Helicopter Man

by Elizabeth Fensham

Fifteen-year-old Peter Sinclair's father is a paranoid schizophrenic, afraid of helicopters, police, and life itself. When Peter's mother leaves home one day and doesn't return, Pete and his father soon find themselves living hand-to-mouth, estranged from family, and teetering on the brink of homelessness. Based on a real experience, this is a haunting and ultimately redemptive story of illness, love, and a boy's indomitable spirit to survive.

Genres: Young Adult, Australia, Fiction, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Family, Middle Grade

144 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2005

About the author

Elizabeth Fensham is an Australian writer and school teacher. She grew up in Sydney and now lives in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges. Her first novel, Helicopter Man, won the Australian Children's Book Council's Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2006. Miss McAllister's Ghost achieved a CBCA Notable Award in 2009. Her third novel, Goodbye Jamie Boyd, which deals with the sensitive issue of a teenager's schizophrenia, was shortlisted for the Bologna Book Fair's White Raven Award in 2009.

Reviews

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pete's mum has died in a car accident and his dad has taken him away from home to keep him safe. Hiding constantly, being continually hungry, dashing from one set of temporary accommodation to another - seedier and dirtier with every move, Pete is only just holding the situation with his dad together. Slowly it's beginning to dawn on him that the helicopters his father fears aren't trying to flush them out of their refuge. Slowly it's beginning to be apparent that his kind and loving father is so fearful of danger that he is over-protective and controlling to an abnormal degree. Slowly he's realising that not all is right in his dad's head.

Dealing with the difficult themes of mental illness and how it is treated by friends, relatives, society, doctors and the welfare system.

[Cam · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Daughter has this for her class read for Year 7 next year, I will be most interested to hear her thoughts. Tough subject matter & the first half of the novel may be very difficult for that age group to grasp the story line without some formal discussion in general about the disease of schizophrenia. I can see that if what I read was true & this was originally written with a very small market in mind (a resource for families) it would be an excellent lead in & case study for tweens & teenagers who are already familiar with similar behaviours & may need further clarification.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lots of people who love someone with a mental illness feel like you do, but you can't rescue them."

Elizabeth Fensham will always have a special place in my heart; she wrote Miss McAllister's Ghost - the first book that made me cry. So even though it has been a few years and I've grown a lot since then, Helicopter Man still had that same tone that would have made 10 year old Emma teary.

This novel is definitely suited to older primary or younger high school but it presents and deals with issues in such a simple and profound way that any who read would be captivated. It's Australian YA - another reason to get excited. The novel is told by the diary of Pete and captures a real loving relationship between dad and son, even if dad doesn't make sense all of the time and they're living on the run.

12 year old Pete tries to protect his dad when they get caught, and feels bad that he wasn't able to help more. But Pete eventually realises with the help of his new and old friends that his dad is sick (with schizophrenia) and the best way to help him get better is just to be there for him.

This novel so cleverly teaches children that having parents with mental illness is not their fault and is not something to be ashamed of. I highly recommend.

[Zenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this with my year seven class. Obviously, reading for school means going more in depth with all of this books aspects and elements. I really love this story. Sadly, our English teacher had to spoil one of the main things in this book for us to be able to study it. :(

[Annabell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book for me. It had been recommended to me by a friend and although I hadn't picked it out as a read myself thought I'd give it a go as it sounded somewhat similar to other books that I'd read.
My first thoughts were that this was a book for a younger reader maybe even 8-12 year olds. It was in a diary format and very easy to read. I flew through this book finishing it in 3 reads (This is quick for me!). And I was very surprised. It was not what I thought the book would be, but in a good way I never thought of.
Throughout the book there was an overall air of mystery and I wasn't too sure what was going on. For me at the beginning and middle it was lacking a bit of action and good characters but by the end I understood it all and it somewhat worked. I think the message was beautiful and the lesson was truly great. It was not as I said in any way expected but by the end I really liked it and understood it, even as a bit older reader I think it was a great message and lesson and think it's amazing in that aspect for its younger audience as it is in that age bracket that you really should be getting educated on this and if all kids were to read books like this and there were more books like this we would have a beautiful understanding generation growing up. I believe the author deserves much credit fir this.

Overall a good read preferably for kids 13 and under but good nonetheless for anyone older.
Don't be deceived by the blurb and title and really the story at first in its heart it is brilliant.

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells so much truth. It shows what illness can do to families.
Young Pete, has no idea about is Father's illness. Pete believes everything his father said, till finally when Pete's world turns upside down, he finds out his father is ill, and that their not on the run. Pete finds out truth behind his dead mother. And makes plenty new friends.
This really is a good book!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for boys in middle school - keeps you guessing about what is wrong with the father.
Really explores well-being and mental illness. Highly recommended.

[Tessa Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this for Year 8 English. I'm not a big fan of this book at all. Before reading it as a class, I had already read it and hated it. Reading and studying it got a bit more in depth and I started to enjoy it, until the end and then I remembered why I hated it so much. The plot is twisted. Pete's father believes that he is being chased by helicopters and that they are going to take him away. But as the book goes on we realise that he actually has a mental disorder, schizophrenia. Then he is put in a home and Pete lives with his foster parents, Prue and Godfrey, who are rich and send Pete to school. Throughout the book, Pete has a great interest in his mice and Godfreys father builds him a mouse castle and Pete loves it! He takes his mice into school and they begin a mouse library so that the class can take one home. Pete visits his father several times and even tries to escape with his father. On the last time he visits, they go for a walk and a helicopter comes and Petes dad is not afraid of it. I think that the ending is pretty dumb, yes so he recovered from schizophrenia but it was just so sudden and bam the books finished. I also don't like the story from when Pete goes to Prue and Godfreys till the end because his dad isn't a major part of this part of the book and it was just weird reading about different things that happened while his father wasn't around. I gave this 3 stars because I started to like it reading it a second time.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since Peter's mother left six years ago and subsequently died in a car accident, twelve-year-old Peter has led a chaotic existence with his father who fears helicopters and believes powerful people send him secret messages while others chase him. Peter narrowly saves his father from drowning, and that event finally alerts social services to the family's need and leads them to a hopeful future. Peter gradually comes to understand his father's condition in this fact-based Australian story of life with a paranoid schizophrenic, and the young protagonist's voice and confusion ring true. The story contains strong language that may be offensive to some readers, and the use of Australian slang may confuse others. Read aloud a tense scene in which Peter and his father flee from the "spies" who are after him, and this book will fly from library shelves.

[Brock Wimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was so good that I just had to read it again. The main character, Peter is on the run with his father, and what they encounter is incredible. I love the illusion that Peter's father creates for his son sticks with him, but the fact that they are both dynamic characters is amazing. The change that they both go through, especially with the relations to the mice, changed my view of homeless people. His father wasn't only homeless because he was lazy, he was homeless due to a disease, which made me feel bad for him, especially on the affects that it had on his son during the run. If you like adventure books in the real world, then you gotta read this!

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story told from the point of view (diary-style) of a boy whose father is suffering from schizophrenia. He doesn't really understand that his father is ill, and goes along with hiding from the helicopters and moving from place to place because it "isn't safe". As the father's condition gets worse, he is involuntarily hospitalized and the boy placed in a foster home. He gradually comes to understand what is happening and that recovery is a slow process. In places, the Australian slang slowed me down, but most of it could be understood in context.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book in JUNIOR FICTION- actually one of my younger kids did thinking it was a bit of a spy mystery (Max Remy like) the cover and description certainly match their choice. They quickly got bored of it- mainly because the content and themes were beyond them. I however, loved!  

Is written through the eyes of a 12 yr old; journaling his life and mapping his experiences and realisations of his unconventional family life. Deals with loss, grief, mental illness and friendship.

Definitely not junior fiction but a great read for teens and on.

[Kymmw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book in JUNIOR FICTION- actually one of my younger kids did thinking it was a bit of a spy mystery (Max Remy like) the cover and description certainly match their choice. They quickly got bored of it- mainly because the content and themes were beyond them. I however, loved!

Is written through the eyes of a 12 yr old; journaling his life and mapping his experiences and realisations of his unconventional family life. Deals with loss, grief, mental illness and friendship.

Definitely not junior fiction but a great read for teens and on.

[Mostafa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifteen-year-old Peter Sinclair's father is a paranoid schizophrenic, afraid of helicopters, police, and life itself. When Peter's mother leaves home one day and doesn't return, Pete and his father soon find themselves living hand-to-mouth, estranged from family, and teetering on the brink of homelessness. Based on a real experience, this is a haunting and ultimately redemptive story of illness, love, and a boy's indomitable spirit to survive.

[Janine Darragh · Rating 4 out of 5]

More about schizophrenia than poverty, and more of a juvenile than a YA novel. This is an honest look at mental illness. The author said she wrote it because, as a teacher, she was looking for a way to explain to students what living with someone who has schizophrenia is like. I think she did a great job meeting her goal.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the dollar store of all places. It was a nice quick read. I was surprised at how good it was. I knew what was going to happen but I still cared about the characters enough to keep reading. For anyone who suffers, has family or friends who suffer from mental illness might find it triggering and a little depressing but still a very good read!

[Mr. Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

By the author's admission, this book is intended for a very small audience: schizophrenics and their families. It treats the topic delicately. Based on a real experience, this is a haunting story of illness, love and a boy's spirit to survive. Not for everyone.

[Rebecca Osburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story! Realistic characters and a unique plot combine to create a window into the difficult life of a child dealing with the death of one parent and the mental illness of another parent. The story is presented as a diary, adding to the realism.

[Nett Uwland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very confusing to get into first, and with the adult themes of mental issues, I would suggest this book would be suitable for an older student age group. Great book to engage the reader quickly and very suitable as a class reader.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, this book hurt my emotions. I am so glad there are more books out there about children dealing with their parents' mental health and this novel is an honest and touching book about the effect of schizophrenia upon an Australian family.

[Brittny]

I love it

[Gisele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching read about the impact of mental illness on children and family

[Anna Ciddor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Junior, listened on audio. Well written but slightly disturbing theme

[Natty · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars...

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought this to use with a student... Glad I read it first because there is some profanity