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Petey
In 1922, at the age of two, Petey's distraught parents commit him to the state's insane asylum, unaware that their son is actually suffering from severe cerebral palsy. Bound by his wheelchair and struggling to communicate with the people around him, Petey finds a way to remain kind and generous despite the horrific conditions in his new "home." Through the decades, he befriends several caretakers but is heartbroken when each eventually leaves him. Determined not to be hurt again, he vows to no longer let hope of lifelong friends and family torment him.
That changes after he is moved into a nursing home and meets a young teen named Trevor Ladd; he sees something in the boy and decides to risk friendship one last time. Trevor, new to town and a bit of a loner, is at first weary of the old man in the wheelchair. But after hearing more of his story, Trevor learns that there is much more to Petey than meets the eye.
Petey is a touching story of friendship, discovery, and the uplifting power of the human spirit.
That changes after he is moved into a nursing home and meets a young teen named Trevor Ladd; he sees something in the boy and decides to risk friendship one last time. Trevor, new to town and a bit of a loner, is at first weary of the old man in the wheelchair. But after hearing more of his story, Trevor learns that there is much more to Petey than meets the eye.
Petey is a touching story of friendship, discovery, and the uplifting power of the human spirit.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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2348 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 656 reviews
May 18, 2013
My 4th grade son's class read this together. He came home talking about it. And then, luckily, they got to have a phone interview with the author! As he learned more about the back story of Petey from the author, he came to love the book even more. One day while we were in the library, he insisted that we check the book out so I could read it too. I agreed and we brought it home.
Technically, it wasn't a difficult book to read, but it was hard.... emotionally. Maybe more so because I'm a mother. I cried as Petey's mother, who had done everything she could for her son, put him on a train and into the State's care. I cried as Petey tried to reach out from his bodily prison, trying to show the people around him he wasn't really an "idiot". I rejoiced as he made small advances, and I wished with all my heart that he had been born in a different time where he could have gotten the help and therapy he needed.
I read the book in a day and a half, my son asking my constantly, "How do you like it, Mom?"
I have to say I enjoyed it immensely, and I'm so grateful for a good teacher who wants to teach her class compassion and looking at people's hearts....not just the outer shell.
Technically, it wasn't a difficult book to read, but it was hard.... emotionally. Maybe more so because I'm a mother. I cried as Petey's mother, who had done everything she could for her son, put him on a train and into the State's care. I cried as Petey tried to reach out from his bodily prison, trying to show the people around him he wasn't really an "idiot". I rejoiced as he made small advances, and I wished with all my heart that he had been born in a different time where he could have gotten the help and therapy he needed.
I read the book in a day and a half, my son asking my constantly, "How do you like it, Mom?"
I have to say I enjoyed it immensely, and I'm so grateful for a good teacher who wants to teach her class compassion and looking at people's hearts....not just the outer shell.
May 6, 2018
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. <3
March 24, 2010
Ben Mikaelsen does not possess the talent to be writing a book about cerebral palsy. His words are clumsy and pedestrian, his characters are paper dolls, his pacing is non-existent, and his sense of plot is amateur at best. Most of Petey centers around the titular character, who suffers from cerebral palsy, and the people who enter his life only to abandon him a couple chapters later. Is this Mikaelsen's Big Message? Humans Are Uncomfortable And More Than Willing To Ditch People Who Aren't Perfect?
What's this, though? A 12 year-old befriends a 70 year-old Petey and makes strident, unbelievable changes in the man's final months on earth? Heartwarming! A triumph of the spirit! A parable for the ages!
Well, no. Not at all. Petey is a mess of a book. A sloppy, drippy mess of a book. One that aims for aching, powerful themes, but can barely cobble together anything more than navel-gazing, made-for-TV-movie shmaltz. Out there is an author who will do justice to the topic, one who will illuminate the lives of those afflicted with the condition. But that author's name is not Ben Mikaelsen.
Need proof?
Top Five (of about 101) Gaggiest Moments In Petey
5. "'Someday, somewhere, there's gonna be a better world. When we get there, my friend, you're gonna be at the front of the line. You hear me, the front of the line.'" (page 136)
4. "'This body and this wheelchair isn't you [sic:]. You're a knight in shining armor. You're brave and wonderful, and I love you.' Her voice trembled." (page 105)
3. (After being abandoned for the millionth time) "Parked alone on the grass one day, Petey made a vow. He would still be happy, but from now on, no matter how difficult, he would never allow himself to love anyone again. He had been hurt for the last time!" (page 142)
2. "'Will you be my grandfather? ... Family is different than friends. You'd always be my grandfather in my heart. You'd be stuck with me - I'll never leave you.'" (page 278)
1. "Sissy paused. 'We're all dying from the second we're born. That's why it is so important to live.'" (page 279)
I'm not a cynic, though. Young readers would be far better serviced with books like Al Capone Does My Shirts, Do You Remember The Color Blue?, Joey Pigza Swallowed The Key, and Rules.
For additional books that celebrate the successes of the physically, emotionally, or mentally disabled, visit ALA's recommended list ALA's recommended list or visit the page devoted to the winners of the Schneider Family Book Award.
What's this, though? A 12 year-old befriends a 70 year-old Petey and makes strident, unbelievable changes in the man's final months on earth? Heartwarming! A triumph of the spirit! A parable for the ages!
Well, no. Not at all. Petey is a mess of a book. A sloppy, drippy mess of a book. One that aims for aching, powerful themes, but can barely cobble together anything more than navel-gazing, made-for-TV-movie shmaltz. Out there is an author who will do justice to the topic, one who will illuminate the lives of those afflicted with the condition. But that author's name is not Ben Mikaelsen.
Need proof?
Top Five (of about 101) Gaggiest Moments In Petey
5. "'Someday, somewhere, there's gonna be a better world. When we get there, my friend, you're gonna be at the front of the line. You hear me, the front of the line.'" (page 136)
4. "'This body and this wheelchair isn't you [sic:]. You're a knight in shining armor. You're brave and wonderful, and I love you.' Her voice trembled." (page 105)
3. (After being abandoned for the millionth time) "Parked alone on the grass one day, Petey made a vow. He would still be happy, but from now on, no matter how difficult, he would never allow himself to love anyone again. He had been hurt for the last time!" (page 142)
2. "'Will you be my grandfather? ... Family is different than friends. You'd always be my grandfather in my heart. You'd be stuck with me - I'll never leave you.'" (page 278)
1. "Sissy paused. 'We're all dying from the second we're born. That's why it is so important to live.'" (page 279)
I'm not a cynic, though. Young readers would be far better serviced with books like Al Capone Does My Shirts, Do You Remember The Color Blue?, Joey Pigza Swallowed The Key, and Rules.
For additional books that celebrate the successes of the physically, emotionally, or mentally disabled, visit ALA's recommended list ALA's recommended list or visit the page devoted to the winners of the Schneider Family Book Award.
October 6, 2016
I honestly can only think of a few books that truly changed my life. Petey was certainly one of those. I first read the book as a child and can even remember the moment I took it off the shelf. Among other things, Petey is a profound meditation on joy, love and our search for meaning. As someone with CP, Petey was one of the first books I really related to. And for that reason, and so many others, Petey will always have a special place in my heart.
December 26, 2012
Wow! What a powerful read!
I bought this book, kind of by accident. I bought a set of audiobooks and received Petey as a bonus audiobook. I wanted my students to read along as they listen so I needed a hard copy. Both audiobook and hard copy have sat on the shelves for two years. The book is highly recommended so I needed to read it so I could hard sell it to my students.
I read it in less than a day. I couldn't put it down.
Sometimes it's hard to realize how recently we stigmatized physical disabilities as strongly as depicted in this book. To be labeled "an idiot" and placed in an insane asylum just because of a physical disability is incredible to our modern sensibilities. What does physical disability have to do with insanity? Especially at such a young age as Petey--2 years old. For that matter, why would an insane asylum have an infant ward at all?
The neglect suffered by the inmates, the suffering of the patients, the constant dissatisfaction... what an awful life to lead. People appearing and disappearing for no reason. Visits by the public as if the asylum were some kind of zoo.
Petey is trapped in his body as a cerebral palsy patient and, as a result, in the asylum. I wonder what happened to his family who had to give him up because he was too much work and too expensive for them to keep. I wonder what happened to the only female love in his life. I wonder how he stayed sane in such an insane environment. I wonder how anyone survived the insanity.
This will be a delicate book to introduce but I think the students will appreciate the story.
I bought this book, kind of by accident. I bought a set of audiobooks and received Petey as a bonus audiobook. I wanted my students to read along as they listen so I needed a hard copy. Both audiobook and hard copy have sat on the shelves for two years. The book is highly recommended so I needed to read it so I could hard sell it to my students.
I read it in less than a day. I couldn't put it down.
Sometimes it's hard to realize how recently we stigmatized physical disabilities as strongly as depicted in this book. To be labeled "an idiot" and placed in an insane asylum just because of a physical disability is incredible to our modern sensibilities. What does physical disability have to do with insanity? Especially at such a young age as Petey--2 years old. For that matter, why would an insane asylum have an infant ward at all?
The neglect suffered by the inmates, the suffering of the patients, the constant dissatisfaction... what an awful life to lead. People appearing and disappearing for no reason. Visits by the public as if the asylum were some kind of zoo.
Petey is trapped in his body as a cerebral palsy patient and, as a result, in the asylum. I wonder what happened to his family who had to give him up because he was too much work and too expensive for them to keep. I wonder what happened to the only female love in his life. I wonder how he stayed sane in such an insane environment. I wonder how anyone survived the insanity.
This will be a delicate book to introduce but I think the students will appreciate the story.
November 30, 2008
In 1920, Petey is born with Cerebral Palsy. After his parents drained their savings trying to treat him, Petey is given to the state, where he grows up in a state mental institution. Since he cannot speak, he is considered an idiot, but Petey can hear, think, and feel. As time goes by, Petey learns to communicate and makes friends along the way, but through various circumstances beyond his control, he is always alone in the end. In the second part of the book, Petey is an old man, and he hasn’t ignored his lifelong desire for friendship and family. When he meets a young teen, Petey thinks that maybe this is his final chance for all he has ever wanted.
Petey is a real tearjerker of a book. But through all of the sadness in the first half of the book, there is an uplifting theme, of compassion, of having a positive attitude, of how you shouldn’t judge people, of treatment of the disabled. I would consider this book “Inspirational Teen”; there’s not a strong religious tone to the book, but I would recommend this book to lovers of inspirational fiction.
Petey is a real tearjerker of a book. But through all of the sadness in the first half of the book, there is an uplifting theme, of compassion, of having a positive attitude, of how you shouldn’t judge people, of treatment of the disabled. I would consider this book “Inspirational Teen”; there’s not a strong religious tone to the book, but I would recommend this book to lovers of inspirational fiction.
November 3, 2016
"Mücevher, nasıl parlayacağını keşfeden bir kaya parçasıdır..."
Engelli vücudunun içine hapsolmuş biri nasıl mutlu olmayı böyle güzel başarabilir? Petey'i özel yapan neydi? Hayat ona adil davranmadı ama o, asla sahip olduklarından fazlasını istemedi. Çünkü imkansız görünse de onun yaşamı, hayattan zevk almak üzerine kurulmuştu... Ben çok etkilenmiştim bu kitaptaki gerçek yaşanmış hayat hikayesinden.
Farelerle bile dost olabilmiş bu yüce yürekten çok ders öğrenmiştim... o çıkardığım dersler , uzun süre bende işe yarar diye düşünmüştüm...
Ama ne yazık ki ,
ne de az şükrediyoruz .... Ne de çabuk unutuyoruz...
Engelli vücudunun içine hapsolmuş biri nasıl mutlu olmayı böyle güzel başarabilir? Petey'i özel yapan neydi? Hayat ona adil davranmadı ama o, asla sahip olduklarından fazlasını istemedi. Çünkü imkansız görünse de onun yaşamı, hayattan zevk almak üzerine kurulmuştu... Ben çok etkilenmiştim bu kitaptaki gerçek yaşanmış hayat hikayesinden.
Farelerle bile dost olabilmiş bu yüce yürekten çok ders öğrenmiştim... o çıkardığım dersler , uzun süre bende işe yarar diye düşünmüştüm...
Ama ne yazık ki ,
ne de az şükrediyoruz .... Ne de çabuk unutuyoruz...
April 9, 2008
I learned that you should never ever judge someone by how they look. Just because a person is disabled doesn't mean they're idiotic! I recommend this to people who like reading books about someone and how they grow up. So basically I recommend this to people who like reading about someone and who like crying while reading the book and laughing while reading it.
November 29, 2015
My mom brought me home a (signed!) copy of this book after meeting the author. I thought it sounded fantastic and was excited to pick it up. I’ve read one other Ben Mikaelson book, Touching Spirit Bear, and for the most part I enjoyed it, but I did have to read it for school and do about a thousand projects related to it, which definitely took away from the enjoyment. However, that’s not the book we’re talking about right now.
So, Petey. Overall, I liked it. It was definitely middle grade, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it was just a very prominent thing. The plot wasn’t too complex and there weren’t any huge surprises (to the point where the synopsis was almost a summary), but it was still a fun read.
For the most part, I liked the characters, Petey’s best friend Calvin having to be my favorite. I did have some issues with Trevor. He didn’t read like a “young teen” at all. He was incredibly indecisive and extremely moody. It seemed like every other page he was getting really, really mad about something out of the blue and then feeling guilty about it.
I did like how much we got to know Petey. You would think that the beginning of this book would open with Trevor and then we would get to know Petey’s backstory over time, but we really follow Petey throughout the years. By the end of the book, readers of this book will catch on to Peter’s diction and know what he’s saying even before it is translated for you.
It was quite a sad story, as you would expect after the synopsis tells about how Petey lost friends over and over again. However, the ending of this book didn’t break my heart like I thought it would.
I think it’s because everything wrapped up so perfectly. Literally every lose end was tied and everyone who could’ve been considered an antagonist joined the good side. It was all a little too perfect. The overall message, however, was a great one.
All in all, this was a fun book that I think would appeal to middle grade readers. It wasn’t one of those middle grade books (like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter) that I think is completely necessary to read or as enjoyable to read as a young adult or adult, but I don’t regret reading it. It was a quick read that helped get me out of a reading slump and I know that my younger cousins will really enjoy it next!
3/5 stars
So, Petey. Overall, I liked it. It was definitely middle grade, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it was just a very prominent thing. The plot wasn’t too complex and there weren’t any huge surprises (to the point where the synopsis was almost a summary), but it was still a fun read.
For the most part, I liked the characters, Petey’s best friend Calvin having to be my favorite. I did have some issues with Trevor. He didn’t read like a “young teen” at all. He was incredibly indecisive and extremely moody. It seemed like every other page he was getting really, really mad about something out of the blue and then feeling guilty about it.
I did like how much we got to know Petey. You would think that the beginning of this book would open with Trevor and then we would get to know Petey’s backstory over time, but we really follow Petey throughout the years. By the end of the book, readers of this book will catch on to Peter’s diction and know what he’s saying even before it is translated for you.
It was quite a sad story, as you would expect after the synopsis tells about how Petey lost friends over and over again. However, the ending of this book didn’t break my heart like I thought it would.
I think it’s because everything wrapped up so perfectly. Literally every lose end was tied and everyone who could’ve been considered an antagonist joined the good side. It was all a little too perfect. The overall message, however, was a great one.
All in all, this was a fun book that I think would appeal to middle grade readers. It wasn’t one of those middle grade books (like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter) that I think is completely necessary to read or as enjoyable to read as a young adult or adult, but I don’t regret reading it. It was a quick read that helped get me out of a reading slump and I know that my younger cousins will really enjoy it next!
3/5 stars
March 4, 2009
Okay this is one of the greatest books ever. I read it in 4th grade and almost cried. It's great
August 26, 2013
My name is Emily Dent and I read the book Petey with my pride class. This book deserves four stars! It was really good! I have always been one of those people who are really rude and mean when it come to disabled people or people with special needs, which is pretty sad... But reading this book has really changed my perspective towards disabled people. The boy Petey is so strong after being born and being labeled an idiot and retarded. This book really makes you think... wow, that could have been me. I could be that kid in the wheel chair. I could look like that. I think everyone should read this book so they can better understand disabled people. But that is just one of the many reasons this book is so amazing. I really love the relationships and friendships that occur in this book, my favorite would have to be the one between Petey and this girl named Cassy. It was so sweet and heart warming, watching this woman look after him, change him, take care if him, even with his disabilities. The character Cassy really opened my eyes, she made me want to be more involved and she taught me that even if someone isn't nice to you, you should always be the better person and do the right thing. This book teaches a lot of lessons and gives really good advice its taught me a lot of ways to be a better person.Personally I have always loved books with strong female roles but the author did an amazing job with the male role (petey) I was really impressed with the descriptive techniques and details she used and the sounds she used for Petey. Too funny! One thing I didn't really like was the beginning it was kinda slow... like it took a while for it to start getting good and interesting but on the other hand this book was fabulous! I think everyone should read this book! I promise you learn a lot! And the amazing story of how a special needs boy makes his way through life after being told he has no chance is really heart warming and fascinating!
April 24, 2009
This story takes place in mostly hospitals where a person named Petey Corbin, a man with cerebral palsy, was misdiagnosed as being an idiot because at the time in 1922 when he was born nobody had heard of such a thing. The author tells the story of Petey when he was growing up nobody had treated him like other people. When he was a baby he had one doctor that said he knew that Petey was not an idiot. But of course nobody believed him. Eventually petey’s doctor left moving on in his life. Throughout the book Petey meets a lot of people who understand him when he tries to talk to them and give him certain stuff and are true friends to him but they all go and move on which causes a lot of sadness in the book. Eventually Petey gets old and is moved into a nursing home. Towards the end of the book He meets a little high school boy who saved him from some bullies throwing snowballs at him. They become really good friends and see each other as family, which Petey never actually had. Petey really had an influence on the high school boy. (His name is Trevor.) At the end of the book Petey gets really sick and is sent to another hospital. At first the doctors were not going to operate on Petey because they thought he was too old and didn’t have any family. But the next morning he sees a lot of people in petey’s room. It was all of petey’s old friends. The doctor decided to operate on Petey since he had so many people who cared about him. you are going to have to read the book to see if the doctors end up operating on him or letting him pass away.This book is really well written and I recommend it to anybody except for people who don’t like sad books, because this book is really sad and it will make you cry. But it was a really really good book and it ends so greatly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2018
Kitaplığımda uzun süreden beri bekliyordu kitap , okuduktan sonra bu kadar süre beklettiğim için kendime kızdım . YAzım dili ve konu harikaydı. Özellikle yazılanların %90 ının gerçek olduğunu bilmek daha da etkiledi beni.
August 24, 2013
my review on petey was very positive. I really injoyed reading this book and all the detail the author put into it. Petey is about a guy who is born deformed and when he was like almost year old his parents gave him to the facility and he stayed there until he was fifty three.....that's crazy I think if I gave my kid to a facility to fit his needs I would want to check on him every once and a while but in the book the parents never even came to visit....so petey never had a family you know how upsetting holidays would be without a family and how lonely you would be just you...by yourself...and Petey was also diagnosed as being and idiot you know hold insecure I would feel if I was called an idiot....I hate that word let alone being called one..petey was the kind of person who cant control there arms and legs like there body will tell them something but they cant control it...I believe that all people are made out of gods image and everyone has a little feature that makes them different from the world well odviously it was peteys deformed body...but petey had no control over and embraced how he was so different. Inn my opinion petey is a role model to all special needs, deformed, crippled, etc. children in the world. Hes a true gift from god that is just like us, in his own special way. This book really makes you think...do you judge people? is it nice to judge people by what they look like? Well don't judge a book by its cook cause the story could be really good! and you never know that person you judge everyday could be your bestfriend one day when you get to know them...all people aren't like there covers....some are very different....also don't judge them about there backround...(where they come from) cause petey was a sweet heartfelt guy but he came from an insane asylum and wasn't an idiot like everybody diagnosed him to be. Petey is a good guy who should be recognized for the love he showed for people instead of taking advantage of his disability. Most people that have disabilities take advantage of there situations and get waited on from the people who don't judge them...that's wrong. Petey was a great guy from a terrible backround..but had the brightest personality.
September 24, 2017
I am so glad I finally finished this book. Living in Montana and growing up working with people who have disabilities this story spoke to me. The story is about a young man misdiagnosed in the 20s and sent to Warm Springs, when his family became unable to care for him. I lived thirty minute from Warm Springs and knew many adults who had been sent into Helena from the facility as it closed down. The story was kind, respectful, and most importantly real. This is a great story, I am glad I read it.
January 30, 2019
Such a heartwarming story about a man named Petey who suffers from severe cerebral palsy, and the lives he touches along his own journey through life. This book is based on a true story. The audiobook included an interview with the author, where he explained his own interactions with the real life Petey. I will definitely recommend this book to my 4th and 5th grade boys!
November 7, 2008
I've read this twice and cried both times. This books is about the indomitable human spirit and the true nature of friendship.
November 21, 2021
Çok güzel ve çok sıcak bir kitap. Son sayfalarda gözlerim dolarak okudum. Hayat her şeye rağmen devam ediyor ve bir şekilde bunun tadını çıkarmalıyız.
Sınıfımdaki tüm öğrencilere bu kitabı okutacağım.
Sınıfımdaki tüm öğrencilere bu kitabı okutacağım.
January 7, 2020
This book is very heartwarming, sad and hopeful. This book is all about the life of Petey who is disabled and cant think or move is limbs right. This book really explains what its like to be disabled. This book can change your outlook on people. After I read Petey, I had a whole new look on other people. I think a theme for this book is never give up hope. I would say this because, every time something bad would happen in this book, like someone Petey loved had to leave, something good came from it.
October 15, 2008
Don't get me wrong about the two stars I gave this book; there are parts of it that I'd highly recommend to readers. However, there's also a reason, several reasons in fact, for the two stars. First I'll start out with the positive points.
Petey is the story of a boy born with Cerebral Palsy, a symptom acquired before birth, during birth, or shortly after birth, as referenced from the "author's note" at the end of the book. Cerebral Palsy distorts a person's physical attributes, and sometimes a person's mind. For Petey, he has a fully-functional brain, with a very distorted body. Throughout the book he is seemingly trapped inside a body that can't do anything for itself, and most people regard him as "stupid" - as in the medical term for "mentally disfunctional." It is this theme that carries the entire story, and it's important that people understand that "disfunctional" people are not all mindless. It also gives us reason to be thankful for our good health, and fully-working bodies.
Petey meets several people who come to know his real mind, his real personality. He manages to make many friends, and they become the lights in his darkened world; but as each friendship is formed, it eventually gets broken as the other person has to move on with life for various reasons. Was that a spoiler? I wouldn't say so, as it happens very often throughout the first part of the book. You expect it after the first person's unexpected leaving.
...and so we come to my critique of the book. While still in the first part of the story, I started to think, "What is the plot of this book?" The answer? There isn't really one. Is that a bad thing? Of course not - it made me think of biographies, where a lot of things happen, yet there is no clear goal in mind. That's perfectly fine. You could say that Petey's purpose is to "change lives." Still, I couldn't help but often feel that the story was going nowhere - especially knowing that this wasn't a biography, and a piece of fiction based off thoughts and research. (Well, that's sort of a biography as well, but you get the picture).
One of the first pages in Petey features a Bible verse, something I was happily surprised with. Considering this book was published by Hyperion, a Disney-owned publisher, I didn't expect to see that. Well, this isn't a big spoiler either when I mention that there were further Biblical verses sprinkled throughout the book. It added an interesting touch, especially when you have a character that has so little to enjoy in this life, and desires a new body. That's a beautiful theme. However, that's all there really was. Bible verses. The author didn't go any further than that, or at least whatever was there was edited out. It would have been such a wonderful ending to have Petey introduced to a loving savior, who in the next world would reward him with a new body. Only a couple minor references to "church" are mentioned, not much more. It seemed to me that the author was just beating around the bush by inserting those Bible verses. Why put them in if you're not actually going to go deeper than that? Put them to use? In the end, I would have just left them out. They add a special touch to the story - but nothing more.
The second part of this book was what reminded me that I was reading a "children's" book. It's also what the description on the back of the book is on. The first part was really quite nice, and I expected the same from the second part - but that was not the case.
All in all, I thought Petey was okay, not great, not bad, just okay. What I found interesting is that at one point this book was purchased by Disney for film rights. If it ever became a film, I'm sure Disney could touch it up and make it something grand; but Disney purchased it about ten years ago, and nothing has happened since, so I doubt it will ever make it to the big (or little) screen.
Petey is the story of a boy born with Cerebral Palsy, a symptom acquired before birth, during birth, or shortly after birth, as referenced from the "author's note" at the end of the book. Cerebral Palsy distorts a person's physical attributes, and sometimes a person's mind. For Petey, he has a fully-functional brain, with a very distorted body. Throughout the book he is seemingly trapped inside a body that can't do anything for itself, and most people regard him as "stupid" - as in the medical term for "mentally disfunctional." It is this theme that carries the entire story, and it's important that people understand that "disfunctional" people are not all mindless. It also gives us reason to be thankful for our good health, and fully-working bodies.
Petey meets several people who come to know his real mind, his real personality. He manages to make many friends, and they become the lights in his darkened world; but as each friendship is formed, it eventually gets broken as the other person has to move on with life for various reasons. Was that a spoiler? I wouldn't say so, as it happens very often throughout the first part of the book. You expect it after the first person's unexpected leaving.
...and so we come to my critique of the book. While still in the first part of the story, I started to think, "What is the plot of this book?" The answer? There isn't really one. Is that a bad thing? Of course not - it made me think of biographies, where a lot of things happen, yet there is no clear goal in mind. That's perfectly fine. You could say that Petey's purpose is to "change lives." Still, I couldn't help but often feel that the story was going nowhere - especially knowing that this wasn't a biography, and a piece of fiction based off thoughts and research. (Well, that's sort of a biography as well, but you get the picture).
One of the first pages in Petey features a Bible verse, something I was happily surprised with. Considering this book was published by Hyperion, a Disney-owned publisher, I didn't expect to see that. Well, this isn't a big spoiler either when I mention that there were further Biblical verses sprinkled throughout the book. It added an interesting touch, especially when you have a character that has so little to enjoy in this life, and desires a new body. That's a beautiful theme. However, that's all there really was. Bible verses. The author didn't go any further than that, or at least whatever was there was edited out. It would have been such a wonderful ending to have Petey introduced to a loving savior, who in the next world would reward him with a new body. Only a couple minor references to "church" are mentioned, not much more. It seemed to me that the author was just beating around the bush by inserting those Bible verses. Why put them in if you're not actually going to go deeper than that? Put them to use? In the end, I would have just left them out. They add a special touch to the story - but nothing more.
The second part of this book was what reminded me that I was reading a "children's" book. It's also what the description on the back of the book is on. The first part was really quite nice, and I expected the same from the second part - but that was not the case.
All in all, I thought Petey was okay, not great, not bad, just okay. What I found interesting is that at one point this book was purchased by Disney for film rights. If it ever became a film, I'm sure Disney could touch it up and make it something grand; but Disney purchased it about ten years ago, and nothing has happened since, so I doubt it will ever make it to the big (or little) screen.
August 26, 2018
Gözyaşlarımın sel olup gitti, içimi biraz mutlu, biraz buruk bırakan çok güzel bir öyküydü. Petey, karşılaştığı engeller ne olursa olsun korkmayan, hayattan inanılmaz keyif alan örnek bir karakterdi. Okuduğum en etkileyici karakterlerden bir tanesiydi. Ne yazsam yetersiz kalacak gibi. O yüzden tatlı mı tatlı bir alıntı bırakıp kaçıyorum. (Bu benim en çok ağladığım sahneydi.)
Beliz xxx
“Senin bir ailen yok, benim de… Yani var sayılmaz. Kardeşim de yok. Büyükbabalarım ve büyükannelerim öldü, annemle babam sürekli çalışıyor.”
Petey’nin ağzından “Nassss?” kelimesi çıktı.
“Petey, aile kağıt üstünde bir şey değil, burada,” diyen Trevor göğsünü işaret etti. “Aile, arkadaştan farklı bir şey. Sen benim kalbimde hep büyükbabam olacaksın. Benimle kalacaksın. Seni hiç bırakmayacağım.”
Petey, gülümsemedi. Ciddi olup olmadığını anlamak için Trevor’ın gözlerine baktı. “Büü baaa,” dedi belli belirsiz.
“Evet, büyükbaba.” Petey’nin bakışları mutluydu şimdi; yüzünü sıcacık bir gülümseme kapladı. “Büü baa,” diye tekrarladı. “Ben de senin torunun olacağım.”
Beliz xxx
“Senin bir ailen yok, benim de… Yani var sayılmaz. Kardeşim de yok. Büyükbabalarım ve büyükannelerim öldü, annemle babam sürekli çalışıyor.”
Petey’nin ağzından “Nassss?” kelimesi çıktı.
“Petey, aile kağıt üstünde bir şey değil, burada,” diyen Trevor göğsünü işaret etti. “Aile, arkadaştan farklı bir şey. Sen benim kalbimde hep büyükbabam olacaksın. Benimle kalacaksın. Seni hiç bırakmayacağım.”
Petey, gülümsemedi. Ciddi olup olmadığını anlamak için Trevor’ın gözlerine baktı. “Büü baaa,” dedi belli belirsiz.
“Evet, büyükbaba.” Petey’nin bakışları mutluydu şimdi; yüzünü sıcacık bir gülümseme kapladı. “Büü baa,” diye tekrarladı. “Ben de senin torunun olacağım.”
March 29, 2017
The book Petey by Ben Mikaelsen is about a boy named Petey Corbin who was born with cerebral palsy. His mother struggles to help care for his health. She was unwilling to places Petey’s in an asylum, but she had to. There he was labeled as an idiot and was ignored by the people around him. A young resident named Calvin Anders arrives in Petey’s room at the hospital one day. He then took the time and learns to understand Petey’s garbled sound which leads him to become Petey’s spokesman and best friend. A few years later they were separated when Petey moved out of the hospital and into a nursing home. Along now all Petey’s wonder is will he ever find another person that understand him like Calvin.
March 5, 2019
This book "Petey" by Ben Mikaelsen, in realistic fiction, was a great book on a real world topic and a very real and not to joke about. My favorite part of the book was when a middle school student protected Petey in one situation and became best friends because it shows that it doesn't matter what your age is and you can be friends with people no matter what they look like, and when Petey met up with an old care taker and later met up with an old friend and the care taker with his best friend because he had not seen the friends in years. I recommend this book to people who can take thing seriously and not joke and make fun of things in the world and for people who like a book that you can really dive into and not be bored and not want to stop reading this book.
February 22, 2021
2.5 stars. There were a LOT of problems with this book from a disability advocacy perspective, mostly that Petey proved himself worthy of love and friendship because he was always optimistic while others in the same situation remained nameless and unloved because they were too severe or too "insane". Also in the second half of this book, I wanted to scream at every single adult who just shrugged their shoulders and made an 8th grade boy take on full caring responsibilities for an elderly man with cerebral palsy. It was great that Trevor formed a bond with Petey and that he learned about caring for people with disabilities, but he should not have been the only human concerned with making sure that Petey received basic human rights.
March 1, 2017
Petey is a touching story of friendship, discovery, and the domination of the human spirit over physical obstacles. This book is actually a very good book and I would mostly not read a eh but this one is pretty good. It is a pretty sad story when his parents did everything possible but they had to give him away into the states care. He was told to be an idiot. But actually he had cerebral palsy. He was bound to a wheel chair. This is the story of an idiot of his life of struggles. I would recommend anyone to read it.
December 1, 2017
I think the book was pretty good. I read it when I was in fifth grade, and now I have different feelings about it. I guess I didn't understand the real meaning of it in fifth grade which for the most part makes sense. The reason why I only gave it four stars instead of five was because I feel as though the beginning wastes to much time. I understand that it's meant to lead you into the story, but I think that the author definitely could've made it shorter.
March 5, 2019
Petey is definetly my #1 book! It was so sad, but thats why I think it was one of those books that was intreging to just keep reading and reading. My favorite part of the book was when Petey was getting picked on and Trevor stepped in and started beating up the guy. That was a heart warming moment.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to cry and people who love drama books. Again Petey was a great book and I would recommend it to anybody!
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to cry and people who love drama books. Again Petey was a great book and I would recommend it to anybody!
March 16, 2018
i think the theme for this book was no matter how different people look we are all the same because Petey was a baby and everyone thought he was an ugly baby and the mother shouldn't wasnt her time. but when petey grew up he was able to say so words which was a huge progress change for him !!!
February 19, 2019
An important book. I read this with my 8th grade daughter in our mother-daughter book club. I'm so glad she read it. I'm so glad I read it, too. Hopefully we will carry it with us and let it inspire us to make the world a tiny bit better.
June 23, 2018
What an amazing book!
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