Common Sense Media Review
Gripping mystery told by kid on the autism spectrum.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
When Salim disappears while riding in a sealed pod on the ride called the London Eye, his cousins Kat and Ted aim to solve THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY while their family falls apart and the police are baffled. Finding that the adults won't listen to them or take them seriously, they set off on their own to follow the clues and theories that Ted, whose brain works on "a different operating system," comes up with.
Is It Any Good?
This gripping novel scores on two counts -- as a mystery, and as a story with a compelling main character and narrator. First, the mystery is tightly constructed and solid. Too often mysteries for kids feel bogus or trumped up, with logic holes a mile wide, but here both the event and its resolution make perfect sense. Second, Ted's quirks are mostly endearing, and his eventual success is very satisfying. The author, though, is careful not to overdo it: Ted's neurological state is real, not cute, and his own awareness of it is poignant. For kids who like their mysteries realistic, The London Eye Mystery is a welcome addition to the genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The London Eye Mystery portrays being on the autism spectrum. What are the advantages the main character has? Challenges? How do they balance out? How does Ted see the world?
What's fun about mysteries? Why are they so popular?
Is it valuable to read stories about kids whose brains work in different ways? Why is reading about a wide range of heroes important?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : David Fickling Books
- Publication date : February 1, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 322
- Last updated : February 27, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate