Ben is an unusual lad. He often doesn't understand what he is being told at school, he likes everything to be clean and tidy, he flaps his hands when upset, and greatly dislikes change. He is also very good at maths, science and computers. His best friend Andy accepts him as he is, but is sometimes irritated when he doesn't understand jokes or idiomatic phrases. Dad gets irritated too, and in the first scene in the book, Ben's teacher gets so upset with him that there is a huge scene. Grandma is the only one who understands that Ben is different. The two boys find a blue bottle in the playground which seems to have magic properties. At least, the boys get their wishes in spectacular fashion. Ben is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, which helps his family and his teacher to cope better with his idiosyncrasies. There will be no easy answers, but Ben is a most lovable and engaging boy, and people reading this story will understand autism better after meeting him. A list of useful addresses and web sites are included. Jessica Kingsley Publishers can be contacted at www.jkp.com or at 116 Pentonville Road, London N1 9JB (Tel: 020 7833 2307).