Of Mice and Aliens
On sale
15th September 2001
Price: £10.99
The sequel to Blue Bottle Mystery, this is a science fiction novel for kids, with a difference. Ben is learning to cope with his newly diagnosed Asperger Syndrome, but when an alien crash-lands in his back yard, things really get complicated. The alien, Zeke, knows nothing about Earth’s rules and norms and it is up to Ben and his friend Andy to help Zeke survive. The humorous parallels between the alien’s inability to relate to humans and Ben’s own idiosyncrasies highlight the difficulties Aspie kids face every day.
Of Mice and Aliens is not just another kids’ book. As well as being a delightful read for anyone who loves adventure, it is a valuable teaching tool that demystifies children with Asperger’s, justifying their individuality as valid and interesting.
Of Mice and Aliens is not just another kids’ book. As well as being a delightful read for anyone who loves adventure, it is a valuable teaching tool that demystifies children with Asperger’s, justifying their individuality as valid and interesting.
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Reviews
With this book, the author Kathy Hoopmann created a fantastic children's story. Of Mice and Aliens is very impressive, exciting and wittily written therefore making it difficult to put it down. You will have to find out for yourselves what else the boys experience and how the story ends.
This book gives us a child's view of what living with Apergers is like. It explains how it feels to need routine, and to have difficulty understanding rules and societal norms. The book will appeal to siblings of children with Aspergers, but will also enable parents to empathise with their child. In short, it is an effective introduction to the subject.
Of Mice and Aliens is an entertaining way for kids to learn about this unusual disability in a non-threatening story and is highly recommended for both school and community library collections.
In addition to being a fun read, it is a valuable teaching tool for shedding light on life with Asperger.
I would recommend this book to both parents and professionals. It is well written and sensitively portrays the difficulties faced by children and parents in living with Asperger's Syndrome. A list of support organisations and websites is given at the end of the story.
