Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz

Reviewed by Lori
Colin Fischer
Title: Colin Fischer

Authors: Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 74916

Description: A youthful Sherlock Holmes whose Asperger's syndrome makes social interaction difficult, young Colin investigates a crime where he must uncover the greatest mystery of all -- what other people are thinking and feeling.

Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It!

Why I Read It: Interesting Cover.  I loved the little faces all over showing different emotions.


Lori's Notes: I loved this book.  I’ve had it in my reading pile for a while and it finally made it to the top of the list.  I finished it in a couple of days.  With more time I probably would have finished it in one sitting.  Colin Fischer has Asperger’s syndrome and sensory integration disorder.  He doesn’t like loud noises and he definitely doesn’t like to be touched.  This is going to make his first year in high school more than a little challenging.  He doesn’t even make it to homeroom on the first day before the school bully - Wayne Connelly - dunks his head in the toilet.  When a gun goes off in the high school cafeteria Wayne is the natural suspect but Colin sees things others don’t and he knows Wayne is innocent.  And he sets out to prove it.  With masterful observation and reasoning skills Colin is a quirky Sherlock Holmes.   I really loved the story line and plot of this novel.  While I surmised the suspect very early on there were a few twists that left me surprised.  All of the characters felt fleshed out and real to me.  Colin, his parents, brother Danny, Wayne and Rudy, Melissa and Sandy, Eddie and Stan.  This high school could have been anywhere and the characters will be relatable to most teens.  I loved the interjections of Colin’s notebook and even the footnotes on the bottom of some of the pages; they tended to make me feel like Colin was extremely intelligent and if given a chance (like Melissa gives him) very interesting.   The friendship that develops between Wayne and Colin is very much like Sherlock and Watson (Wayne/Watson).  Similarly, Wayne and Collin (Colin/Connelly – anagramish) have many points of comparison – they are both social outcasts, they both cannot be “categorized” in Colin’s high school hierarchy chart, they both receive empathy and compassion from Melissa.  This is a book that is easy to visualize while reading and I could almost see the change in Wayne’s behaviour toward Colin.  Colin stands up for Wayne’s character and Wayne protects Colin physically.  (Comparison to Freak the Mighty here).  There are also comparisons to be drawn between Colin and Rudy.  Colin has Aspergers and is very smart, Rudy is a sociopath and very smart.  Neither character really has any empathy but Colin is good and Rudy is rather evil.  Rudy is Colin's Moriarty (Moore/Moriarty).  The ending certainly leaves room for another Colin Fischer book.  This title may be one of my top reads this year.
 
Recommended Readers:  Grade 9 and Up.  
  • Good book for Boys
  • Crime and Mystery Buffs
  • First Year High School

Favourite Passages: 
  • For Colin, this was true of all subjects.  To learn a thing was to know a thing; to know a thing was to understand a thing; to understand a thing was to face it without fear. (Page 26)  (See same sort of reference page 19 in "The Scar Boys" for Comparative Study )
  • Without realizing it, Kuleshov confirmed a long-held belief about the best way to deceive people: Show them things they want to believe.  The rest will take care of itself. (Page 88)
  • After all, Colin hadn't been trying to help anyone -- he was just pointing out the facts.  who the truth helped and how much was irrelevant (Page 96)
  • This is why I trust math and I do not trust people.  Math makes better decisions.  (Page 133)
  • "Why" can be the most important question of all because human behavior isn't always logical.  Human behavior is not a mystery that can be solved or fully understood in mathematical terms.  It just has to be experienced.  (Page 190)

Themes:  Asperger's, Sensory Integration Disorder, High School, Bullies, Fitting In, Guns at School, Relationships, Brothers, Mystery and Investigations.

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Freak the Mighty
Movie: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
TV Series: Scorpion
Music: Titanium performed by Sia
Websearch: Hans Asperger


Post Reading Questions and Activities: 
  • What qualities does Colin have that make him an excellent investigator?  How does he use these skill to exonerate Wayne?
  • How does Wayne's perception of Colin change when Colin indicates his belief in Wayne's innocence?
  • Who brought the gun to school?  What and/or who do you think it was really intended for?
  • Who is punished for this crime?  Do you think this is fair?  Why or why not?  Who do you think should be punished?
  • How do you think Colin's life at high school will change? 
  • What is empathy?  Why is it important?  
  • Research one of the following disorders - create posters to put up around the class or school to help bring understanding about these disorders.  Eg. Asperger's/Autism, Sensory Integration Disorder, Processing Disorders, Tourette's Syndrome, Learning Disabilities.   How does understanding these disorders help build empathy?
  • Compare the characters in Colin Fischer to the characters in Sherlock Holmes.



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