. Hiccup was an unusual Hero in every way. Born as Viking, he was skinny, short, plain, and  he prefers to use his head to think, and not to bump it to his enemies as most of Vikings in his era would do.

Hiccup was the son of his tribe’s Chieftain which instantly (because they’re Viking not some democratic Roman) made him an heir. But because he was so different with Vikings in general, most of the people doubt he will be a good leader, especially when he has a cousin who fit the leader stereotype in his tribe; big, mean, and rarely use his brain. In most of children book, his non-special condition will be balanced with having something so great; like awesome dragon for example. Unfortunately for Hiccup, he had the tiniest dragon every Vikings ever had; not helping his situation at all. But with his wit and the help from his loyal friend, he managed to overcome most problems and learned how to be a Hero in a hard way.

Lynossa

How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell