91 pages • 3 hours read
Mark HaddonThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2003A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
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
