Apparently, this book is suitable for grades 5 to 8.

I had no idea about this when I initially picked it up.

It offers an interesting perspective on autism within the framework of historical fiction.

Some readers, however, seem to be quite disturbed by the ending.

There is a "happily ever after" element associated with the narrator, and at the same time, there is a true life element represented by Jacob.

I'm not entirely sure what could be wrong with this combination, even in a children's book.

The "happily ever after" fairy tale ending might potentially set kids up for a lifetime of dissatisfaction.

It makes one wonder if such an ending is truly appropriate for young readers, as it may not accurately reflect the real challenges and uncertainties that life often presents.

Perhaps a more nuanced or realistic ending could have been considered to better prepare children for the realities of the world.

Nevertheless, the book does have its merits in exploring the topic of autism in an engaging and accessible way.

It may spark important conversations and increase awareness and understanding among young readers.

Overall, while the ending may be a point of contention, the book as a whole still has the potential to make a positive impact on its intended audience.

Katie is a really smart and precocious girl. She has a big dream of becoming a doctor one day. She studies hard and is always eager to learn more about medicine.

On the other hand, there's Jacob. He's a boy who doesn't talk much, but he has a special gift when it comes to animals. He can understand them and they seem to like him. However, the villagers don't really get him. They misunderstand his quiet nature and think he's strange.

The story has some very adult themes in it. It shows the challenges that Katie and Jacob face in their lives. And unfortunately, it doesn't end well for Jacob. But through it all, we see the strength and determination of Katie as she tries to make a difference.

This story is perfect for 6th to 8th graders. It's not too long, only 3 1/2 hours as an audiobook, which means it's just the right length to keep them engaged. It will make them think about important issues like acceptance, understanding, and following your dreams.

This is a truly lovely and sweet story that delves into the life of a young girl in the early 20th century. However, not everything is as wonderful as it seems.

She befriends a boy who is described by the neighbors as 'touched'. He remains silent and does not interact with people in the traditional sense. But he has a deep love for animals and appears to have a special ability to communicate with them. Sadly, by the end of the story, his actions are misconstrued by the community, and he mysteriously vanishes.

Another incident disrupts the peaceful existence of the protagonist. The neighbor's maid, a teenager with big ambitions to become a movie star, is expelled from the home and sent back to the farm.

Lois Lowry has an extraordinary gift for bringing characters to life. Her vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling make this book a must-read for middle grade students all the way through to adults. It offers a captivating glimpse into a bygone era and explores themes of friendship, misunderstanding, and the challenges of growing up.

One of the reasons that I despised reading during my childhood was due to the fact that the books I could get my hands on were overly cutesy.

They failed to address real-life issues. I firmly believe that I would have adored this book when I was a preteen. It is without a doubt a mature and realistic middle grade novel.

The Silent Boy is a historical fiction narrative set in the early 1900s. Nine-year-old Katy befriends a teenager named Jacob, who is incapable of speaking, making eye contact, or attending school. Everyone assumes that Jacob is dull-witted, but Katy knows that he is simply different. One fateful night, something goes dreadfully wrong, and Jacob is unjustly blamed. Only Katy comprehends that he had no intention of hurting anyone. He was merely attempting to assist.

This book offers an unwavering look at how mentally disabled individuals were once treated. Jacob likely has autism, but nobody is aware of that. The characters are uncertain how to respond to him and his unusual behaviors. I am truly fond of the fact that Katy endeavors so strenuously to empathize with Jacob. She treats him as a friend and desires to know what is transpiring within his mind.

I also have a great appreciation for the scenes featuring Katy with her family. I am cognizant that large, happy families are currently in vogue in YA/MG literature, but I feel that the “happy family” scenes in books often seem contrived and unrealistic. Katy’s relationships with her parents and the hired staff in her home are extremely natural. I particularly like Katy’s strong connection with her father. He encourages her to be kind to Jacob and aids her in understanding his peculiar behaviors.

My most significant criticism of this book pertains to its pacing. It is excruciatingly slow. Some young readers would probably become bored with it. All of the action takes place in the final 20 pages. I wish the ending had occurred much earlier, and we could have witnessed more of the aftermath.

This book does not possess a happy ending because mentally disabled people were not treated favorably during this era of history, but I believe it would be an excellent book for a parent and a mature child to read jointly. It would present numerous topics for discussion.

This piece of writing is indeed well-written. However, it contains some rather mature themes that seem a bit out of place for what is supposed to be a middle grade work.

I'm truly at a loss as to why it has been categorized as such. It doesn't quite fit the mold of a typical children's book, as the themes might be a bit too complex and advanced for the intended age group.

Nevertheless, when looked at simply as a story, it is extremely interesting and holds great value for reading. The plot is engaging and the characters are well-developed, which makes it a captivating read despite its somewhat inappropriate categorization.

Perhaps it could be better suited for an older audience who can fully appreciate and understand the mature themes presented within the story.

I read this book with Kaitlyn and she absolutely loved it.

Although the story had a touch of sadness, it was still very captivating.

The main character, The Silent Boy, suffered from a mental illness, and the author did an excellent job of presenting it in a way that a young child could easily understand.

The other characters in the book were also very engaging, which made Kaitlyn laugh out loud at times.

Overall, it was a really good story that managed to touch on important themes while still being entertaining for children.

Kaitlyn couldn't put the book down and kept asking me to read more.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming and educational read for their child.

I'm a sucker for a good Lois Lowry book. Her works usually have a certain charm and depth that can truly captivate me. However, I was disappointed with this one. I think had I gone into this book with no expectations, I would have enjoyed it much more. But after reading her Giver series and Gossamer, I had high expectations that just weren't met.

I loved the prologue. It was really well-written and did a great job at setting the tone for the story. It made me eager to continue reading and find out what was going to happen next. However, the first 100 pages or so just seemed to drag on forever. The pacing was slow, and it didn't capture my attention as much as I had hoped.

While I had some ideas for how this book was going to end, the conclusion still caught me off guard. It was unexpected and had some elements that I didn't see coming. As I was sitting in bed beside my husband reading the final chapters, he looked at me and said "I see you're getting emotional."

Wow... I read this book back in 7th grade. I had the impression that it would be a charming, Anne-Of-Green-Gables style book. I was also curious to figure out what kind of "unexpected and tragic turn" the plot would take. At first, I was a bit scared when Older Katy said the story was "too dark for kids." However, my mom encouraged me to keep reading and find out for myself. I thought, "What's the worst that could happen?"

At the beginning, I really loved Katy, her dad Jacob, Peggy, and the slice-of-life style of the book. I also liked the mentions of children's books from that time. But as I continued reading, the book gradually got scarier and scarier. Eventually, the great tragedy occurred.

And all I can say is that Jacob didn't deserve what happened to him, and neither did the baby. What on earth were Paul and Nellie thinking? They were really just teenagers, but was that really appropriate for a "Juvenile" audience? Why couldn't people see past Jacob's disabilities like Katy could? And putting a mute person on trial? Seriously? Of course he couldn't defend himself! What were people expecting? For him to magically start talking? And why would he take a baby he purposely drowned to a house??? *sigh* I'm still so sad and angry about that ending. No matter how much my mom and I cried over Jacob, it doesn't make the ending any less tragic. This book is definitely not suitable for elementary or middle schoolers. There are some very dark and inappropriate subjects in it. I'm not sure if I'm glad or regretful that I read it so soon.

I discovered this book while perusing through Lois Lowry's works in the Juvenile section of the library. My pursuit was to read more of her books after thoroughly enjoying all four installments in The Giver series and Number the Stars. However, I'm not entirely certain if I would want my children to pick up this particular one.

To be honest, I really liked the book. It had a certain allure that kept me engaged from start to finish. But there was no denying that it was a "dark" tale, filled with some serious issues and a fair amount of sadness. Lowry, though, does a remarkable job of presenting it in a way that doesn't get overly detailed. This means that kids could potentially read it and not fully "comprehend" the serious stuff that occurs. But then again, if they don't understand the whole story, what would be the point of reading it?

When I was reading Number the Stars, my 8-year-old daughter showed interest and asked me about it. So, I passed it on to her once I was done. But when she asked about this book, I hesitated and said, "Umm...not until you're a little bit older."

Despite all of that, I was still glad to have indulged in yet another relatively short story with captivating characters, all thanks to Lois Lowry. Her writing always manages to draw me in and keep me hooked.

I would highly recommend this book for older students.

There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the book contains some sexual references which might not be suitable for the majority of younger readers.

Secondly, it presents difficult concepts that could be challenging for them to understand.

The main character, Katy Thatcher, cherished the innocence of her childhood. However, her idyllic days didn't last long as she soon realized she was going to have a new sibling.

Katy befriends a boy named Jacob who is always silent.

The cover of the book features a background that depicts an "asylum" which enters Katy's life towards the end of the story.

This book has its merits as it can help students gain a better understanding of mental illnesses and how they can impact people.

In my opinion, the book is just okay. The subject matter, while important, doesn't fully capture my attention.

There are indeed some interesting parts in the story, but unfortunately, it lacks consistency throughout.

Overall, it has its strengths and weaknesses, but it could be a valuable read for older students who are interested in exploring these themes.

This is a truly timeless story-telling book that vividly showcases the compassion towards mental illness.

Although the specific nature of the boy's illness is never explicitly stated, the story cleverly enables young adult readers to infer the severity of his condition through Katy's friendship with the boy, Jacob.

It not only introduces the concept of death to young readers but also weaves a narrative that leads to a happy ending, filled with elements of tragedy and the beautiful exchange of giving and receiving love.

Set in 1908, Lowry ingeniously adds a photograph to set the scene for readers, providing valuable background information on the time period.

This story is truly unique, with a common theme of compassion and communication running through it. I would definitely use this in a classroom as it introduces death in a gentle and accessible way, while simultaneously portraying the power of love and kindness.

It is guaranteed to tug at the readers' emotions, which is precisely why I am planning on purchasing this book for my future teaching ideas.

For the children this is intended for, this could be a hard book.

However, it is so deep and true to its theme that it could be a very necessary lesson.

I love how the story incorporated photographs from this bygone era. It really gives a great impression of mostly one year in the life of a sweet girl.

Although sometimes I think she's written just a little too maturely. It seems to jump in mindset between the narrator many years after the fact telling the story and the girl as she experiences it.

Regardless, the book is short and sweet. It is a little sad by the end, but still full of sparks of joy.

These elements combine to make it a unique and engaging read that can offer valuable insights and emotions to young readers.

It shows them a different time and a different way of life, while also exploring themes such as growing up, friendship, and loss.

Overall, it is a book that is well worth reading and sharing with children.