As you decide whether to read about an autistic teenager dealing with more than just family problems, or a boring taxi driver, the choice is very obvious. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is about a 15-year-old autistic boy named Christopher Boone, who discovers more than he needs to as he tries to uncover the killer of his neighbor's dog, Wellington. He struggles to cope with the situation outside the home and is misunderstood by everyone other than his parents. While Markus Zusak's I Am The Messenger is about a nineteen-year-old taxi driver named Ed Kennedy who is given riddles about axles to help and sometimes hurt people. I conclude that The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has more appealing character, conflict, and cover art than I Am the Messenger, making it a better reading choice for ninth grade students. Initially, both Christopher and Ed are practical imitations of how they are described, but the way Christopher deals with his difficulties is more interesting. First, Christopher has a unique way of solving his problems. Rationalize these problems...