Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #717133 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

Synopsis
Ryan often seems to get the wrong end of the stick - which can make life tough. But when his twin brother Danny says he is going to 'kill' him things become serious. In Ryan's mind, there is only one way he can protect himself now. He must join the notorious Kelly Gang!...'...as well as being a fun read, the author provides valuable insight into the intricate issues of navigating the world of social interactions for a child with Asperger Syndrome' '...a must read for anyone wanting to learn more about how a person with Asperger's syndrome may interpret the social world' Anne-Marie McAlorum, National Autistic Society www.nas.org.uk

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended for Those Who Are Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and/or Likely to Have AS!
Asperger Syndrome, the Swan & the Burglar written by Brenda Boyd is logically well-organized and easy to read! Mainly because she indicated clearly Ryan who played the lead had various symptoms of AS which he didn't recognize until Jim Shepherd, the grandfather of Kev, Ryan's closest friend saw through Ryan's AS. Certainly Ryan had been unfairly treated, misunderstood, and discriminated by Danny,his mean brother and others. But at the same time he was surrounded by understanding people such as Maria, his elder sister, the Cantadora, Kev, his parents, and Jim. On top of that, his `Masterplan' seemed to reinforce his search for his true identity. The story would end more happily if only Danny wasn't so cross-grained, though.
Overall, Ryan's AS diagnosed by Jim,the specialist of AS enhanced the climax of the story, that was for sure! That's why I strongly recommend you to read Asperger Syndrome, the Swan & the Burglar! Therefore, you'll understand better what AS is like!

Swan Song to Misplaced Trust
"Try to realize it's all within yourself. No one else can make you change." -- George Harrison, 1967

George Harrison's "Within You, Without You" could easily be the soundtrack of this book.

Ryan, a tween (8-12) has a lot on his plate. He has Asperger's Syndrome, which is the spectrum partner to autism. He has a fraternal twin brother, Danny who hounds and harasses him. He also has an unsympathetic teacher who does not understand that Ryan's direct statements are not borne out of rudeness, but out of a genuine misreading of people. Even Ryan's parents don't communicate much with him and seem unduly harsh.

Only Kev, a kind classmate and Ryan's sister Maria, 15 stand by Ryan's side. Ryan, a meticulous and organized thinker loves making lists. It is his way of maintaining order and understanding how to plan his days. He even makes alphabetical lists of classmates so he can approach each systematically and ask to be their friends. It is Kev who explains to Ryan that friendships come about by showing an interest in the person and listening to them rather than making direct requests.

Ryan's misreading of people gets him into further trouble, such as his tendency to take things literally. He lives in fear of his twin who has threatened to kill him and who has a history of being unkind to him. He takes Kev's warnings about a classmate named Ivan seriously to the point where he thinks the term "gangster," which Kev applied to Ivan is accurate. He wants to join Ivan's gangster gang and even pays him his allowance as a membership fee.

Ryan's misreading of Ivan lead him into bad company which in turn lead him into a string of misadventures. Despite the lists he makes, Ryan has no concept of who he can trust. His inadvertent discovery of Asperger's results in some funny misinterpretations. In helping Ryan disentangle himself from the mass of confusion he has gotten into, it is Kev, his grandfather, Maria, a kind story teller who helps Ryan look inside himself for treasures that make this a really sweet story.

This is a good companion book to the Wright & Wong series and Mark Haddon's book about a sleuth with Asperger's.