All He Knew

All He Knew by Helen Frost has been on my to-read list for awhile--I'm not sure how I originally heard about it, but I finally got it from the library. The book is about Henry: "Henry has been deaf from an early age―he is intelligent and aware of langauge, but by age six, he has decided it's not safe to speak to strangers. When the time comes for him to start school, he is labeled "unteachable." Because his family has very little money, his parents and older sister, Molly, feel powerless to help him. Henry is sent to Riverview, a bleak institution where he is misunderstood, underestimated, and harshly treated. Victor, a conscientious objector to World War II, is part of a Civilian Public Service program offered as an alternative to the draft. In 1942, he arrives at Riverview to serve as an attendant and quickly sees that Henry is far from unteachable―he is brave, clever, and sometimes mischievous. In Victor's care, Henry begins to see how things can change for the better."

This book was SO GOOD. It had me full-out sobbing in the middle because it was so heart-wrenching, but it came together beautifully, and I just loved it. I loved the story and characters, and it had me so engaged that once I finished, I had to give my husband a summary of the entire book over dinner. This book gave me a glimpse to some aspects of history I knew very little about (like conscientious objectors) as well as helping me see how few resources there were in the past for children with special needs. I really loved this book and highly recommend it. It's a quick read (partially because it is written in verse and partially because it's just so good that you have to keep reading) that I finished in a day.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)