A review by seawarrior
Blue Bottle Mystery - The Graphic Novel: An Asperger Adventure by Kathy Hoopmann, Rachael Smith, Mike Medaglia
informative
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I specifically chose this story because I myself am autistic, and look out for autistic representation in comics. I think this book is a decent informative resource for autistic children and those seeking to understand them, primarily when it comes to differences socializing.
My other main issue with the book is that the term 'Asperger's syndrome' is used instead of autism. Yet I'm willing to look past that in this instance since the original book this graphic novel is based on was written years before Asperger's and autism were officially grouped together in the DSM-5.
Overall I think this is a well written story that can be used effectively to teach young people about how autistic and allistic people have different ways of thinking and experiencing the world. It could have definitely been longer and gone more in depth, but I was glad that the story ended on a happy note with Ben feeling understood.
Spoiler
I appreciated that Ben's family and teachers accept that the fair thing to do is to alter some of the ways they speak to Ben and explain things to him, and to have patience when he doesn't respond to situations the way they'd expected.Spoiler
However, I would have really loved to see the people around Ben gain an understanding of what stimming is. Most autistic people have been treated poorly for stimming behaviors, so seeing Ben experience backlash for them was unfortunately very relatable. This portrayal isn't very validating though since the negative treatment Ben receives is never contrasted with any sort of empathy or apology later on. I worry this may send a wrong message to people that rudely telling an autistic person to suppress their stimming is okay.My other main issue with the book is that the term 'Asperger's syndrome' is used instead of autism. Yet I'm willing to look past that in this instance since the original book this graphic novel is based on was written years before Asperger's and autism were officially grouped together in the DSM-5.
Overall I think this is a well written story that can be used effectively to teach young people about how autistic and allistic people have different ways of thinking and experiencing the world. It could have definitely been longer and gone more in depth, but I was glad that the story ended on a happy note with Ben feeling understood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Death of parent