My mum is a teacher and often worked at special schools, taking my brother and me along to help if we had a curriculum day.I found Mark Haddon's observation of autism to be very perceptive and his use of maps, diagrams, puzzles and prime numbers to carry us along with him effective.His ability to challenge logical reasoning and the "normal" view of the world was also thought provoking.I was reminded of a line in a book by Roddy Doyle - when the mother is standing on the toilet screaming in fear because of a mouse at her feet, and her young son, hearing the commotion, comes to investigate, and seeing the mouse, over-joyed, asks his mum if they can get a mouse for Christmas. His mother, in a flash of brilliance explains, no (why not?) because it will scare the reindeer.