Petey

I remember reading this book when I was in middle school. Now im a special Education teacher and I read this in my interpersonal skills class to high schoolers who need support in emotional regulation. Helps them get a different perspective.

It took a while to get here, a week and a half from when I ordered it. But that was the delivery date I was given and book was as promised.

Forever a favorite!

Petey is a story that has touched my life and made me a different person. I now look at life as a wonderful and joyous gift that I was given. I now remind myself that life could have thrown me a curve ball, like Petey's. However, Petey never lets that hinder his love for life and how he touched the lives of others. I read this story and immediately knew that it would be a read-aloud in my classroom. It has made an enormous difference in the way my students look at people with disabilities and are different than themselves. They cry, laugh, and want to talk about what is going on in the story as never before during a read aloud. Last year, not long after I started reading Petey, a boy moved into your school who had a disability a lot like Petey's. The kids immediately began talking about how his life must be hard like Petey's, how they wanted to be his friend, could they learn sign language to communicate better with him, etc. Instead of laughing like most young people, my students welcomed him with open arms. I cried when i realized that Petey had made a difference in my children's lives.I don't know if you are aware of the fact that Petey is a real person that the author met and became involved in his life. He took him on trips and did many of the things that happen in the book. It is evident that this man changed the life of the author, just like he has changed so many lives with this book.This book is a MUST READ!

My grade school teacher read this aloud when I was a kid. And once I had my own children I tracked it down so I could read it aloud to them as well. I also live/grew up in Bozeman which makes it all the more relateable :)

My grandson was reading this book in 6th grade and I wanted to be able to discuss the book with him. I loved the book and it deeply moved me. All people deserve dignity and need love.

For years, as fellow teacher recommended this book to us and repeatedly sang its praises. Being stubborn, I put it off until last week. I shouldn't have waited so long! Not only does this book sing to me in telling Petey's story, but I loved the "second story" -- the blessing that Petey became in Trevor's life. Mikaelsen did an exceptional job of researching a history that seemed impossible to backtrack . . . yet this book never seems like a lesson in history as Petey's experiences at both the Warm Spring Asylum and the nursing home in Bozeman transcend the ordinary reporting of facts and takes the reader into the minds of each of these exceptional characters. "Petey" is an warmly told heart wrenching story.

Only giving 4 stars instead of 5 because my book, while brand new, had a deep gash in the front where a box cutter cut into it. The book itself is really great. It takes a lot to make me cry for a book, but this story is just so well written and what Petey goes through is terrible. But,*spoilers*He overcame what life threw at him and I will always appreciate this story.

L loved this book. I could relate to Petey's challenges and loved his determination to do what he had to do!

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