Blue Bottle Mystery: An Asperger Adventure

by Kathy Hoopmann

Overview

'I read this book in under an hour and then immediately picked it up and read it again, much to my brother's disappointment ('It's my book!') It is a story that succeeds in the challenge parents and siblings have been faced with for years - how to explain what Autism is without drowning people amidst technical terms and psychology. It contains a lot of information whilst still being an intriguing tale of a boy's adventure that would excite any child whether they had autism or not. It was a wonderful to listen to my brothers cries of 'Oh now I understand,' ' I do that,' ' Aspergers - that's what I have.' The story highlights the problems for family and friends of Autistic children and for the children themselves and allows the reader to take up their part in the story. It provides advice and support, a good explanation of Autism and a heart-warming story. We shall have to buy another copy because both my brother and I love it too much to let the other have a read. My only criticism is that it does not make a good bed-time story as my brother would not go to sleep; he wanted to hear more of the story and tell me more about what he had read. Congratulations on a truly wonderful book. Best of luck.' - Clare Truman (age 14) This is a warm, fun-filled fantasy story for children with a difference: the hero is Ben, a boy with Asperger Syndrome. When Ben and his friend Andy find an old bottle in the school yard, they little realize the surprises about to be unleashed in their lives. Bound up with this exciting mystery is the story of how Ben is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and how he and his family deal with the problems and joys that come along. Blue Bottle Mystery is a delight to read that is more than just another kid's book. For the first time, the issues and frustrations that a child may have with Asperger Syndrome are explored within a fictional format especially for children. Its portrayal of Ben as the central character offers other children with autistic spectrum disorders and their peers a positive role model. It is a valuable teaching tool that demystifies children with Asperger Syndrome, justifying their individuality as valid and interesting. In Blue Bottle Mystery Kathy Hoopmann has combined her love of children with her passion for fantasy literature to produce a delightful read for anyone who loves an adventure and wants a unique insight into the mind of an Asperger child.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781846421693
Publisher:	Kingsley, Jessica Publishers
Publication date:	12/06/2000
Series:	Asperger Adventures
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	404 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathy Hoopmann is an Australian author currently living in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. She is the author of thirteen books for children and teenagers which sell widely in Australia, the UK, the US and the Middle East, and her books have been translated into ten languages. With a primary school teaching background, Kathy became intrigued by certain children's unusual traits.  After many years of dealing with, and talking to, people with Asperger Syndrome, she has a wonderful insight into the mindset of Aspies.  Her sensitivity to their strengths and weaknesses and her passion for bringing understanding of their ways to the general public, and her ability to encapsulate this in her literature, has made Kathy a household name amongst Asperger Syndrome circles.
Kathy Hoopmann is an Australian author with a background in primary school teaching. After many years of working with children with Asperger Syndrome, she has a wonderful insight into the mindset of Aspies. Her sensitivity to their strengths and weaknesses, and her ability to encapsulate these within her literature, has made her a household name within the Asperger community. She is the author of fifteen books for children and teenagers. Her best known work, All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome and All Dogs Have ADHD, Haze, Lisa and the Lacemaker, Of Mice and Aliens and Blue Bottle Mystery, are all published by JKP. To find out more about Kathy and her writing visit www.kathyhoopmann.com.

Table of Contents

1. Miss Browning-Lever. 2. The bullies. 3. The blue bottle. 4. Lotto. 5. What to buy. 6. Growing up. 7. The mysterious smoke. 8. The genie's bottle. 9. Asperger's. 10. Sue. 11. The new house. 12. The house-warming party. Epilogue: One year later.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-5-Nothing seems to be going right for Ben. Sometimes he has trouble understanding what his teachers are saying, and they get frustrated and yell at him. And because he sometimes acts strangely, he only has one friend, Andy. The boys are in a miserable mood, digging in the dirt in the schoolyard, when they unearth a mysterious blue bottle. Imagining that it belongs to a genie, they leap into a barrage of wishes and, gradually, their wishes begin to come true. Ben and his father win the lottery, while Andy begins a furious growth spurt that enables him to join the basketball team. Even Ben's behavior problems are eased when he is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a kind of autism, and he and his family learn how to deal with his condition. Only the mystery of Ben and Andy's forgotten third wish remains, and that resolves itself in a most gratifying way. Blue Bottle Mystery is a simple and straightforward story with appealing characters. It's a gentle introduction to the challenges and unique qualities of people living with Asperger's and a welcome read for families who have experienced it and similar conditions.-Heather Dieffenbach, Lexington Public Library, KY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Kathy Hoopmann is an Australian from Queensland, who has a child with Asperger Syndrome. She is also an elementary school teacher. Blue Bottle Mystery is her first published book with circulation in the United States. Blue Bottle Mystery is intended for the 8-12 year old age.

Asperger Syndrome is not unlike autism, in that its victims exhibit poor communication skills, repetitive motions (especially when psychologically upset), and difficulty in relating to peers. A child with Asperger Syndrome struggles to hold conversations because of the tendency to jump from one subject to another. These children also have difficulty following directions and understanding what is being said to them, particularly by teachers who may not have good insight into the effects of the disease.

Ben is a child who has Asperger Syndrome. Blue Bottle Mystery opens with him having a problem in school. Ben has lost his mother, and the teacher, Ms. Browning-Lever, is also losing her mother. Neither understands one another, and the effect on Ben is devastating. Ben and his friend Andy find a blue bottle hidden in the sand and start making wishes to help improve their condition. Andy is frustrated because he is told he is too short to make the basketball team:
"Andy took it and peered at it closely. It looks really old, and it's heavy. It's probably worth a fair bit. Hey!' He cried as he thought of a great idea, Maybe it's a genie's bottle and we just helped it escape from thousands of years trapped under the ground.' Yeah!' Ben giggled at the thought. Maybe we've got three wishes. I wish for heaps and heaps of money.'"

Blue Bottle Mystery is a whimsical tale with a punch. Not onlydoes it educate about the effects of Asperger's Syndrome, it tells a sweet tale to boot. Ben and Andy both struggle with their conditions at the beginning of the book. With the help of the blue bottle, they are able to overcome their problems. But they also learn something along the way.