Of Mice and Aliens

by Kathy Hoopmann

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 184310007X
• ISBN13: 9781843100072
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.5" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A Book for Its Intended Audience

I didn't much care for the "way out" concept of an alien adventure, but this book wasn't written for me. It was written for an 8-year-old child whose hopes and alien dreams haven't been squashed by the aging process of time and daily drudgery. Everybody doesn't like something, but my son loved meeting his friends Ben and Andy again in Of Mice and Aliens. He is new to his condition, and he is very excited to finally "meet" a character whose thoughts he understands and who would very likely understand my son's thoughts. Hey, Kathy, how about this: Ben and Andy go on a beach vacation and end up having a pirate adventure next! LOL! Just trying to help you get the ball rolling for your next book; we just finished Lisa and the Lacemaker today, and my son is very impatient for the next installment! P.S. Lisa and the Lacemaker is the first book that we have ever read that has had my son literally SQUEALING with delight and anticipation for the next chapter. It's kind of funny (in a healthy respectful fun way) to see an Aspie flailing his hands over an Aspie book!

This book REALLY Rocks!!!!!!

This book was a really good book about a boy with Asperger's and an Asperger's adventure. I am a 10 year old boy with Asperger's and this was a great book with a great title. It was kind of an adventure and a mystery. I think parents with kids with Asperger's should read these 2 books, because they help explain how a kid with Asperger's thinks.

My eight year old son really enjoyed this book.

My son has AS (Asperger's Syndrome) and his father was also diagnosed with AS (at the age of 9). I did not want my son to grow up denying that he has this unique way of looking at life because I want him to own it and be proud of who he is with a unique angle on every situation. These books by Kathy Hoopmann have made that wish a reality. My son enjoyed this book a great deal and wanted us to try to get a hold of her other books (which we were able to get from our local library). We are currently reading them and they are equally good. I would highly recommend this author. These books are rare in the world of autism. I have found nothing else out there that adequately and interestingly explains the unique challenges faced by children with AS in a way that a child could read about and enjoy. I am planning to buy the series in part so that we can let his best friend read about this "disability" and understand why and how my son is different than him.

Delighted my 7 yr old son with Asperger's. "Ben's like me!"

Ever since our son was diagnosed with very high functioning Asperger's less than a year ago, we have included him in discussions and reading about the syndrome. Many kids with Asperger's, our son included, gain comfort with their diagnosis by approaching it with intellectual curiosity. However, there's nothing like a fun story with lots of social skills situations to illustrate some of the challenges people with Asperger's may face and open up discussion possibilities. "Of Mice and Aliens," (the title makes Steinbeck fan, Mom, giggle)is a gently written story that includes lot of issues that are important to children with and without Asperger's syndrome. My son negotiated an extended bedtime so we could finish the book in one sitting. Once finished, he wrote his name in the book, put in in his school backpack and announced that he planned to share it with his teacher and discuss her using it in class to talk about his Asperger's with his classmates. "I'm like two of the characters in the book: Ben AND Zeke (the alien)--a little of each!" We found the book has a nice balance to the challenges and positive side of Asperger's. Some of the Australian/British words (for example, "ring" for the verb, "telephone") just gave us an opportunity to talk about different meanings of words and how easy it is to be misunderstood. We are ordering Hoopmann's other 2 books in the series and look forward to more.

A unique novel for young readers

Asperger Syndrome is a milder variant of Autism. It is characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. Common symptoms include peculiar speech; clumsiness; and difficulty in understanding other people's meanings, intentions, and feelings. In Kathy Hoopman's unique novel for young readers, Of Mice And Aliens, we are introduced to Ben, who enjoys working with computers, and his Asperger friend Lucy is fascinated by mice. When an alien named Zeke from the planet Celesstis4 lands in Ben's backyard adventure ensues as the alien knows nothing about Earth's rules and norms -- to which been can clearly relate! With Ben trying to manage his Asperger Syndrome and Zeke trying to learn about life on earth, things can and do get complicated! 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.