The London Eye Mystery

The London Eye Mystery. Written by Siobhan Dowd. 2007. David Fickling Books, New York. First American Edition. ISBN 9780375849763. 323 pages. $15.99. Recommended for 4th – 8th grades. (Ages 9-14)

There’s no mystery why The London Eye Mystery won the 2010 Dolly Gray award for children’s literature in developmental disabilities. This accurate portrayal of a child with Asperger’s syndrome incorporates the main symptoms of the autistic disorder into a well-rounded and engaging narrator, Ted. Around him swirls a mystery involving his missing cousin Salim who has disappeared from an observation pod on the giant bicycle-wheel-like attraction, the London Eye. Ted, whose brain “runs on its own unique operating system,” uses his Asperger’s to his advantage, solving the mystery in a way that no one else can, not even the police.

Dowd’s ability to explain Asperger’s from Ted’s point of view in a natural and unaffected way makes The London Eye Mystery a special read. Ted’s unique behavior and style of thinking are integral to the plot and the visit of his Aunt Gloria and cousin Salim allows Ted to explain his syndrome with sounding contrived. Throughout the book, Ted struggles to understand body language and phrases people use in everyday communication--“another funny thing people say that doesn’t mean exactly that,” Ted explains when his cousin uses an idiom.

Asperger’s is also defined by a singular obsessive interest. Ted’s is the weather, at times lyrically described and lovingly admired amidst the encyclopedia of information stored in his brain. His routines of listening to the shipping forecast and observing weather patterns come as naturally as brushing his teeth. Ted’s high level of intelligence may not make him popular with his schoolmates but it’s perfect for solving a complex mystery. His unique traits are celebrated rather than ostracized and it’s because of his Asperger’s that the case of Salem’s disappearance is cracked.

Dowd takes a disability that is often seen as strange to outsiders, especially children, and weaves it into a story that respectfully displays Asperger’s syndrome, and views it as a benefit rather than a detriment. The biggest mystery in The London Eye Mystery is the puzzle of Asperger’s syndrome. Some believe it is a puzzle that needs to be solved, a disease that needs to be cured. This novel proves that as puzzling as Asperger’s can be, those with the disability are different, but not less, and can lead successful, fulfilling lives (for example, Albert Einstein and Andy Warhol.) Salim says it best when he learns of Ted’s unconventional mind: “Why bother trying to be something that you’re not?”