Petey Book

In 1922, at the age of two, Petey's distraught parents commit him to the state's insane asylum, unaware that their son is actually suffering from severe cerebral palsy. Bound by his wheelchair and struggling to communicate with the people around him, Petey finds a way to remain kind and generous despite the horrific conditions in his new "home." Through the decades, he befriends several caretakers but is heartbroken when each eventually leaves him. Determined not to be hurt again, he vows to no longer let hope of lifelong friends and family torment him.

That changes after he is moved into a nursing home and meets a young teen named Trevor Ladd; he sees something in the boy and decides to risk friendship one last time. Trevor, new to town and a bit of a loner, is at first weary of the old man in the wheelchair. But after hearing more of his story, Trevor learns that there is much more to Petey than meets the eye.

Petey is a touching story of friendship, discovery, and the uplifting power of the human spirit.

VOYA

At his birth in 1920, two-year-old Petey Corbin is diagnosed as an "idiot" and is admitted to Warm Springs Insane Asylum in Warm Springs, Montana. The story that follows shows the relationships Petey forms with his caregivers, until he is seventy years old and living in the Bozeman Nursing Home. Trevor Ladd is an eighth grade student who has yet to make friends at his new school. On his walk home from class one day, Trevor sees the school bullies throwing snowballs at an old man in a wheelchair outside the nursing home. The old man is Petey, whose cerebral palsy was misdiagnosed so many years ago. Trevor protects Petey and, with the assistance of Petey's nurse, Sissy, the two become friends. Trevor takes Petey fishing at a local dock and shopping at K-Mart. Frustrated pushing Petey's dilapidated wheelchair, Trevor begins a fund raising campaign to collect money to purchase a new one. The townspeople, including Trevor's workaholic parents, find it difficult to understand the bond between this old man with a twisted body and limited speaking capabilities and the lonely but dedicated preteen. The friendship the two enjoy, including Petey's reunion with his friend Calvin and former caregiver Owen, is a story that both adults and students will enjoy. An author's note is included to explain how cerebral palsy was misdiagnosed early in the century. This sensitive story is recommended reading for adults and students alike. Adults will enjoy the book because it shows positive interaction between a disabled, disfigured older man and a preteen. Students will find the novel easy to follow because of its episodic nature, showing Petey's emotional growth as he is involved with each caregiver. The quality of the writing adds to the story without making it unnecessarily challenging, and will be enjoyed by students with varieties of reading levels. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8 and Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9).