Window Boy

by Andrea White

Set in 1968, this touching novel tells the story of Sam Davis, a young man with cerebral palsy that peers though his bedroom window every day at the school he longs to attend. With great determination and the help of both his caretaker and his imaginary friend, Winston Churchill, Sam not only succeeds in gaining admittance to the school and the acceptance of his peers, but also fulfills his dream of becoming the school's basketball coach. The narrative, full of poignant insights into attitudes towards people with disabilities, provides a glimpse into the life of Winston Churchill, who is a key inspiration for young Sam.

Genres: Disability, Fiction, Novels, Childrens

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Since 2006, Andrea as published four books written for middle school readers. Surviving Antarctica was selected for the Bluebonnet list and a handful of other state lists, and the Texas State Reading Association awarded it the Golden Spur award for the best book by a Texas author. In 2012, Windows on the World won the Spirit of Texas award for middle school fiction.

For four years Andrea worked full-time at the Houston Chronicle, the daily for the fourth largest city in the country. One of her editorials was featured in a package that ranked as finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2017.

She lives in Houston, TX with her husband, former Mayor Bill White.

Reviews

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam's story reminds everyone that having a disability is never a hindrance to dream big. When people have the eyes to see beyond what they see, only then will they realize that people with disabilities are not so different from them.

[Beez Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book....so much so that I went to Bluewillow Bookshop and bought another copy to send to my 8 and 11 year old nieces in Seattle. (Notice I wasn't willing to give up my own copy!)
Andrea White writes with ease, making it an enjoyable read. Though main character Sam has physical limitations, that doesn't mean he has to be limited in all ways. He learns through his love of Winston Churchill that all things are possible.
This book also reminded me of the strides we've tried to make in our public schools to be inclusive of all students...do we still have a ways to go? Yes...but let's hope we are continually moving towards excellence in education.

[Ricardut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro muy bonito... cuenta la historia desde la visión del niño, exponiendo sus pensamientos, ideas e ideologías... muy inspirador, me gustó. Este libro me hizo reír, suspirar y llorar en muchas ocasiones, ya que Sam es quien te narra cómo se siente, y cómo lo ven los demás... un mundo con muchos prejuicios ante un niño con CP.
Está escrito en un inglés no tan avanzado.

[Rokkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that's a reminder that disability and inability are two different things. It doesn't skirt around prejudices, some of which seem to be as prevalent today as they were in the 60s, when this book is set. I found it hard to like Sam's mother all that much; it seems that Miss Perkins was much more a part of Sam's life than his mother. Although to be fair to her she did have to deal with a lot in a time when it can't have been easy, and she did try for a long time before finally giving in. Some parts of the book were a bit dark, but I think the book as a whole is a good look at how the world might have been for someone like Sam in the late 1960s.

The additional information about setting up an inclusive classroom in the 21st century was pretty interesting as well; as much as we think things have improved, there's still a lot of areas where life can be difficult for people outside the realms of societal norms.

[Jayne]

A 12 year old with CP and a vivid imagination. Excellent read

[Amy-Jo Conant · Rating 3 out of 5]

All around this was a very interesting read. I'm glad I read this book which tells of one's boy's struggle to live in a world that's not really made for him. Wheelchair-bound Sam has a mind that works just fine but his cerebral palsy limits what he can physically do.

The book takes place in 1968 (well before the ADA act of 1990) when people who live with disabilities aren't provided with the same access to everyday experiences. Sam has never been to school and when he finally arrives in his 6th-grade class no one knows what to do or how to act. Sam's story is an important perspective for those able-bodied who have never experienced the isolation that comes with physical disabilities.

It's 1968 and some of the language and situations may give a slight pause but I'd say as with most historical fiction is it used in the context of the time for which it was written. It's not an easy read and the characters have many layers as do most human relationships.

The bonus material at the back of the book was as good if not better than the book itself. The Case study of the integrated kindergarten program was incredibly fascinating! Don't skip it!

[Catherine Petrini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story about Sam, a 12-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. Sam has two friends -- his housekeeper and caregiver Miss Perkins, and his idol Winston Churchill, with whom Sam imagines entire conversations. Sam is curious and intelligent. He reads, has a wider vocabulary than most 6th-graders, and remembers everything he hears. But his speech is rudimentary and difficult for anyone but his mom and Miss Perkins (and Winston) to understand. And he lacks the dexterity to hold a book or a pencil. So few people realize how smart he is.

Every day, Sam sits in his wheelchair and stares out the window at the school the other kids in the neighborhood attend, watching boys play on the basketball court and wondering what it must be like for them to be able to move and control their own bodies. When he learns that he is to attend school there, as well, he is thrilled. But Sam's challenges are just beginning.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably best for gr. 5-8. I did not enjoy this as much as the author's Surviving Antarctica, but it is a good story from the point of view of a 6th grade boy who is physically disabled and has difficulty speaking. In the 1960's, when this story is set, disabled children often did not attend school, and Sam's first experiences with school are met with limited expectations from school personnel and his fellow students. Thanks in part to the persistence of his caretaker, Mrs. Perkins, he is able to be seen for who he is until circumstances land him in an institution. There is a happy ending, though, with an afterword that describes what happened to the characters.

[Abigail]

i went into this book a little sceptical at first but was plesently suprised. not only was the story told in a feasable way but you really got to understand the main character. having a handicapped brother myself, i understand how he thinks and i know that he has a brain that is anything but dead and void of activity. in this book, you see that while the main character does get frustrated by his situation, you can see how he doesnt let it define or limit him. he knows what he wants and he's going to get it. this book is a journey that will not only help you to understand the disabled, but it also opens your eyes to the predjudice that still exists towards the disabled.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, I felt like I really got to know all the characters . I have cerebral palsy myself as well as hydrocephalus and I'm blind. I loved the team Sam and Miss Perkins made , and the basketball hoop pictures at the start of each chapter in the ebook were cute. This is the first book I've read by Andrea White. The book was an accurate account of what it's like to live with CP and I can really identify with Sam. There are a few spelling mistakes in the book, but that didn't matter, and it didn't spoil the book at all.

[Ms. Heres]

During the 1960's children with physical or mental disabilities were often sent to institutions or kept at home. They rarely had the opportunity to go to school and learn. People were often not aware of the what these children were capable of. This is Sam's story. Sam has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound. He actually does get the opportunity to go to school...but that is just the beginning of a difficult journey for him.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I was hooked from the start till the end. A boy with cerebral palsy was once a boy who lived in a wheelchair and was always placed in his favorite spot by a window to watch kids play basketball his favorite game. It tells of his struggles and how he overcomes them as he enters school and how he expresses himself to his teacher and kids who want to shun him. A beautiful outcome to a story that you won't want miss. I hope enjoy as much as I did.

[P.D. Workman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book on diversity and ability and making room for others in our schools and communities. I thought that it started out a little slowly, but I was quickly sucked into Sam's world, and sneaking in a few more pages whenever I could. Really an enjoyable, uplifting read.

[Mikayla Hildebrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives good insight on what it was like to be 'disabled' when it was still considered normal for them to be institutionalized if you were coincided special, and the battle to be treated normal by those around you.

[Deborah Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The window boy is a fan of Winston Churchill, so a good bit of his history is involved. A moving, touching story.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a free book on Amazon and I am so glad I gave it a chance. Very good book.

[Mikey Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting

I really enjoyed reading this boy about a young boy in a wheelchair who has a passion for basketball and learning. You should read it.

[Joyce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Life interrupted and I lost track of this book.