The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of ableism, animal cruelty, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your initial reaction to experiencing the world through Christopher’s perspective? How did this narrative viewpoint affect your understanding of both Christopher and the other characters? Did it remind you of other works that employ unique narrative perspectives, such as Flowers for Algernon?

2. The novel balances moments of humor with serious themes about family, truth, and perception. How effectively did you feel this balance was maintained throughout the story?

3. How did Christopher’s mathematical and scientific digressions affect your reading experience? What purpose do you think these sections serve in the overall narrative?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Christopher creates specific rules and routines to help him navigate daily life. What personal strategies do you use to cope with uncertainty or overwhelming situations?

2. The novel explores how different minds perceive and process information. When have you encountered situations where your way of thinking significantly differed from others? How did you handle these differences?