Petey- Ben Mikaelsen

Title:Petey
Author: Mikaelsen, Ben
Publisher: Perfection Learning (Reprint), 2010
ISBN-10: 160686825X

Genre: Historical Fiction/ Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 740 Lexile
Interest Level: 10+


Readers Annotation: Petey is bed ridden but not incapable of learning. In 1920 though, he is officially diagnosed an idiot.

Plot:
Petey was born with the diagnosis of idiot in the 1920's and placed in an insane asylum where he was forgotten and not engaged. What he really had was cerebral palsy. He was cognitively very aware but his body did not work. Over the years Petey makes friends and a few people see past his physical disabilities. When he is in his 40s and is living in a home different from the hospital, a child stumbles into Petey's life. The two become friends with time because they need to unite together to fight off bullies. This story is about finding the beauty inside a person. Petey desperately needs a new wheelchair. The boy is determined to raise the thousands of dollars to get Petey one because the home will not fund it. Can he do it?

Review:
This was a great book. The reader feels for Petey because he is treated sub human. the asylums were places people went to die. Many of the residents were treated poorly and hurt by their caretakers. As time went on and people understood disabilities more, Petey was able to talk more with people although many people were still scared of him. This is a unique perspective of growing up with disabilities.

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