The Silent Boy: 03/23/10

I've read four books by Lois Lowry. All of her books have been very different and all of them have made me think. With the exception of The Willoughbys the books I've read have tended towards the depressing end of the emotional spectrum.

In The Silent Boy, Katy Thatcher, daughter of a doctor, befriends the local "touched boy" who by modern standards would probably be diagnosed as autistic. But this is a small town in 1911.

Katy whose own mother is expecting a second baby ends up spending a lot of time with her father as he makes house calls. She stays quiet with her ears open. She is privy to events that will unfold to tragedy and end up brining the blame on Jacob.

Some reviews complain about just how many "life lessons" are squished into this book. Yes, there are lots of lessons about life and death in The Silent Boy but Lowry manages to balance the lessons with the plot. I found it an engaging historical fiction, one I was able to read in a single afternoon.

As an interesting side note, the book contains photographs from Lois Lowry's family taken in 1911. The photos provide a backdrop for the story even though the book isn't about the people in the photos.

Comments (2)

Comment #1: Tuesday, March, 23, 2010 at 21:11:28

Jennifer @ Mrs. Q: Book Addict

Wow, I haven't heard of this book. It does sound interesting. I haven't read anything from this author. I'll have to check some out. Great review!

Comment #2: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 22:08:11

Pussreboots

Lois Lowry has written thirty-five books. She's probably best known for The Giver trilogy and Number the Stars.

Comment #3: Thursday, March, 25, 2010 at 07:33:55

Nicola

Oh, I thought this was beautiful! No one else I read has ever reviewed it! Glad to see you liked it. She does put a lot into such a little book.

Comment #4: Friday, March 26, 2010 at 11:26:37

Pussreboots

She seems to put a lot in all her books. If you have a review posted for it, I'd be happy to add it to my list.