The Silent Boy

Title: The Silent Boy
Author: Lois Lowry
(Instead of Contemporary Fiction, read for original Author Study project, considered Historical Fiction)

     This is another historical fiction novel by Lois Lowry that holds some mystery in it as well.  It is told from the point of view from a young girl, Katy, growing up in a large house in the Northeast during the early 1900's.  Katy grew up always wanting to be a doctor like her father, who she loves to ride with on calls and learn everything she can about medical work from.  She is very observant about people and their personalities, interested in saving the lives of everyone.  When she learns about a mass fire that kills a great number of young girls, Katy is interested and very sorrowful about the event.  She prays for the youngest girl every night for a long time and never forgets about the incident.  Also, when traveling with her father in their buggy, Katy become interested in the Asylum at the end of town, and wants to know everything about the patients, and why her father cannot heal all their problems.  Then there is Jacob, a boy a couple years older than Katy who lives in the neighborhood and is the brother of Katy's family's house girl, Peggy.  Katy finds great interest in Jacob.  Jacob does not talk or ever looks at Katy in the eyes, but he has an unusual sense and talent with animals.  Most of the town dismisses Jacob, calling him an imbecile, however Katy and her father disagree.  They often give Jacob rides, as he wanders often and loves their horses.  Katy is very interested in Jacob's movements and imitation noises he can make as well as his special sense for animals.  The develop an understanding and rather unusual bond of friendship.  Though it is only Katy doing the talking, she comes to understand Jacob more than anyone else.  At the end of the book, there is a great misunderstanding that occurs, as Jacob uses his instinct with animals to try to help his family, however no one sees his actions as Katy does.  He is accused and immediately taken away by the town with no second guesses, even though Katy knows his true intentions.  From then on Katy will never forget Jacob, the girl who died in the fire, and the screams from the Asylum in her town, as she grows and becomes the doctor she always knew she'd be.

     This was a very interesting book to read and I think it was very informational about the time period and what it was like to grow up then.  Students will be able to connect with the main character, who because she was somewhat wealthy at that time, had a lot of the same wants and desires as children today.  The games she played with her friends, her annoyance with a baby sister, and the great need for a birthday party.  I found she could be selfish and sometimes rude but it was still an intriguing book to make the reader think deeper about mental illnesses and how they have been perceived through history.