‘Lots of things are mysteries. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t an answer to them’.

Christopher might know all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7, 507, but he does not know who has killed his neighbour’s dog.

Mark Haddon’s story follows Christopher’s attempts to track down the dog’s killer and write a book about it in the process; as Christopher himself says, ‘This is a murder mystery novel.’

The reader’s attention is caught from the very beginning as they are immediately immersed in the moment where Christopher finds the neighbour’s dog dead. Haddon’s prose moves with the quick pace of the plot in a first person narrative that is both distinct and accessible.

Despite Christopher’s assurance that ‘This will not be a funny book’, Haddon’s narrative is nevertheless warm and humorous in a way that will appeal to both adults and children. However, the novel is able to cleverly manipulate its genre so that although there are great moments of humour, there are also poignant moments of sadness. This is particularly apparent in Christopher’s at- times tenuous relationship with his father, and epistolary contact with his mother.

The engaging use of photos, maps, diagrams and timetables conveys Christopher’s emotionally dissociated mind and the patterns of thought produced by his autism in a way that is greatly comprehensible to the reader. Christopher’s character floods through the pages of the book so that even the chapters of the book are given prime numbers because ‘I (Christopher) like prime numbers’!

Like Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, Christopher has an appealingly innocent manner that allows him to easily determine truth in the adult world, and not only solve THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME but unravel the mysteries surrounding his own past. The story is greatly addictive and as one mystery unfolds another, the reader finds themselves becoming more and more lost in a curiouser and curiouser narrative.

Just beginning to catch my breath after the Bologna childrens book fair.  First time I’ve been to Bologna – and it was a wonderful experience.  For a start, it’s a beautiful place.  Gorgeous early Renaissance architecture – towers, churches, arcades – mainly brick, all shades of red.  Like walking through a dusty sunset.  And the food (and wine)!  Bologna’s nickname, La Grassa (the fat one), is well deserved, if the quality and quantity of its cheeses and meats are anything to go by.

                Another of Bologna’s nicknames is La Dotta (the learned one), a bookish reference to  the university – the oldest in the world (though Fez claims the same thing, if I remember).  Which brings me to the book fair itself.  Smaller (and nicer) than Frankfurt, it makes a decidedly civilised impression on the newcomer, with its airy, sunlit courtyards and coffee outlets.  The stuff on display at the hundreds of publishers’ booths is no less civilised – astonishing displays of books, art and merchandise.  According to our Rights team (the real workers at the fair, busy selling foreign rights in our books), business was a lot more energetic this year than last.  And I’m very pleased to report (to blow the company’s trumpet for a second), that DFB’s reputation remains very high throughout Continental Europe.  Having taken David’s place at the last minute, I spread great disappointment round the fair by not being him: testament to the affection in which he’s held.

                I was mainly away from our own stand, scouting out foreign-language novels for possible translation into English.  It’s a striking fact that the British translate much less than their Continental equivalent (40% of new books published each year in France will be translated, but only 4% of new books published in Britain will be).  I’m hoping that perhaps there will be some classics to pick up.  We’ll see!  To sustain me while I continue to search, I’ll snack on the chocolate and cheeses I’ve smuggled back with me.

The Random House Stand

Maeve - Hardworking Rights Executive

Behind the scenes with Kelly

Sitting out in the sunshine