Hey~ don't say I didn't warn you. Petey is a major tearjerker:- title character, born with cerebral palsy, is misdiagnosed as retarded as an infant and spends his life in mental institutions
- he is also confined to a wheelchair
- he gets abused by bullies
- he can barely communicate with the world
- the few people he can connect with over the years inevitably leave him
So why read this book? Because when Petey is sixty years old, a boy named Trevor Ladd enters his life and changes it forever. Keep the tissues nearby, and read Petey: it'll open your eyes to what it takes to accept people who are "different."
This book tells a sad story of a person with a beautiful mind but a deformed body trying to make friends through his journey at an insane asylum he was put in when he was a baby. All through Petey's life he was wrongly diagnosed as being an idiot (that's what they called him). Everyone thought because he looked different their was nothing else he was capable of, but Petey was capable of doing anything the only thing that stopped him was the deformity of his body. This showed me to NEVER judge a book by its cover. I would recommend this book. Its overall a beautiful story of a man with cerebral pausy.
ReplyDeletePetey is an amazing book that gives the reader a new look on life. Throughout his life Petey is judged and looked down upon, but he still makes friends. Finally, he is rediagnosed and but is still imprisoned in a nursing home instead of an asylum. Then he meets Trevor, and everything changes....
ReplyDeleteI toatally agree with you, but I do think "imprisoned" would not be the word to use with Petey's experience with the nursing home. Since meeting Trevor he has been on so many adventures, ones he could have never imagined going on before, giving his condition.
DeleteThis is a very well written book. That tells a story of a man(Petey) trapped in a body that won't bend to his will. He had a rough life not being able to speak he could not tell people what he wanted. This book is sad, but a very nice ,emotional read allowing you to lose yourself to read "Just one more page"
ReplyDeleteAlthough it might be a little self-explanatory, the ending was a bit confusing. All-in-all I agree with you that this was a great and tragic book and that it was impossible to put it down. Just one more page is true!
DeleteI thought this book used great examples of imagery, especially in those times when there was a crisis at Warm Springs. Petey would use all of his energy and movable body parts to alert the staff. I truly thought this was a sensational novel and I'd recommend it to anybody.
ReplyDelete@T3Whittemore I wouldn't really recommend it to anybody. I myself feel it's for people who can stand these poor conditions. Like in the summary this book is a tear jerkers so if you don't like those I myself wouldn't read it. However I can agree with you that this book really shows that sense of urgency and pain as Petey tries his hardest to communicate with the staff.
DeleteThis book was reflective in that life can't be seen through eyes but felt through hearts. This was the statement repeated throughout the novel. It is very upsetting that Petey never could do the normal thing others could because of his deformations, and for this, life was a challenge both internally and externally. However, people and RODENTS were there to help him on the way, yet soon left his life, some forever and others not. Petey has a fantastic plot and story full of imagery, a reflective moral, and a touching book. What else could you want? YOU HAVE TO READ IT especially from front to back!
ReplyDeleteThis book really opened my eyes in realizing that when someone acts "weird" or looks kind of "funny" it isn't because they necessarily choose to. Petey was born with cerebral palsy but was given the diagnosis of an idiot by his doctor. Being sent to an asylum was definitely a bad choice. Although he made a few friends along the way, Trevor was the greatest friend for Petey. How Trevor overcame his fear of being made fun of for being with Petey is just outstanding! I believe that there needs to be more people like Trevor who realize that your character is what's on the outside; it’s what’s on the inside. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It doesn’t matter what kind of books you like to read, you NEED to read this one.
ReplyDeleteI agree W2Morgan that people need to look on the inside and not what's on the outside. Because some people look funny doesn't mean they are an idiot it just means they were born that way and they really could be intellegent.
DeleteThis book gives me a new outlook on those with a disability or handicap, it shows that Petey (a victum of cerebral palsy) has more will to do things than his body will allow him to show. It is more like an emotional rollercoaster with alll of the plot twists and the extradorinary highs and devastating lows. I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend people my age to read it.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really good book. I don't think it was nearly as sad as everyone made it out to be. In fact, it was more uplifting than sad, the fact that Petey faced so many obstacles and still enjoyed life so much. After I finished this book, it gave me a since of appreciation of little things. I recommend this book.
ReplyDeletePetey is a sad book, but it didn't make me cry because I don't cry by reading books. It was an amazing story. My favorite part would have to be Petey's journey to the adult ward. I love how the author uses so much imagery when he is being pushed through the outside world that he has longed to be in. Petey is always happy, and that is how I want to be.
ReplyDeletePetey was an awesome and touching book. I have to say I cried, a lot. The first half of the book moved pretty slow for me, until the point of view changed from Petey's life to Trevor's. I think that is because I would have more in common with Trevor, him being closer to my age. But, overall Petey was an amazing book that I would recommend to anyone.
ReplyDeleteThis book was touching and needed. I was able to connect to this book intensely due to family reasons. This being said, I probably cried more than most. This book gives us a new look on life and disabilities. Petey was an inspirational character and a true fighter. He had every reason to give up, but he never failed to overcome his set backs. This book just proves that you should never doubt nor judge an individual. It also shows that you should enjoy life and keep going when things get hard. I think this book is one that everyone and should read and I would recommend it in a heart beat.
DeleteI agree with you W3Parks! The first part was a little slow for me as well. When part two came along, I felt the ending flew by! I also think that the ending went by much quicker, because I can relate to the age better! I cried for most, if not all the way through the book to! I agree with recommending this book!
DeleteOut of all three books that I read this was my favorite one. I would have never guessed that the author would write this book in two different perspectives. This difference in point of view helped me to increase my understanding of life with and without disabilities. I found Petey's will to live an inspiration that has helped me to realize how fortunate I really am. Petey could not do the simplest of things such as brush his teeth or even chew his food. The dialogue in this story was outstanding and even relatable, especially when Trevor was talking to his parents. I would recommend this book to anyone in search of a great book.
ReplyDeletePetey was real eye opener for me! This book was so touching and I cried at least for more than over half of the book! Petey couldn’t help the way he looked or the way he was born, but that never stopped him from trying! Petey (born with cerebral palsy) couldn’t physically walk or be fully understood like you and I can, but he could captivate people with just the look of love in his eyes! Trevor had a lot of internal and external conflict happing to him. His external conflict was having to put up with the bullies every day for him being friends with Petey. Trevor’s internal conflict was knowing that Petey wasn’t going to live forever. Another internal conflict was not realizing until the end that he needed Petey more than Petey needed him!
ReplyDeletePetey was a tear jerker and an eye opener for me. I’ve never really judged when I see somebody who’s “different” from me but I’ve never made an effort to know and understand them either. After reading this book I have a different attitude towards being around people who might be a tad different from me on the outside but no different on the inside. As everybody always says, it’s what’s on the inside that really matters! I will say, Petey did have a slow beginning but began to progress a little ways into the book. It’s worth the time and effort to pick this book up and read it!
ReplyDeleteThis book is very descriptive and I could easily picture the events in my head because of the imagery. However, as much as I tried not to, I did shed a tear or two. I love how the book starts with Petey still little, and I got to read about all the experiences he had as he grew up. It did make me mad that everyone referred to him as an idiot.
ReplyDeleteI was absolutely in love with this book. It is about a man, Petey, who is trapped in his own body, unable to move. This book is an emotional roller-coaster. It starts out slow, but picks up towards the middle. The dialog in this book was really amazing, because it really helped you understand what Petey was like; also what he had to go through with others.
ReplyDeleteThis book makes you think about other people differently and what they be going through. I loved the story of Petey and disorder. I loved how everyone ending up loving Petey after they got to know him. It seemed that everytime Petey found someone who understood his situation that something would happen to them. I would give this book a 5 because it made me realize other peoples' emotions.
ReplyDeleteThis book was very heartwarming and touching. I enjoyed reading this story because it shows that no matter the cirumstance you should never give up or stop trying. I don't think a book has ever made me cry until i read this! It was such an inspiring story. I'm in love with Petey's integrety and his strength.
ReplyDeleteThis book tought me about to never judge a book by its cover. Petey is an inspiring story that will teach us to be happy with our lives because many other people have worse conditions than we do.
ReplyDeleteThis book was amazing and inspiring. It gave you a different outlook of "special" people. Even though some parts were upsetting, it came out with a good ending and it has become one of my favorites. I will and have recommended this book to others.
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