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Colin Fischer
SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions.
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormenter, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...
Colin Fischer is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, and his story--as told by the screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor --is perfect for readers who have graduated from Encyclopedia Brown and who are ready to consider the greatest mystery of all: what other people are thinking and feeling.
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions.
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormenter, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...
Colin Fischer is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, and his story--as told by the screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor --is perfect for readers who have graduated from Encyclopedia Brown and who are ready to consider the greatest mystery of all: what other people are thinking and feeling.
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 11, 2012
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2,358 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 459 reviews
November 6, 2016
Colin Fischer has flash cards with faces and emotions on them. He carries a dog-eared notebook with him everywhere, recording moments and facial expressions in it. He also has an almost uncanny ability to observe and make inferences about everything. Wayne Connelly is a school bully who has always tormented Colin, and his latest torment has been shoving Colin's face in the toilet. Melissa, a pretty girl in Colin's class, is having a birthday party. Trust Wayne to ruin it. He takes a piece of cake early, and is plainly being annoying. And then he gets in an almost fight with some other kids. And then a gun goes off. Yes, a real gun. Using his observational abilities, he decides that Wayne couldn't be the culprit, even though that's who the detectives and the principal's prime suspect is. Wayne is a very neat eater, and he had no frosting on his hands. However, the grip of the gun had frosting all over it. No one believes him, and Wayne has been ordered off school property. Together, Colin and Wayne figure out who it is and prove some of it. There's one last part to prove - whose gun it actually is.
People who like mysteries will love this book. If you like Wonder, then you will love this book to death. It is super interesting and unexpected twists and turns can come up at any time. As in, every time. So anyway, even if you don't like anything that I just suggested, please read the book. You'll probably like it, or at least some of it. Both boys and girls can read it.
People who like mysteries will love this book. If you like Wonder, then you will love this book to death. It is super interesting and unexpected twists and turns can come up at any time. As in, every time. So anyway, even if you don't like anything that I just suggested, please read the book. You'll probably like it, or at least some of it. Both boys and girls can read it.
February 13, 2014
As a parent of an autistic child I am having a hard time reading this book. I feel a lot of it is just not accurate. Would they really send a child with autism to high school with no support in place to help him when he needs it. How can you go from having a para with you at all times, to nothing. That's just asking for trouble.
Another example, at my son's high school he doesn't have to be mainstreamed in regular phy ed if he doesn't want to. For Colin, it was just like, tough you're not different than anyone else, your in.
He also gets a swirly but doesn't get upset, yet a phone going off makes him berserk?
Also, he seems to have some pretty special talents, such as shooting hoops, that just happens to get him more accepted by the popular kids.
I am not finished with it yet, but at this point I am just browsing to see how it ends. I will not be recommending it to my friends with autistic children.
I just finished this book, and all I can say that if Colin could see my face now he would say I am very "ANNOYED" I just did not like this book at all.
Another example, at my son's high school he doesn't have to be mainstreamed in regular phy ed if he doesn't want to. For Colin, it was just like, tough you're not different than anyone else, your in.
He also gets a swirly but doesn't get upset, yet a phone going off makes him berserk?
Also, he seems to have some pretty special talents, such as shooting hoops, that just happens to get him more accepted by the popular kids.
I am not finished with it yet, but at this point I am just browsing to see how it ends. I will not be recommending it to my friends with autistic children.
I just finished this book, and all I can say that if Colin could see my face now he would say I am very "ANNOYED" I just did not like this book at all.
November 1, 2012
"Life is math.
We know this because mathematics can reduce anything to a system of equations. Sometimes the solutions tell us things that seem "intuitively obvious." This means that we do not need math to figure them out. For example, the Parking Problem.
Some mathematicians at a university wanted to know how people could minimize the time it takes to find a parking spot and get into a store. Here is what they found: The optimal strategy is to take the first space you see and then walk.
When I told my father about this, he asked why it took mathematicians at a university to figure it out. I explained that while the conclusions seems intuitively obvious, it runs counter to standard human behavior. Most people will not take the first space the come across. Instead, the will seek out a better, theoretical spot that could be more convenient, incorrectly believing it will save them time.
I used to think people did this because they're bad at math, but actually it's because they're gamblers. They pass up good opportunities that are right in front of them in exchange for imagined improvements that almost never materialize. This is why I trust math and I do not trust people. Math makes better sense."
This is one of Colin Fisher's many observations in his Notebook, a catalog of facts, observations, and notations dating back to his pre-school days. Colin has been diagnosed with high-functioning Aspergers Syndrome and that translates to a variety of quirks which place him firmly on the outskirts of his school's social spectrum. He's bullied by some, ridiculed by others, ignored by most, and befriended by few, but Colin honestly doesn't care. He enjoys school and enjoys making observations of his peers even more. Even his main tormentor, Wayne Connelly, is worthy of consideration. This turns out to be for the bully's benefit after an incident in the cafeteria--one involving an interrupted birthday party and a gunshot--leaves Wayne the prime suspect. Only Colin, the one person with the most reason to want Wayne out of school, believes his innocence. Only Colin starts asking the right questions to figure out what really happened, just like one of his idols, Sherlock Holmes, would.
Especially given that I believe Sherlock Holmes (had he been a real person) probably could have been diagnosed with some form of Autism, Aspergers, or other sociodevelopmental syndrome, I think Colin is this generation's Sherlock. You may not like him, but you'll empathize as he tries to safely navigate the perils of high school. You'll cheer each small victory and you'll smile when people find him as baffling as he finds them. Every character in the book became intriguing when seen through Colin's eyes and his relationships with his parents, his younger brother, and his peers involve interesting and unusual dynamics. Everyone around him has to take Colin for what he is or leave him, but either way it makes very little difference to Colin. His very indifference made him even more fascinating.
I read this book all in one day... in fact, often while I was supposed to be doing other things. I fell in love with Colin from page one. I can actually pinpoint the moment, because it happened at the end of his first Notebook observation, one centering on the inexplicable schooling habits of hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos. In it, Colin states the following:
"My name is Colin Fischer. I'm fourteen years old and weigh 121 lbs. Today is my first day of high school.
I have 1,365 days left until I'm finished."
The tenor of the statements, a simple listing of facts, is a thing of brilliance. Possibly without even realizing it, Colin is doing what every other kid facing their looming high school career is doing: dreading the trials to come and counting the days until they don't have to face them anymore. Colin's observations are intelligent, thorough, and thought provoking and some of his references (and those of the narrator) would have left me in the dust if not for the very handy footnotes. Not having an overly analytical mind myself, I find books like this mesmerizing if only for letting me peek into an entirely different worldview. It's probably why I studied psychology in college; trying to figure out how different people think intrigues me just as much as it puzzles Colin.
Colin Fischer is out Nov 1st! Do yourself a favor and go get the book now. It's worth it. I'm hoping the implied promise of a sequel holds true. In fact, I'm hoping for a long, drawn out series of books revolving around Colin. I don't think I will ever get tired of diving into his head.
We know this because mathematics can reduce anything to a system of equations. Sometimes the solutions tell us things that seem "intuitively obvious." This means that we do not need math to figure them out. For example, the Parking Problem.
Some mathematicians at a university wanted to know how people could minimize the time it takes to find a parking spot and get into a store. Here is what they found: The optimal strategy is to take the first space you see and then walk.
When I told my father about this, he asked why it took mathematicians at a university to figure it out. I explained that while the conclusions seems intuitively obvious, it runs counter to standard human behavior. Most people will not take the first space the come across. Instead, the will seek out a better, theoretical spot that could be more convenient, incorrectly believing it will save them time.
I used to think people did this because they're bad at math, but actually it's because they're gamblers. They pass up good opportunities that are right in front of them in exchange for imagined improvements that almost never materialize. This is why I trust math and I do not trust people. Math makes better sense."
This is one of Colin Fisher's many observations in his Notebook, a catalog of facts, observations, and notations dating back to his pre-school days. Colin has been diagnosed with high-functioning Aspergers Syndrome and that translates to a variety of quirks which place him firmly on the outskirts of his school's social spectrum. He's bullied by some, ridiculed by others, ignored by most, and befriended by few, but Colin honestly doesn't care. He enjoys school and enjoys making observations of his peers even more. Even his main tormentor, Wayne Connelly, is worthy of consideration. This turns out to be for the bully's benefit after an incident in the cafeteria--one involving an interrupted birthday party and a gunshot--leaves Wayne the prime suspect. Only Colin, the one person with the most reason to want Wayne out of school, believes his innocence. Only Colin starts asking the right questions to figure out what really happened, just like one of his idols, Sherlock Holmes, would.
Especially given that I believe Sherlock Holmes (had he been a real person) probably could have been diagnosed with some form of Autism, Aspergers, or other sociodevelopmental syndrome, I think Colin is this generation's Sherlock. You may not like him, but you'll empathize as he tries to safely navigate the perils of high school. You'll cheer each small victory and you'll smile when people find him as baffling as he finds them. Every character in the book became intriguing when seen through Colin's eyes and his relationships with his parents, his younger brother, and his peers involve interesting and unusual dynamics. Everyone around him has to take Colin for what he is or leave him, but either way it makes very little difference to Colin. His very indifference made him even more fascinating.
I read this book all in one day... in fact, often while I was supposed to be doing other things. I fell in love with Colin from page one. I can actually pinpoint the moment, because it happened at the end of his first Notebook observation, one centering on the inexplicable schooling habits of hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos. In it, Colin states the following:
"My name is Colin Fischer. I'm fourteen years old and weigh 121 lbs. Today is my first day of high school.
I have 1,365 days left until I'm finished."
The tenor of the statements, a simple listing of facts, is a thing of brilliance. Possibly without even realizing it, Colin is doing what every other kid facing their looming high school career is doing: dreading the trials to come and counting the days until they don't have to face them anymore. Colin's observations are intelligent, thorough, and thought provoking and some of his references (and those of the narrator) would have left me in the dust if not for the very handy footnotes. Not having an overly analytical mind myself, I find books like this mesmerizing if only for letting me peek into an entirely different worldview. It's probably why I studied psychology in college; trying to figure out how different people think intrigues me just as much as it puzzles Colin.
Colin Fischer is out Nov 1st! Do yourself a favor and go get the book now. It's worth it. I'm hoping the implied promise of a sequel holds true. In fact, I'm hoping for a long, drawn out series of books revolving around Colin. I don't think I will ever get tired of diving into his head.
January 13, 2013
I got an email about this book sometime last year. After reading the press release, I was very intrigued to find out more. The double author combination are both huge comic book fans, who met online. This meeting went onto become a great screenwriting partnership including films such as X-men and the brilliant film Thor. Although, this was not what initially attracted me to their debut book, it was instead the curious synopsis and the glowing praise from Lev Grossman that really captured my interest.
This is not my normal book choice that I would rush to read. However, for some reason, I was soon pulled into the book before I had even read the first page. How do I judge a good book? One element is by how quickly I am captured by the book e.g. how often I put the book down or how often I may need to re-read parts for further understanding or clarification. However, if this was a race, then Usain Bolt had just finished the 100 metre run in yet another record time. This book was finished in one sitting - no time to breath and no further clarification required.
Another element I take into consideration is originality - I felt the voice of Colin Fischer was both unique and fascinating. In fact I was glued to every page of this book. It was beautifully written and very well researched with foot notes and little entries to either explain the perspective of Colin's thinking or his understanding. This was reflected brilliantly in the book.
The real highlight of this book, for me, was Colin's notebook. He had written in this everyday since being a young child. The recorded facts, thoughts and observations were a really lovely personal touch which definitely enhanced the story.
Another element I consider is the entertainment factor of the book. This book was very insightful into the world of a person who has Aspergers. It allowed you to consider what it might be like living within our society today. At times, the isolation, loneliness and bullying from not being understood. In Colin's case he needed index cards to be able to read facial expressions. He avoided eye contact and doesn't like being touched. However he likes crunchy foods and finds it very difficult to tell lies.
When a gun goes off in the school cafeteria this starts Colin's detective skills on a mission. A mission to discover the truth of what had happened using brilliant logic - just like his favourite hero Sherlock Holmes, who has a place of honour on his bedroom wall. It is a touching and poignant rollercoaster read that has some similarities to Mark Haddon's 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' but it really does leave you with a sense of awe.
It's perhaps too early to say, but this might be one of the best books of the year for me anyway. It is certainly one that will stay with the reader. I would highly recommend this book and would love to hear what you think and if I have piqued your interest!
This is not my normal book choice that I would rush to read. However, for some reason, I was soon pulled into the book before I had even read the first page. How do I judge a good book? One element is by how quickly I am captured by the book e.g. how often I put the book down or how often I may need to re-read parts for further understanding or clarification. However, if this was a race, then Usain Bolt had just finished the 100 metre run in yet another record time. This book was finished in one sitting - no time to breath and no further clarification required.
Another element I take into consideration is originality - I felt the voice of Colin Fischer was both unique and fascinating. In fact I was glued to every page of this book. It was beautifully written and very well researched with foot notes and little entries to either explain the perspective of Colin's thinking or his understanding. This was reflected brilliantly in the book.
The real highlight of this book, for me, was Colin's notebook. He had written in this everyday since being a young child. The recorded facts, thoughts and observations were a really lovely personal touch which definitely enhanced the story.
Another element I consider is the entertainment factor of the book. This book was very insightful into the world of a person who has Aspergers. It allowed you to consider what it might be like living within our society today. At times, the isolation, loneliness and bullying from not being understood. In Colin's case he needed index cards to be able to read facial expressions. He avoided eye contact and doesn't like being touched. However he likes crunchy foods and finds it very difficult to tell lies.
When a gun goes off in the school cafeteria this starts Colin's detective skills on a mission. A mission to discover the truth of what had happened using brilliant logic - just like his favourite hero Sherlock Holmes, who has a place of honour on his bedroom wall. It is a touching and poignant rollercoaster read that has some similarities to Mark Haddon's 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' but it really does leave you with a sense of awe.
It's perhaps too early to say, but this might be one of the best books of the year for me anyway. It is certainly one that will stay with the reader. I would highly recommend this book and would love to hear what you think and if I have piqued your interest!
July 30, 2012
I found this book very, very frustrating. The new trend of narrators who are on the Autism spectrum is an interesting one, and so far I've really liked Curious Incident, Mockingbird, and Marcelo in the Real World. I have been told by a co-worker who has an Autistic son that The Rules is also very good. I have been looking for a review of Colin Fischer by someone who is more familiar with that Autism than myself because, based on what little I know about it, this book was inconsistent and not really believable.
Unlike the other narrators-on-the-spectrum books, this one is told in third person omniscient POV, so Colin is not the narrator and therefore is it NOT in his voice. The writing, however, feels at times like it is supposed to be his voice...and then at other times it is VERY "omniscient," describing conversations and actions that Colin is in no way aware of. Using the sparse, blunt, unique narration style worked for the books I mentioned above specifically because they were first person and therefore the character who is on the spectrum is the one narrating. You see the world through their eyes and get a better understanding of how they function. I don't believe the device works here at all because of the POV. Also, It's jarring to spend most of the time looking over Colin's shoulder and then suddenly jump to a scene that doesn't involve him at all.
This also means that the footnotes are not Colin's footnotes. Were this written in first person, it would make sense that Colin was adding in information to a story he was telling. But he's not telling it, so the footnotes are...from the author? And why are they adding this information? Was this book meant to be in first person and got changed in editing? I'm very curious to know more about the story behind the book.
This novel was written by a screen writing team, and there are times when that is very apparent because there are devices used that work very well in movies (characters speaking to themselves) but not nearly as much in books (why aren't those made into thoughts and italicized?). Oftentimes it feels like this was written specifically to be translated into a film, which does not really serve the story.
Looking forward to reading reviews by people more familiar with Autism to get their take on the characters and the story.
Unlike the other narrators-on-the-spectrum books, this one is told in third person omniscient POV, so Colin is not the narrator and therefore is it NOT in his voice. The writing, however, feels at times like it is supposed to be his voice...and then at other times it is VERY "omniscient," describing conversations and actions that Colin is in no way aware of. Using the sparse, blunt, unique narration style worked for the books I mentioned above specifically because they were first person and therefore the character who is on the spectrum is the one narrating. You see the world through their eyes and get a better understanding of how they function. I don't believe the device works here at all because of the POV. Also, It's jarring to spend most of the time looking over Colin's shoulder and then suddenly jump to a scene that doesn't involve him at all.
This also means that the footnotes are not Colin's footnotes. Were this written in first person, it would make sense that Colin was adding in information to a story he was telling. But he's not telling it, so the footnotes are...from the author? And why are they adding this information? Was this book meant to be in first person and got changed in editing? I'm very curious to know more about the story behind the book.
This novel was written by a screen writing team, and there are times when that is very apparent because there are devices used that work very well in movies (characters speaking to themselves) but not nearly as much in books (why aren't those made into thoughts and italicized?). Oftentimes it feels like this was written specifically to be translated into a film, which does not really serve the story.
Looking forward to reading reviews by people more familiar with Autism to get their take on the characters and the story.
September 7, 2016
I never got over the sense that the authors chose to give the protagonist Asperger's to lend the character some quirk, rather than because they genuinely wanted to introduce us to a living, breathing, three-dimensional 14-year-old boy whose behaviors place him on the autism spectrum. Like Monk or Rainman, it's more of a Hollywood treatment of some serious conditions that actual people live with from day to day.... On the basis of this alone, I would be predisposed to dislike the book; there's also the fact, as others noted, that there's some obviously flawed writing, such as random POV shifts to characters whose heads we haven't stepped into for most of the book, but suddenly we get a few paragraphs through their eyes, and then we move on w/o ever going back in. Also, the footnotes/notebook entry chapter intros are sometimes interesting fyis but mostly distract from the story and ultimately read as gimmicky. But the strange thing is that despite this list of considerable flaws, I really enjoyed reading this book. Colin is genuinely likable, and a few of the minor characters are fairly interesting; the authors definitely know how to get you rooting for Colin. I suppose it's like several other reviewers said, that this book is more of a trifle - don't get too caught up on whether this is an "accurate" portrayal of Asperger's (there are other books for that, such as Kathryn Erskine's excellent "Mockingbird," and perhaps this book will at least provide the barest introduction of Asperger's [despite its "light" treatment, I don't feel that it's ultimately an insulting or harmful depiction] for people who might not be inclined towards a "heavy" story) and just enjoy the humor/entertainment of the story. At its heart, this is sort of a My Bodyguard/Weird Science "nerd triumphs" type of story (crossed with bits of House/Elementary), which is definitely my weak spot - I am definitely on board for the sequel.
April 29, 2015
Μια καλογραμμένη και επιμορφωτική περιπέτεια με πρωταγωνιστή έναν έφηβο που πάσχει από σύνδρομο Asperger's. Καθώς εξελίσσεται η ιστορία μαθαίνουμε πώς αντιμετωπίζει ο Κόλιν τον κόσμο, αλλά και πώς αντιμετωπίζει ο κόσμος αυτόν. Αν έχετε παιδί, ανήψι, μικρό αδερφό ή απλά θέλετε να διαβάσετε εσείς κάτι τρυφερό και νεανικό, τότε ο Κόλιν Φίσερ είναι για σας.
ΥΓ: Οι συγγραφείς είναι και σεναριογράφοι των Fringe, Terminator: Sarah Jane Chronicles, X-Men: First Class & Thor.
ΥΓ: Οι συγγραφείς είναι και σεναριογράφοι των Fringe, Terminator: Sarah Jane Chronicles, X-Men: First Class & Thor.
May 16, 2023
3,5/5
Após a leitura de Ensaio sobre a cegueira de José Saramago, precisava de uma leitura menos densa, que me ajudasse a relaxar um pouco e o livro é claramente juvenil.
Colin Fischer é um livro interesante sobre um garoto de 14 anos portador de síndrome de Asperger, com capacidades intelectuais acima da média, mas de interação social praticamente inexistente. Talvez não tenha sido uma leitura apenas de entertenimento, pois há temas que fogem um pouco do que se entenderia por "diversão", pois Colin sofre bullying desde que era criança em razão da síndrome, inclusive de seu irmão mais novo.
É também um livro de detetive, pois tendo admiração por Sherlock Holmes, Colin procura descobrir que foi o autor do tiro dado durante o recreio em sua escola.
Mesmo que não seja um grande livro, é um livro bom, simpatizei-me muito com Colin.
Após a leitura de Ensaio sobre a cegueira de José Saramago, precisava de uma leitura menos densa, que me ajudasse a relaxar um pouco e o livro é claramente juvenil.
Colin Fischer é um livro interesante sobre um garoto de 14 anos portador de síndrome de Asperger, com capacidades intelectuais acima da média, mas de interação social praticamente inexistente. Talvez não tenha sido uma leitura apenas de entertenimento, pois há temas que fogem um pouco do que se entenderia por "diversão", pois Colin sofre bullying desde que era criança em razão da síndrome, inclusive de seu irmão mais novo.
É também um livro de detetive, pois tendo admiração por Sherlock Holmes, Colin procura descobrir que foi o autor do tiro dado durante o recreio em sua escola.
Mesmo que não seja um grande livro, é um livro bom, simpatizei-me muito com Colin.
February 18, 2013
The main character, Colin Fischer, in the fictional YA novel having the same title, has Aspergers syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Colin has been tormented by certain classmates since kindergarten. High school isn't giving him a break from
The main character, Colin Fischer, in the fictional YA novel having the same title, has Aspergers syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Colin has been tormented by certain classmates since kindergarten. High school isn't giving him a break from the harassment, stares and rude comments. But Colin seems to be handling it all quite well. He takes notes in his notebook, noticing details about the school and his classmates that others don't see, and he puts it all to good use when he "investigates," which is Colin's favorite thing to do.
The first day of high school brings big changes to Colin’s life. This is the first year he won’t have a paraprofessional to help him with any social challenges. His teachers and principal expect him to follow the rules like every other student, and his PE excuse note is not accepted, and if he gets outta line he’ll get detention like anyone else. His first morning gets off to a rocky start when a school bully, Wayne Connelly, shoves his head in a toilet. But when a gun goes off at school and Wayne is ID’d as the shooter, Colin sets out to prove that his tormentor is innocent.
Colin's notebook is central to the story's plot development, more so, even, as a way in which to understand Colin's character. He jots down clues and observations for review. He also draws facial expressions of his fellow students to help discern their meaning. He’s very logical and analytical and perceptive and is a natural detective. He’s also detached and factual, and when bullies call him names for the most part they don’t bother him because he knows what they’re saying isn’t true. Colin has a very high IQ and is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics as the footnotes illustrate.
It’s neat for the reader to pick up different meanings to the situations Colin faces. And there are some charming believable side characters as well. For example, Colin has a younger brother that is resentful towards all the attention their parents pay their quirkier son. Colin's parents are involved and loving.
Colin Fischer is a quick read and I liked the character of Colin a lot. Perhaps it is because I know Colin. As a middle school teacher, I have taught and interacted with a number of students with Aspergers Syndrome and the authors, Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, authentically captured Colin's speech and actions. From the way the book concludes it feels like there may be more mysteries in store, and I’m looking forward to more adventures with Colin. Thanks, Brooke, for recommending this book.
The main character, Colin Fischer, in the fictional YA novel having the same title, has Aspergers syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Colin has been tormented by certain classmates since kindergarten. High school isn't giving him a break from the harassment, stares and rude comments. But Colin seems to be handling it all quite well. He takes notes in his notebook, noticing details about the school and his classmates that others don't see, and he puts it all to good use when he "investigates," which is Colin's favorite thing to do.
The first day of high school brings big changes to Colin’s life. This is the first year he won’t have a paraprofessional to help him with any social challenges. His teachers and principal expect him to follow the rules like every other student, and his PE excuse note is not accepted, and if he gets outta line he’ll get detention like anyone else. His first morning gets off to a rocky start when a school bully, Wayne Connelly, shoves his head in a toilet. But when a gun goes off at school and Wayne is ID’d as the shooter, Colin sets out to prove that his tormentor is innocent.
Colin's notebook is central to the story's plot development, more so, even, as a way in which to understand Colin's character. He jots down clues and observations for review. He also draws facial expressions of his fellow students to help discern their meaning. He’s very logical and analytical and perceptive and is a natural detective. He’s also detached and factual, and when bullies call him names for the most part they don’t bother him because he knows what they’re saying isn’t true. Colin has a very high IQ and is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics as the footnotes illustrate.
It’s neat for the reader to pick up different meanings to the situations Colin faces. And there are some charming believable side characters as well. For example, Colin has a younger brother that is resentful towards all the attention their parents pay their quirkier son. Colin's parents are involved and loving.
Colin Fischer is a quick read and I liked the character of Colin a lot. Perhaps it is because I know Colin. As a middle school teacher, I have taught and interacted with a number of students with Aspergers Syndrome and the authors, Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, authentically captured Colin's speech and actions. From the way the book concludes it feels like there may be more mysteries in store, and I’m looking forward to more adventures with Colin. Thanks, Brooke, for recommending this book.
Read
October 31, 2015The eponymous main character in COLIN FISCHER is on the autism spectrum. One of the novel's co-authors, Zack Stentz, has been open about being autistic himself.
October 19, 2017
I went into this novel blind, and I really wasn't sure what I was in for based on the cover but I was pleasantly surprised and the intense but beautiful story that unfolded as I read.
I really quite enjoyed many different aspects of this novel, from the quirky facts throughout to the interpretation of interpersonal relationships and understanding people with disability is something I do as a career so it is nice to see it represented in literature.
Great Read
I really quite enjoyed many different aspects of this novel, from the quirky facts throughout to the interpretation of interpersonal relationships and understanding people with disability is something I do as a career so it is nice to see it represented in literature.
Great Read
March 24, 2017
Fun, fast paced, and full of interesting little footnotes.
I love how the fact that the leading character has Asperger's is a big part of the story but it doesn't define the character. It informs some of his actions, but it's just a small part of what makes Colin entertaining.
I love how the fact that the leading character has Asperger's is a big part of the story but it doesn't define the character. It informs some of his actions, but it's just a small part of what makes Colin entertaining.
March 30, 2013
The cover of Colin Fischer is the first thing that drew me to the book - I loved all the little hand drawn faces with the emotions written beneath them. After checking out the blurb, the cover started to make sense, making me want to pick this up and start reading straight away!
Needless to say, it didn't take me long to start this! I'm very interested in anything medical, psychological or mental-health related and the fact that this was a book that focused on Asperger's Syndrome was what made it really appeal to me. I have read a few other fictional books that focus on the subject, such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-time and Mockingbird, both of which I really loved. I'm certainly no expert on this subject and I have no experience of it, so I can't say whether this is an accurate portrayal of the syndrome, but I thought that it was portrayed in a reasonably fair manner. Colin's syndrome makes it difficult for him to interact with others and so social situations are particularly hard for him. One thing Colin is good at is logic - he is a very logical person and very intellectual, nobody could deny his intellect on a large variety of subjects.
When there is a gun shot heard in his the cafeteria of his school, Colin is the only one who stays and observes what happens - initially, he isn't fully aware of what went on around him, but he slowly pieces facts together, figuring out what happened at the school. I admit that I wasn't actually all that interested by the incident - for some reason, it just didn't grab my attention and I wasn't all that interested in the situation. The fact is, I didn't really care all that much about the people around Colin - most of them were pretty disrespectful towards Colin and just generally easy to dislike. I think that if I could connect with them as well as Colin, it may have been different. The
I connected well with Colin and I felt for him - I didn't feel sorry for him at all - I just felt accepting, which was both an important and a great thing for the authors to achieve. I really enjoyed reading his notebook entries which I thought really gave us some insight to his true thoughts, it was something that allowed us to get into his head and see what he was thinking, even if Colin wasn't outwardly open with others. For me, Colin was thankfully the best feature of this book and I'm glad that the writing and portrayal of his character worked well for me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book but the plot itself was lacking something. Colin's character is what redeemed this book and that was fine and understandable, seeing as he is the main focus of the book. However, the plot wasn't very interesting to me, it didn't work as well as similar plots have in other novels and didn't get me hooked. I would recommend this book just on the basis of Colin's character. I think that this will appeal to a lot of people, especially middle graders or younger young-adults.
Needless to say, it didn't take me long to start this! I'm very interested in anything medical, psychological or mental-health related and the fact that this was a book that focused on Asperger's Syndrome was what made it really appeal to me. I have read a few other fictional books that focus on the subject, such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-time and Mockingbird, both of which I really loved. I'm certainly no expert on this subject and I have no experience of it, so I can't say whether this is an accurate portrayal of the syndrome, but I thought that it was portrayed in a reasonably fair manner. Colin's syndrome makes it difficult for him to interact with others and so social situations are particularly hard for him. One thing Colin is good at is logic - he is a very logical person and very intellectual, nobody could deny his intellect on a large variety of subjects.
When there is a gun shot heard in his the cafeteria of his school, Colin is the only one who stays and observes what happens - initially, he isn't fully aware of what went on around him, but he slowly pieces facts together, figuring out what happened at the school. I admit that I wasn't actually all that interested by the incident - for some reason, it just didn't grab my attention and I wasn't all that interested in the situation. The fact is, I didn't really care all that much about the people around Colin - most of them were pretty disrespectful towards Colin and just generally easy to dislike. I think that if I could connect with them as well as Colin, it may have been different. The
I connected well with Colin and I felt for him - I didn't feel sorry for him at all - I just felt accepting, which was both an important and a great thing for the authors to achieve. I really enjoyed reading his notebook entries which I thought really gave us some insight to his true thoughts, it was something that allowed us to get into his head and see what he was thinking, even if Colin wasn't outwardly open with others. For me, Colin was thankfully the best feature of this book and I'm glad that the writing and portrayal of his character worked well for me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book but the plot itself was lacking something. Colin's character is what redeemed this book and that was fine and understandable, seeing as he is the main focus of the book. However, the plot wasn't very interesting to me, it didn't work as well as similar plots have in other novels and didn't get me hooked. I would recommend this book just on the basis of Colin's character. I think that this will appeal to a lot of people, especially middle graders or younger young-adults.
September 16, 2012
Colin Fischer ist anders als die meisten Kinder, denn bei Colin wurde das Asperger Syndrom diagnostiziert. Er hat seine ganz eigene Sicht auf die Dinge und als ein Pistolenschuss in seiner Schule fällt, beginnt Colin zu ermitteln.
Obwohl die Idee nicht neu ist einen Menschen mit Asperger Syndrom zum Detektiv zu machen, ist dieser Krimi lesenswert.
Den Autoren ist es gelungen einen wunderbare Mix aus Humor, Highschool-Feeling und Asperger-Syndrom-Problematik zu schaffen.
In ‚Der beste Tag meines Lebens� wird die Sichtweise einen Asperger-Autisten geschildert, ohne dabei den Charakter von Colin zu überzeichnen, oder ihn (wie leider so oft) in einen ‚Rain Man� zu verwandeln. Hier zeigte das Autoren-Duo viel Fingerspitzengefühl und man merkt, dass sie sich wirklich mit der Thematik auseinander gesetzt haben. So ist Colin zwar in der Schule ein Freak, aber dennoch fähig sein Leben mit Hilfestellungen zu meistern.
Das Buch ist keinesfalls schwermütig, sondern von einem ganz besonderen Humor beseelt. Zudem ist es spannend zu sehen, wie Colin, in der Art von Sherlock Holmes, den Täter sucht.
Erzählt wird das Buch auktorial, jedoch immer wieder unterbrochen von Notizen, die sich Colin zu einzelnen Menschen macht, oder in denen er wissenschaftliche Details schildert, die ihm gerade durch den Kopf schießen. Durch Colins Notizen erfährt der Leser einiges über Haie, Parkplätze und andere Dinge - So lernt man beim Lesen dieses Buches sogar noch einiges dazu.
Wann immer Colin die Gesichtsausdrücke seiner Mitmenschen deutet, werden sie groß geschrieben. Denn Colin hat sehr große Probleme die Gesichtszüge richtig zuzuordnen, denn ein Lächeln kann sowohl FREUNDLICH als auch GRAUMSAM sein.
Die Autoren lassen ihre Charaktere für den Leser sehr bildhaft werden, was auch notwendig war um Colin dem Leser näherzubringen, denn der kleine Junge hat ein gutes Auge für Details.
Realistisch wird gezeigt welche Schwierigkeiten Colin mit der Außenwelt hat und wie er in der Schule schnell zum Mobbingopfer wird. Sogar Colins kleiner Bruder Danny ist eifersüchtig, dass Colin erzieherisch von den Eltern ganz anders angepackt wird als Danny.
Die Autoren haben es geschafft Colin zu einem großen Sympathieträger zu machen.
Das Buch richtet sich an alle, die Einblicke in die Welt eines Jungen mit dem Asperger Syndrom bekommen wollen, oder Lust auf einen unblutigen, humorvollen und interessanten High School Krimi haben.
Obwohl dieser Krimi kein Jugendbuch ist, haben Jugendliche sicherlich ihre Freude an ’Der beste Tag meines Lebens�.
Ich brauchte zwar ein wenig Zeit um mich einzuleben, doch dann konnte mich Colin begeistern und ich würde mich sehr freuen, wenn die Autoren mehr über den kleinen Mini-Sherlock schreiben würden.
Obwohl die Idee nicht neu ist einen Menschen mit Asperger Syndrom zum Detektiv zu machen, ist dieser Krimi lesenswert.
Den Autoren ist es gelungen einen wunderbare Mix aus Humor, Highschool-Feeling und Asperger-Syndrom-Problematik zu schaffen.
In ‚Der beste Tag meines Lebens� wird die Sichtweise einen Asperger-Autisten geschildert, ohne dabei den Charakter von Colin zu überzeichnen, oder ihn (wie leider so oft) in einen ‚Rain Man� zu verwandeln. Hier zeigte das Autoren-Duo viel Fingerspitzengefühl und man merkt, dass sie sich wirklich mit der Thematik auseinander gesetzt haben. So ist Colin zwar in der Schule ein Freak, aber dennoch fähig sein Leben mit Hilfestellungen zu meistern.
Das Buch ist keinesfalls schwermütig, sondern von einem ganz besonderen Humor beseelt. Zudem ist es spannend zu sehen, wie Colin, in der Art von Sherlock Holmes, den Täter sucht.
Erzählt wird das Buch auktorial, jedoch immer wieder unterbrochen von Notizen, die sich Colin zu einzelnen Menschen macht, oder in denen er wissenschaftliche Details schildert, die ihm gerade durch den Kopf schießen. Durch Colins Notizen erfährt der Leser einiges über Haie, Parkplätze und andere Dinge - So lernt man beim Lesen dieses Buches sogar noch einiges dazu.
Wann immer Colin die Gesichtsausdrücke seiner Mitmenschen deutet, werden sie groß geschrieben. Denn Colin hat sehr große Probleme die Gesichtszüge richtig zuzuordnen, denn ein Lächeln kann sowohl FREUNDLICH als auch GRAUMSAM sein.
Die Autoren lassen ihre Charaktere für den Leser sehr bildhaft werden, was auch notwendig war um Colin dem Leser näherzubringen, denn der kleine Junge hat ein gutes Auge für Details.
Realistisch wird gezeigt welche Schwierigkeiten Colin mit der Außenwelt hat und wie er in der Schule schnell zum Mobbingopfer wird. Sogar Colins kleiner Bruder Danny ist eifersüchtig, dass Colin erzieherisch von den Eltern ganz anders angepackt wird als Danny.
Die Autoren haben es geschafft Colin zu einem großen Sympathieträger zu machen.
Das Buch richtet sich an alle, die Einblicke in die Welt eines Jungen mit dem Asperger Syndrom bekommen wollen, oder Lust auf einen unblutigen, humorvollen und interessanten High School Krimi haben.
Obwohl dieser Krimi kein Jugendbuch ist, haben Jugendliche sicherlich ihre Freude an ’Der beste Tag meines Lebens�.
Ich brauchte zwar ein wenig Zeit um mich einzuleben, doch dann konnte mich Colin begeistern und ich würde mich sehr freuen, wenn die Autoren mehr über den kleinen Mini-Sherlock schreiben würden.
October 29, 2012
Colin Fischer has Asperger's syndrome. He loves math and logic and does not like people touching him and has a hard time reading people's facial expressions. Colin has just started high school, and is without an aid for the first time. The very first day, Colin gets his head put in a toilet by Wayne Connelly, and then Wayne Connelly gets expelled for bringing a gun to school. Only Colin knows that the gun wasn't Wayne's. Colin uses his powers of perception to work out what actually went on in the school cafeteria, turning him into Wayne Connelly's most unlikely ally.
I really liked how Colin's mother, father, and brother were part of the story. We actually get to see some interaction between parents and with their children that is positive. The parent's aren't dysfunctional or abusive. When parents show up in YA and middle grade stuff, they are very often dysfunctional or dying, so this was lovely. I quite liked Colin's parents, and the way they handled tricky situations in a realistic and caring way.
Colin's little brother was a typical annoying littler brother, with the added frustration of having a brother who took up a lot of attention. Danny had some understandable frustration toward Colin, who he felt like got away with things because of his Asperger's.
Colin grows as a person over the course of the book. He is pushed outside his comfort zone in his determination to make what happened in the cafeteria make logical sense. Sometimes Colin was OK making changes to his regular routine, and sometimes it did not go very well. I was glad they showed this, because people who are on the Autism spectrum can't always do something just because they want to or someone else wants them too. Sometimes it just isn't possible, and pushing them will not help.
I didn't love the basketball scene. It was like suddenly savant syndrome came out of nowhere. Colin is forced to participate in gym, and is terrible at basketball due to his poor hand-eye coordination. But the gym coach has him think about it in a mathematical way, and Colin closes his eyes, calculates, says, "Got it" and starts shooting basket after perfect basket. I would have preferred Colin to stay a regular kid. He doesn't really have any special abilities, it's just that he can only see things in a carefully laid out, logical way that allows him to figure out what really happened.
I think this is going to be a series. There is a strange student at Colin's school, who Colin doesn't quite understand but thinks he's really behind everything, but it doesn't go anywhere. It seems like there will be more books about Colin solving mysteries to come.
Colin Fischer comes out November 1, 2012.
I really liked how Colin's mother, father, and brother were part of the story. We actually get to see some interaction between parents and with their children that is positive. The parent's aren't dysfunctional or abusive. When parents show up in YA and middle grade stuff, they are very often dysfunctional or dying, so this was lovely. I quite liked Colin's parents, and the way they handled tricky situations in a realistic and caring way.
Colin's little brother was a typical annoying littler brother, with the added frustration of having a brother who took up a lot of attention. Danny had some understandable frustration toward Colin, who he felt like got away with things because of his Asperger's.
Colin grows as a person over the course of the book. He is pushed outside his comfort zone in his determination to make what happened in the cafeteria make logical sense. Sometimes Colin was OK making changes to his regular routine, and sometimes it did not go very well. I was glad they showed this, because people who are on the Autism spectrum can't always do something just because they want to or someone else wants them too. Sometimes it just isn't possible, and pushing them will not help.
I didn't love the basketball scene. It was like suddenly savant syndrome came out of nowhere. Colin is forced to participate in gym, and is terrible at basketball due to his poor hand-eye coordination. But the gym coach has him think about it in a mathematical way, and Colin closes his eyes, calculates, says, "Got it" and starts shooting basket after perfect basket. I would have preferred Colin to stay a regular kid. He doesn't really have any special abilities, it's just that he can only see things in a carefully laid out, logical way that allows him to figure out what really happened.
I think this is going to be a series. There is a strange student at Colin's school, who Colin doesn't quite understand but thinks he's really behind everything, but it doesn't go anywhere. It seems like there will be more books about Colin solving mysteries to come.
Colin Fischer comes out November 1, 2012.
December 4, 2012
Colin Fischer is just looking to get through high school. But one day someone brings a gun to school, and bully Wayne Connelly is blamed. Colin knows Wayne didn't do it, but that means he has to find the real culprit to prove Wayne's innocence. Colin may have trouble putting together a facial expression with what people are thinking and feeling, but he has other powers of perception.
I loved the format of COLIN FISCHER. There are excerpts from Colin's journal and lots of footnotes in addition to the third-person narration. Emotions are always mentioned in skinny capital letters. These bits of flair give insight into the way Colin thinks. He has Asperger's Syndrome, giving him a different point of view on what happened in the cafeteria than the rest of his classmates who are perfectly content to believe the disliked and low class Wayne Connelly did it.
There's a nice balance between Colin's school and home life and the mystery. COLIN FISCHER sets up a series, so there have to be some elements that will carry through future entries. There's a love interest, a new friendship, and Colin's fledgling basketball skills. He's also got a complicated relationship with his younger brother, who resents the fact that Colin isn't "normal." As for the mystery, I liked that Colin doesn't quite understand the danger he puts himself in. He just wants to solve the puzzle, but there are people who don't want the puzzle solved. It made a bit more sense than some protagonists who through themselves knowingly into danger.
I think COLIN FISCHER could be the start of a very fun mystery series. There's always room for more idiosyncratic, determined detectives, at least in my opinion. I also enjoyed the factoids sprinkled throughout the text, courtesy of Colin, because I love trivia. I like that Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz did their research and make an effort to portray Colin's social issues accurately. Overall, I liked COLIN FISCHER quite a bit and I'll be back for the sequel.
I loved the format of COLIN FISCHER. There are excerpts from Colin's journal and lots of footnotes in addition to the third-person narration. Emotions are always mentioned in skinny capital letters. These bits of flair give insight into the way Colin thinks. He has Asperger's Syndrome, giving him a different point of view on what happened in the cafeteria than the rest of his classmates who are perfectly content to believe the disliked and low class Wayne Connelly did it.
There's a nice balance between Colin's school and home life and the mystery. COLIN FISCHER sets up a series, so there have to be some elements that will carry through future entries. There's a love interest, a new friendship, and Colin's fledgling basketball skills. He's also got a complicated relationship with his younger brother, who resents the fact that Colin isn't "normal." As for the mystery, I liked that Colin doesn't quite understand the danger he puts himself in. He just wants to solve the puzzle, but there are people who don't want the puzzle solved. It made a bit more sense than some protagonists who through themselves knowingly into danger.
I think COLIN FISCHER could be the start of a very fun mystery series. There's always room for more idiosyncratic, determined detectives, at least in my opinion. I also enjoyed the factoids sprinkled throughout the text, courtesy of Colin, because I love trivia. I like that Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz did their research and make an effort to portray Colin's social issues accurately. Overall, I liked COLIN FISCHER quite a bit and I'll be back for the sequel.
December 7, 2012
14-year-old Colin Fischer is on the Autism Spectrum. He is brilliant and his ability to meticulously notice details makes him a natural detective with a Sherlock Holmes-like talent for deduction. He is socially awkward and has trouble reading facial expressions. He loves to jump on a trampoline and that is one of the things that keeps him calm and helps him think. He deals with bullies. In the first chapter we witness him getting a swirly in the boy’s restroom. So when that bully is accused of setting off a gun at school, Colin notices the detail that makes that bully an unlikely suspect. The police are not investigating this so Colin takes it upon himself to solve the crime. He doesn’t care that he is doing things that would put him in danger. He just has to solve this problem that no one else is seeing. This is brilliant first hand look into what it is like to be on the Autism Spectrum. Colin keeps a notebook where readers will learn interesting things about whatever Colin is thinking about at the time. I especially liked the part about how math solves the parking problem. People end up wasting more time trying to find a perfect parking space instead of just parking and walking. Readers also get a little history on Hans Aspergers and how this recently new diagnosis was created out of Nazi Germany. The relationship between Colin and his younger, typical brother Danny is interesting. Danny feels that Colin is treated differently. I have a child on the spectrum with a younger child that is typical. I can see the same struggle for my typical child of why her sister gets away with some things that she can’t. I also loved the moments with the gym teacher. Instead of excusing Colin from gym class, he figured out a way to teach Colin basketball in a way that he could understand and be successful. The world needs more teachers like him. I hope this becomes a series. I will read every one of them.
November 18, 2012
Is there ever a time when 3rd person omniscient isn't annoying? That was my biggest problem with this book: no one was a mystery, even slightly. I felt like the authors were sitting me down to tell a fairly boring mystery story and informing me about the complexities of relationships for/with people who have Asberger's.
December 13, 2018
I tried. I was so offended by the introduction to the book that it was hard to continue. A few chapters in and I had to stop. The autism representation in this book is so offensive (He has to *try* to be human?!) that I was shocked. This book is proof that even an #ownvoices author needs to get sensitivity readers. I can't believe there aren't more horrified reviews of this book.
March 5, 2017
I'm really interested in how two people write collaboratively, especially since this feels "whole".
I loved the "geek" aspects of this narrative structure with the addition of footnotes delving even further into Colin's knowledge and understanding not to mention the Notebook entries which begin each chapter. I learnt about parking strategies and chimerism.
Humour at the expense of Colin's social scripts is included but in such a manner that creates a smile rather than harsh laughter from the reader. It's interesting to consider the response of a younger brother. It's perhaps less surprising to read about how sport helps Colin develop his social interactions and accept contact. How true this is, I don't know but I accept that this is a piece of fiction.
I enjoyed the references to Sherlock Holmes as well.
I haven't read Haddon's 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' but it would be interesting to compare the two.
I loved the "geek" aspects of this narrative structure with the addition of footnotes delving even further into Colin's knowledge and understanding not to mention the Notebook entries which begin each chapter. I learnt about parking strategies and chimerism.
Humour at the expense of Colin's social scripts is included but in such a manner that creates a smile rather than harsh laughter from the reader. It's interesting to consider the response of a younger brother. It's perhaps less surprising to read about how sport helps Colin develop his social interactions and accept contact. How true this is, I don't know but I accept that this is a piece of fiction.
I enjoyed the references to Sherlock Holmes as well.
I haven't read Haddon's 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' but it would be interesting to compare the two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2019
This book wasn’t bad. Decent at best I’d say. Nothing really stood out to me or caught my interest. The only reason I wanted to read this book was to search for more beneficial autistic representation in fictional literature. I could go on a tangent about the things that bother me but I’m deciding to save it for a different social media platform.
August 7, 2020
Ένας λόγος που ξεκίνησα να το διαβάζω, ήταν για να δω αν άξιζε να το διαβάσει η κόρη μου. Η πλάκα είναι ότι κόλλησα και θέλω και συνέχεια. Αξιολατρευτος ο Κόλιν! Διαβάζεται μονορουφι... (Το κακό είναι ότι δεν υπάρχει συνέχεια από όσο το έψαξα. Εκτός αν γνωρίζει κάποιος.)
November 26, 2017
It was pretty good, but it had many flaws(which are highlighted in other reviews)... It would be certainly much better..
December 5, 2021
This was good. I was a bit disappointed when I first got it and saw that it was only four hours. But I think it was worth the credit. Just a sleek, clean story. No fluff.
September 29, 2018
I enjoyed the story immensely as well as the insights to Colin’s thinking. It dropped a star because I wanted the discriminatory adults in the book to acknowledge their faulty behaviour (most of the teachers in the school - particularly the head - and even Colin’s parents who don’t deal properly with Colin’s little brother). This seemed to be written from a neurotypical perspective, such as when the PE teacher ignores the instructions from Colin’s therapist and parents and makes Colin join in with the lesson - only for it all to turn out well. My soul burned with the injustice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
Quite interesting to read, and a very clever and witty story :) Try it for yourself
April 16, 2013
Colin has Aspergers Syndrome. It is important to get that out of the way, because this is not just about Aspergers. It is also about the other people in the life of an Aspergers sufferer. Family, friends, teachers - all figure in this mystery novel starring Colin as the detective.
Colin has just started high school and it has not been going well. "Flushed" on his first day by Wayne Connelly - it doesn't look good for Colin. He makes notes about everyone and assesses people's emotional state using a set of "smile flash cards". You get the picture. At home, he has a supportive set of parents, especially his Dad who seems slightly bemused about everything most of the time. His brother Danny is resentful of all the extra attention Colin gets, but overall they are a loving family unit.
The mystery kicks into gear when a shot is fired in the cafeteria. The gun is dropped and perpetrator escapes, leaving everyone to wonder who it was. All the circumstantial evidence points to Colin's nemesis, Wayne, but Colin is not convinced and sets out to prove Wayne's innocence in the face of opposition from everyone except the breathtakingly beautiful Melissa. Now, I do not believe in spoilers so you won't get much more out of me here, but it is fair to say that cake and crocodiles come into play as the investigation continues.
This is a delight from beginning to end. Colin is a three-dimensional character suffering from Aspergers, but not defined by it. I actually imagine that he would have been the type of guy I would have found fascinating at school. The teachers, particularly the sports teacher, Mr Turrentine, are fabulous. I really believed the sports lessons where he would not allow Colin to sit out because he was afraid of the basketball. I loved Mr Turrentine, and it appears the author did too because part of the dedication is to the "real" Mr Turrentine. Dr Doran, the principal is also really cool and immensely accommodating of Colin's investigation. Melissa is lovely and Wayne the bully is proof that still waters sometimes run very deep.
A great read that reminded me in parts of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, but also gave me lots of new things to enjoy.
Definitely for ages 13 and up.
Colin has just started high school and it has not been going well. "Flushed" on his first day by Wayne Connelly - it doesn't look good for Colin. He makes notes about everyone and assesses people's emotional state using a set of "smile flash cards". You get the picture. At home, he has a supportive set of parents, especially his Dad who seems slightly bemused about everything most of the time. His brother Danny is resentful of all the extra attention Colin gets, but overall they are a loving family unit.
The mystery kicks into gear when a shot is fired in the cafeteria. The gun is dropped and perpetrator escapes, leaving everyone to wonder who it was. All the circumstantial evidence points to Colin's nemesis, Wayne, but Colin is not convinced and sets out to prove Wayne's innocence in the face of opposition from everyone except the breathtakingly beautiful Melissa. Now, I do not believe in spoilers so you won't get much more out of me here, but it is fair to say that cake and crocodiles come into play as the investigation continues.
This is a delight from beginning to end. Colin is a three-dimensional character suffering from Aspergers, but not defined by it. I actually imagine that he would have been the type of guy I would have found fascinating at school. The teachers, particularly the sports teacher, Mr Turrentine, are fabulous. I really believed the sports lessons where he would not allow Colin to sit out because he was afraid of the basketball. I loved Mr Turrentine, and it appears the author did too because part of the dedication is to the "real" Mr Turrentine. Dr Doran, the principal is also really cool and immensely accommodating of Colin's investigation. Melissa is lovely and Wayne the bully is proof that still waters sometimes run very deep.
A great read that reminded me in parts of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, but also gave me lots of new things to enjoy.
Definitely for ages 13 and up.
September 1, 2016
Colin Fischer, our titular hero, has Asberger's syndrome, which falls on the autism spectrum. He's high functioning, very analytical, with an IQ between 155 and 180. Colin has just started high school, he has been with a lot of the same kids since grade school. On the first day of school, Wayne Connelly, someone who has been bullying Colin since first grade, sticks Colin's head in a toilet.(This shows up a lot in YA books and I really hope it's not something that actually happens. The combination of feeling like you can't catch your breath combined with it being a public toilet freaks me out every time.)So, welcome to high school.
In this story, which I'm hoping is the first of many, a gun goes off during a scuffle in the school cafeteria. No one is injured. Wayne is automatically accused of the crime and is suspended. Due to his attention to detail, Colin knows Wayne can't be the owner of the gun. So he decides to figure out what really happened. Adventure ensues.
One part of the story I particularly liked was his interactions with the school principal, Dr. Doran. Even when she knows he's right, she doesn't encourage Colin in his role as detective. In fact, he gets detention for breaking some rules along the way. He also has a conflicted relationship with his younger brother, Danny,who has no patience for Colin. Again, I found this to feel very real. I don't imagine sibs are always thrilled living with someone with Asberger's. While I found Colin to very charming on paper, regular interactions with him would be draining. I'd like to think I wouldn't be as mean as Danny.
Colin carries a notebook around with him where he logs everything that happens during the day and reviews is later to make sense of his world. The author includes snippets from the notebook, so the reader has a chance to get inside Colin's head. Nicely done. The reader gets to feel a connection to Colin and his thought processes, without spending too much time there.
While Colin did solve his mystery, there were lots of storylines left unfinished. I hope this means there'll be more. I was disappointed with the book's title, sadly unimaginative. With two authors, you'd think they could've come up with something.
In this story, which I'm hoping is the first of many, a gun goes off during a scuffle in the school cafeteria. No one is injured. Wayne is automatically accused of the crime and is suspended. Due to his attention to detail, Colin knows Wayne can't be the owner of the gun. So he decides to figure out what really happened. Adventure ensues.
One part of the story I particularly liked was his interactions with the school principal, Dr. Doran. Even when she knows he's right, she doesn't encourage Colin in his role as detective. In fact, he gets detention for breaking some rules along the way. He also has a conflicted relationship with his younger brother, Danny,who has no patience for Colin. Again, I found this to feel very real. I don't imagine sibs are always thrilled living with someone with Asberger's. While I found Colin to very charming on paper, regular interactions with him would be draining. I'd like to think I wouldn't be as mean as Danny.
Colin carries a notebook around with him where he logs everything that happens during the day and reviews is later to make sense of his world. The author includes snippets from the notebook, so the reader has a chance to get inside Colin's head. Nicely done. The reader gets to feel a connection to Colin and his thought processes, without spending too much time there.
While Colin did solve his mystery, there were lots of storylines left unfinished. I hope this means there'll be more. I was disappointed with the book's title, sadly unimaginative. With two authors, you'd think they could've come up with something.
May 5, 2013
[3.5]
Colin es un chico especial. Tiene Síndrome de Asperger y ve la realidad desde su particular prisma. Detesta el contacto físico; no lo necesita, pero sus padres sí, así que cuando le quieren tocar tienen que avisarle para que a él no le pille de sorpresa. Debido al Asperger tampoco entiende los segundos sentidos, la ironía, las expresiones hechas, las bromas� su mente trabaja de una manera lógica y, en ocasiones, el lenguaje cotidiano no le resulta del todo sencillo de comprender. Los comportamientos humanos son para él todo un misterio, y, como buen detective, desea investigarlos. No tiene amigos, pero no es algo que eche de menos, él está contento con lo que tiene, con su cama elástica, su ordenada habitación y sobre todo, con su preciado cuaderno rojo, ese en el que apunta lo que ve y lo que piensa, y que permite al lector conocerle más y mejor.
Colin está en su primer año de instituto y las cosas no le están yendo demasiado bien. Un buen día, a la hora de la comida, se forma una pelea en el comedor y en medio del barullo se escucha un disparo. Todo el mundo huye despavorido salvo Colin, que acude el lugar del accidente y comienza a buscar pruebas y plantearse hipótesis (para eso tiene alma de detective). Esta parte de la trama es entretenida, pero lo verdaderamente interesante es Colin, cómo piensa y actúa y como se relaciona con los demás. Para mí el asunto del disparo ha sido una excusa para que viésemos otras facetas de Colin, para que pusiese en marcha sus dotes como detective por primera vez.
(...)
Colin es un chico especial. Tiene Síndrome de Asperger y ve la realidad desde su particular prisma. Detesta el contacto físico; no lo necesita, pero sus padres sí, así que cuando le quieren tocar tienen que avisarle para que a él no le pille de sorpresa. Debido al Asperger tampoco entiende los segundos sentidos, la ironía, las expresiones hechas, las bromas� su mente trabaja de una manera lógica y, en ocasiones, el lenguaje cotidiano no le resulta del todo sencillo de comprender. Los comportamientos humanos son para él todo un misterio, y, como buen detective, desea investigarlos. No tiene amigos, pero no es algo que eche de menos, él está contento con lo que tiene, con su cama elástica, su ordenada habitación y sobre todo, con su preciado cuaderno rojo, ese en el que apunta lo que ve y lo que piensa, y que permite al lector conocerle más y mejor.
Colin está en su primer año de instituto y las cosas no le están yendo demasiado bien. Un buen día, a la hora de la comida, se forma una pelea en el comedor y en medio del barullo se escucha un disparo. Todo el mundo huye despavorido salvo Colin, que acude el lugar del accidente y comienza a buscar pruebas y plantearse hipótesis (para eso tiene alma de detective). Esta parte de la trama es entretenida, pero lo verdaderamente interesante es Colin, cómo piensa y actúa y como se relaciona con los demás. Para mí el asunto del disparo ha sido una excusa para que viésemos otras facetas de Colin, para que pusiese en marcha sus dotes como detective por primera vez.
(...)
January 5, 2025
Det var väl en bra bok men den var mycket barnsligare är jag hade förväntat mig. Av att läsa baksidan trodde jag att det skulle handla om kanske 18 åringar där någon blev skadad av ett vapen i skolan, men den var 14 och ingen skadades. Fortfarande härlig bok, huvudkaraktären var väldigt söt och det var kul att få höra hans tankar om saker och ting. Rekommenderar för yngre personer.
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