Colin Fischer

May 07, 2013 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Colin Fisher is an extremely bright young man just starting his freshman year of high school. The thing that sets Colin apart isn’t his intelligence it is the fact that he needs to refer to flash cards with facial expressions on them to help him navigate through the social mores of everyday life. He isn’t bothered much by the fact he is out of step with the rest of his peers, in fact he likes to record his fellow students interesting behaviors in a notebook. When a gun goes off during a cafeteri...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more 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.(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Jenni French rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: age-5-grades-9-12, age-4-grades-6-8, genre-contemporary-fiction, genre-mystery, topic-disabilities

Colin Fischer is starting high school, and for the first time in his educational career, he is walking the halls without an aide. Colin is being mainstreamed into regular classes, and he's armed with his trusty Notebook and his emotions flashcards. Colin has Asperger's Syndrome.

Near the beginning of the school year there's an incident in the cafeteria - a student brings a gun to school and the gun goes off in the cafeteria, although no one is injured. The police blame the one student thought mos...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Starting high school is bad enough for any teen, but Colin Fischer isn’t your normal teenager. His Asperger Syndrome makes it hard for him to recognize what other’s facial expressions mean, and his thirst for knowledge makes him an easy target for bullies.

However, his love for investigation leads Colin on a hunt for a school shooter that ironically blooms into friendship.

The narration was like a blend of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon and Wonder by Palacio R J....more

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Feb 18, 2013 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 soci...more 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.(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Ruby rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:If I was going to commit that dreadful bookish sin of judging a book by its cover, then I'd say this cover suits the mood of this book perfectly. Colin Fischer is witty and clever read that is really enjoyable!

The plot of the tale, isn't the most original, but Colin as a character is extremely unique. He's easy to relate to, and his character is just really sweet and lovable. His narrative reminds me a lot of those from other books... It's not a bad thing though! For instance, some...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Book Angel Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review by Beth

I was really looking forward to starting Colin Fischer as the summary had me hooked. It had more than one reminder of the famous and fantastic The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time which I loved so I thought I’d give it a go.

I was left feeling slightly flat by the end of it. However, I think this may be because I automatically found myself comparing it to the Curious Incident which is unfair as it’s a great novel in its own right and perfectly gauged for the age group i...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: flc-2013, teen

I enjoyed this but it didn't really work for me as a mystery. Colin correctly identifies who brought a loaded gun into the cafeteria (the guilty party seemed obvious to me from the get go) but never identifies why the gun was brought there. Or why it was obtained in the first place. There's too much left unanswered, especially Colin's schoolmates' ties to La Familia.

On top of that I think the evolution of Colin's former bullies into people who befriend him, or at the very least respect him, seem...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Vincent Ripley rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 inte...more 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!(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullying, guy-reads, high-school, relationships, ya

Colin Fischer is starting high school as a 9th grader which is an endeavor tough enough for most kids, but Colin has Asperger's, which makes it tougher. He's incredibly intelligent, logical, non-emotional (mostly), precise, and of course, gets picked on mercilessly. One day, when a group of boys get into a confrontation in the cafeteria, a gun goes off. The only person not freaked out by the incident, is Colin, and as Sherlock Holmes is one of his heroes, he decides to investigate.

So it's anothe...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Carly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Just finished reading my first book of the year, Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz. It was good, not great. The narrator is a high school freshman, Colin, who has Aspergers. The whole community goes up in tizzy when someone brings a gun to the high school, which goes off during a birthday party in the cafeteria. But Colin doesn't find the mystery of the gun any more mysterious than the inexplicable every day actions of his classmates. In fact, the mystery of the gun is someth...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://hickeypicks.wordpress.com/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 rest...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

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...more 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. (less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Rosa rated it 3 of 5 stars

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 al...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Erica Cameron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, male-main-character, youngadult

"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...more "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.

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Oct 29, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, realistic-fiction, serious-issues

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 th...more 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.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Rhonda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This book is geared toward young adults so it wouldn't be a book I would typically choose. However, my son, who has non-verbal learning disability (NLD), tends to read books involving characters with Autism and Aspbergers. Since NLD is on the same spectrum of disorders, he finds it interesting to see into the minds of those with these conditions.

I saw this book offered on Goodreads, in the First Read Contest. I registered with my son in mind. Of course, I read it first and I'll pass it along to...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 rea...more 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.
(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: guy-friendly, ya

When a gun goes off during lunch on the first day of school, everyone in the cafeteria runs for cover. Everyone except for Colin Fischer. Colin walks straight up to the abandoned weapon, making a note to "investigate."

To say that Colin does not fit in with the rest of his freshman class is an understatement. Colin has Asperger's, and though he's considered high functioning, he cannot stand loud noises, needs flash cards to recognize facial expressions and emotions, and has no idea when a person...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Kelly Hager rated it 4 of 5 stars

The thing you need to know about Colin Fischer is that he has Asperger's Syndrome. He's in a mainstream school (sorry if that's not the right phrasing) and he doesn't have an aide anymore now that he's in high school. But he's very insistent on following the social rules, as he understands them. (He has a standard greeting, for example.) He has a few people that we could consider friends, but by and large, his life goes along as normal.

Until the day someone brings a gun to school. I say "someon...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Annie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gestaltung
Als ich zum ersten Mal ein Bild des Covers gesehen hatte, fand ich es noch nicht besonders ansprechend, es war vor allem der Klappentext, der mir gefiel. Als ich es dann aber in den Händen hielt hab ich mich schon ein bisschen in das Buch verliebt. Jetzt finde ich das Cover mit der Wolke und den Regentropfen ziemlich süß, genau wie die Rückseiten der Umschlagblätter. Sie sind umgeknickt und mit weißen Regentropfen auf blauem Hintergrund bedruckt. Einen weiteren Schliff geben dem Buch d...more Gestaltung
Als ich zum ersten Mal ein Bild des Covers gesehen hatte, fand ich es noch nicht besonders ansprechend, es war vor allem der Klappentext, der mir gefiel. Als ich es dann aber in den Händen hielt hab ich mich schon ein bisschen in das Buch verliebt. Jetzt finde ich das Cover mit der Wolke und den Regentropfen ziemlich süß, genau wie die Rückseiten der Umschlagblätter. Sie sind umgeknickt und mit weißen Regentropfen auf blauem Hintergrund bedruckt. Einen weiteren Schliff geben dem Buch die abgerunden Seitenecken. Alles in allem sieht das Buch extrem hochwertig aus, und auch nach einmaligem Lesen sieht der Buchrücken noch aus wie neu.

Meinung
Das Buch handelt davon, dass an der Schule von Colin, einem 14jährigen Jungen, der am Asperger-Syndrom leidet, mitten im Gewusel der Mittagspause, eine Pistole auftaucht. Colin, dessen großes Vorbild Sherlock Holmes ist, macht sich daraufhin auf, den Besitzer zu finden. Dabei trifft er auf einige seiner Mitschüler und muss über sich hinauswachsen.

"Der beste Tag in meinem Leben" beginnt gut, nämlich mit dem Anfang eines Kapitels. Nichts besonderes bei anderen Büchern, hier aber beginnt jedes kapitel mit einem Auszug aus Colins Notizbuch. Ich habe mich darauf immer gefreut, denn diese kleinen Texte sind höchst informativ und lassen einen Colin noch besser verstehen. Der Leser kennt seine Gedanken, obwohl eigentlich von einem außenstehenden Erzähler berichtet wird.

Colin ist ein toller Hauptcharakter. Den Autoren ist es gelungen, seine Gedanken so darzustellen, dass sie gut verständnisvoll und nachvollziehbar sind. Obwohl sie an sich komplex sind, werden sie dadurch nicht verflacht, sondern eher noch verdeutlicht. Er hat gute Ideen und ist der Hauptgrund, warum mir dieses Buch so gut gefallen hat. Man kommt wirklich so weit, dass man sich mit ihm identifizieren kann. Außerdem ist er wirklich interessant, ich würde mich gerne einmal mit ihm unterhalten. Sein Alltag an der High School wird durchaus realistisch geschildert, ebenfalls die sozialen Geflechte, wenn sie vielleicht auch etwas stereotypisch sein mögen. Neben Colin sind noch Melissa und Wayne als größere Charaktere zu nennen, auch wenn der Fokus immer auf Colin liegt.

Der Schreibstil ist recht schlicht gehalten, allerdings auf eine Art, dass es trotzdem nicht einfach zu lesen ist. Sprachliche Bilder und Beschreibungen würden ja auch schlecht zu den Gedanken eines Teenagers mit Asperger-Syndrom passen. Oft gibt es kurze Sätze, meist gibt maximal ein Komma pro Satz. Wirklich verschachtelte Sätze gibt es kaum welche. Wie gerade gesagt sollte man das Buch deswegen aber nicht unterschätzen, denn es kam trotzdem oft vor, dass ich eine Seite 2 Mal gelesen habe, um wirklich alle Informationen aufzunehmen und zu verstehen. In den kleinen Notizbucheinträgen, die immer wieder eingeschoben wurden und sich durch eine Schriftart erkennbar machen, die an die krakelige Handschrift eines Jungen erinnern, ist der Schreibstil dann extrem einfach.

Die Spannung ist in diesem Buch eher weniger hoch, zeitweise gibt es, was sie angeht, einige Längen. Das liegt vor allem daran, dass der Fall, um den es geht, nicht wirklich "spannend" ist, es ist einfach eine aufgetauchte Pistole. Ich habe diese fehlende Spannung allerdings nicht wirklich vermisst, weil ich von Colins Gedanken fasziniert war.

Ein weiterer Pluspunkt in diesem Buch ist, dass es wirklich intelligent ist. Man lernt beim Lesen unglaublich viel Neues, was nicht langweilig, sondern wirklich interessant ist. Diese Fakten werden nicht in den Text eingebunden, dass hätte den Lesefluss nämlich wirklich gestört, sondern sind immer als Fußnoten angehängt. Dann kann sich der Leser aussuchen, wann er sie nachlesen will, ich habe z.B. immer erst den Absatz zu Ende gelesen, in dem ich gerade war.

Das Ende ist ganz gut und alle Fragen, die im Verlauf des Buches aufkommen, wurden beantwortet. Das Autorenduo scheint sogar Andeutungen, dass es einen Folgeband geben würde, ich spreche mich dafür aus! :)

Fazit
"Der beste Tag meines Lebens" ist ein Buch, das durch Klugheit und Intelligenz besticht. Der Hautcharakter ist liebenswert, und macht das ganze Buch zu einem süßen Lesevergnügen. Ich werde es in Zukunft bestimmt noch einmal in die Hand nehmen, und auch von außen macht es sich gut im Bücherregal. Wegen den teilweise fehlenden Punkten in der Spannung gebe ich nur 9 anstatt 10 Punkte, denn ich bin total verliebt in dieses Buch. Ich würde es ab einem Altern von 13/14 Jahren empfehlen, weil man manchmal wirklich nachdenken muss. Natürlich sind 15 Euro schon recht viel, das liegt wohl vor allem an der der Qualität des Buches. Ich würde es trotzdem empfehlen.(less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Glimmerfee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 L...more 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.
(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Becky marked it as to-read

Shelves: math-tie-in, age-middle-school, age-high-school

Has a reserve list, but must re-reserve and read. High schooler with Asperger's stumbles into mystery to be solved -- which is how he looks at life anyway -- though he has to face the logical belief that his worst enemy is being falsely accused.

Booktalk notes: written by screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor. Days of school left, p. 2 (we all know this feeling). Gun goes off in the cafeteria. Excellent intro by Lev Grossman -- connection to Sherlock Holmes and Spock (Sheldon from Big Bang...more

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May 05, 2013 Ssil rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

[3.5]

http://loquequierahoy.blogspot.com.es...

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...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, mystery-suspense, middle-grade

Colin Fischer is a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome who is starting high school and going, for the first time, without an aide to assist him. As he maneuvers and tries to find his place in school, he is trying to learn the social codes. After a gun goes off during a ruckus in the school cafeteria, Colin uses his powers of logic and emulates his hero Sherlock Holmes to find out who had the gun. This puts him into the odd circumstance of defending the boy who has bullied him for years. Through th...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Colin still needs to check the pictures in his notebook to figure out what other people's expressions mean emotionally. However, he has progressed enough that, at 14, he is now being allowed to attend high school without his "minder" following him around, explaining things and keeping him out of trouble. So, of course, Colin is now ripe to be the victim of school bully, Wayne. And he is.

But there is more to high school than classes and bullying. When someone shoots a gun in the lunch room, Wayne...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Tatiana Campos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Colin Fischer was a hilarious read for me. I particularly loved the way Colin interacted with others, that is...when he interacted at all. He's very much so as uncensored a human being as possible to be. If he thinks it, you will hear it, and if he observes it, it will undoubtedly be going into his journal. Obviously this makes him an easy target for bullies in his school. Most of the kids in his class have known about him and his "disability" since they were young, yet instead of embracing it a...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Dolores rated it 5 of 5 stars

I knew I was going to love this book from page one. Colin is fourteen years old, and starting high school; things do not begin well for him, because he's not your typical teen. Colin has Asperger's syndrome and every day is filled with challenges than most of us can only imagine. He carries a well-worn notebook with him that serves several purposes. It is filled with clues that help him navigate through his day--like charts of expressions that help him understand what others are feeling, and it...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Colin is a freshman in high school who has a high functioning form of autism called aspergers. His parents are hesitant to put him in mainstream school without a paraprofessional. His younger brother thinks he is a dork and doesn't seem to like him very much. At school, Colin is picked on by a few kids who know how to get him going. He has a few friends as well who help him out. When a gun goes off in the cafeteria, Colin is the one who wants to solve the mystery. There are some really funny par...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Colby rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an EXCELLENT y/a mystery and hopefully the start of a long series. Colin is a fastidious young man with Asperger's who can out-logic any problem, except how to read his fellow man. In a phenomenal blend of Encyclopedia Brown meets Mr. Monk, this story tells the tale of Colin Fischer's freshman year of high school. He is present during a shooting in the school cafeteria, and becomes determined to solve the mystery. Aside from some mild sexual content and some mild language (librarians be...more

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