Silent Boy

The Silent Boy was written by Lois Lowry and was published in 2003. Categorized as both a young adult novel and historical fiction "The Silent Boy" is set in a 20th-century farm community. The story was inspired by a pile of photos that Lowry found and which are interspersed throughout the narrative. The story is told by Katy Thatcher, the daughter of a small-town physician whose heart is softened by a local boy with an undiagnosed mental condition.

ynopsis

Katy Thatcher is the daughter of the community doctor and dreams of being a doctor herself. Her friends include Jessie, a mischief maker and of Katy's best friends, Jesse is often shown as impolite. Another one of her close friends is Austin Bishop, who is Paul's little brother. Her goal of becoming a talented doctor and helping everybody and making the world better place is portrayed throughout the story, as well as her curiosity of lower-class people. On one of her father's calls she meets Jacob, a boy who never speaks or makes eye contact with her. Soon Jacob's family sends his sister, Peggy, to be a "mother's helper" at Katy's house. Katy develops a friendly friendship with Peggy. As Katy finds out that her mom is expecting a new baby she is very excited. Her new sister finally arrives and is named Mary. Katy's neighbor also has a helping hand named Nell, which is Peggy's sister. Over time Katy becomes friends with Jacob and learns that he loves animals. Katy learns from Peggy that Jacob is touched or is mentally challenged. Nell and Paul, son of the neighbors, start flirting and having a relationship. Katy realizes this one day when she found them in a barn together lying down together in the hay. After knowing this, Paul's parents fire Nell and she goes back to her home in disgrace. Paul was sent to an all-boys private school against his will. One tragic day after Katy's birthday, Jacob's and Peggy's oldest sister, Nell, gives birth to an unwanted baby. Jacob tries to save the baby by bringing it to Katy's mother, but the baby dies accidentally in the process. Like saving lambs Jacob tried to find a substitute mother who was Katy's mom and laid the baby down in Katy's little sister's room. When her mom sees this she is very terrified since the baby had died since it was a very early baby and the exposure to the world. Katy decided to find out what happened and finds out everything. Later Jacob is sent to mental hospital by the court. In the end even though Katy searched for Jacob in lisitng she never found him. Nellie is also not found and Katy looks through pictures to see if Nell was there, since Nell's goal was to be in pictures or movies and become an actress. Peggy is shown at twenty-one leaving Katy's family and returning to her house to marry Floyd Lelham, a man who had been waiting for her hand in marriage. Katy's family attended the wedding and they lived happily. As for Katy, she married her childhood friend Austin and became a doctor and had several kids and grandkids. She lived happily ever after.