We want to test the scalar types here as well. You can get that by indexing
```
In [8]: type(array(1, dtype='b'))
Out[8]: numpy.ndarray

In [9]: type(array(1, dtype='b')[()])
Out[9]: numpy.int8
```
Also, you can omit the `True ==` part of the `assert_`, it already checks the truth value of the expression.