Asperger Syndrome

the Universe and everything

Kenneth Hall

Blue Bottle Mystery

an Asperger adventure

Kathy Hoopman

Asperger Syndrome is something we hear about, but how many of us know what it means to have this syndrome or to be a parent or grandparent or teacher trying to understand what it must be like?

If you want, or need, to know more about Asperger Syndrome then two books have just been published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers which are a must for you to read.

Kenneth Hall is a ten-year-old boy who has Asperger Syndrome. He is also exceptionally gifted and has written Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything so that we can see and understand the world through his eyes. This book gives a clear insight into what it must be like to view the world in this special way. Hall tells us of his day to day struggles, and joys.

Read this: ‘When I was eight I found out about my Asperger Syndrome or AS and since then my life has changed completely. Before that life was very hard for me. I was always depressed. Life was depressing.’ He goes on to tell us that before he was eight he realized he was ‘different’ but didn’t know why. ‘When I heard that I had AS I was very pleased because I had been wondering why everyone else seemed to be acting strangely.’

This little boy tells us what helps him to understand the world, and what puzzles him. He tells us what he likes, and what he doesn’t like, and why. He doesn’t like crowds, or too much noise, or to be part of a group. Kenneth loves ‘jammie days’ when he is allowed to wear his ‘jammies’ all day long and to stay in bed, when he can relax.

What more can I say than to end with another quote from Kenneth Hall. ‘Children with Asperger Syndrome are the best experts on AS.’ Of course they are, and we must all learn all we can from this boy.

The companion book is The Blue Bottle Mystery, An Asperger Adventure, written by Kathy Hoopmann, a primary school teacher who has been involved with children with Asperger Syndrome for many years.

This is the story of two boys at school who find an old bottle in the school yard. There seems to be some magic around, but for me, the real magic was in seeing the world through the eyes of these boys. One with Asperger Syndrome and the other not.

It is a wonderful book for your children to read, or for you to read together, and to talk about what it must be like to see the world in this particular way.

Both books will add immeasurably to our understanding of Asperger Syndrome. If you can’t understand the struggle of a child with this syndrome after reading these books, then you never will!

© Jill Curtis 2002

Jessica Kingsley Publishers  

The Blue Bottle Mystery  paperback   £7.95   ISBN 1853029300

available  from       

Asperger Syndrome  paperback  £9.95  ISBN 1853029785  

available from      

For more about Asperger Syndrome click here to see jill's book
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