Henry has been deaf from an early age—he is intelligent, aware of language, but by age seven, he was considered unteachable. With his impoverished family, including older sister Molly, feeling powerless to help him, Henry is sent to Riverview, a mental institution where he is misunderstood, underestimated, and treated without mercy.
Victor is a conscientious objector to the war, sent to Riverview instead of to battle. And to him, Henry is far from unteachable. As their friendship grows, Henry learns—to trust, to keep his family and friends close, and ultimately, to believe in the enduring power of human kindness.
This is Helen Frost's eleventh novel in verse.
Notes on form and characters. Author’s note. Poems about the real person who inspired the main character.