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    Petey
    Petey
    Petey
    Audiobook6 hours

    Petey

    Written by Ben Mikaelsen

    Narrated by L.J. Ganser

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When Petey Corbin is born in 1920, no one knows about cerebral palsy. After struggling to care for her frail infant who is often racked by seizures, Petey's mother reluctantly places him in an asylum. There, he is labeled an idiot and ignored. Few people look beyond his twisted body to see the intelligence in his eyes. Then another young resident, Calvin Anders, arrives in Petey's ward. As he learns to understand Petey's garbled sounds, Calvin becomes his spokesman and best friend. Years later, however, they are separated when Petey is moved to a nursing home. Alone and withdrawn, Petey wonders if he will ever find another person who understands him. Ben Mikaelsen, award-winning author of Rescue Josh McGuire, Stranded, and other popular books for young adults, has crafted a poignant tale of friendship and triumph over disabilities. Petey was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of its 100 Books for Reading and Sharing, and it won the Western Writers of America Award.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateAug 28, 2009
    ISBN9781440768712
    Petey
    Author

    Ben Mikaelsen

    Ben Mikaelsen is the winner of the International Reading Association Award and the Western Writers of America Spur Award. His novels have been nominated for and won many state reader's choice awards. These novels include Red Midnight, Rescue Josh McGuire, Sparrow Hawk Red, Stranded, Countdown, Petey, and Tree Girl. Ben's articles and photos appear in numerous magazines around the world. Ben lives near Bozeman, Montana, with his 700-pound black bear, Buffy.

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    Reviews for Petey

    4.5/5

    178 ratings16 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book is so touching even for a teenager. I loved this book
    • 5/5
      A beautiful novel filled with tragedy and love (not romantic, mind you) that will always have a place in my heart.
    • 5/5
      "Petey" is divided into two halves.Part 1 is mostly sad. The story begins in 1922, with Petey's birth. He has extreme cerebral palsy, and is misdiagnosed as an "idiot," incapable of thoughts or emotions. Eventually he is handed over to to an insane asylum to care for him. But Petey's mind is strong and his need for friendship is real and deep. But every time he grows attached to someone, it seems like something takes them away from him. He grows old, with this happening again and again.In Part 2, it is 1990, and an 8th grade boy stumbles upon Petey, now residing in a nursing home, quite by accident. But Trevor soon becomes Petey's best friend, and interestingly, Petey is Trevor's best friend too. The boy makes more and more time to spend with the the elderly, handicapped man who can barely even talk. While Part 1 was mostly sad, Part 2 is mostly sweet and heartwarming. I cried both sad and happy tears reading this one.
    • 4/5
      Committed to an insane asylum at the age of two, this incredible story spans over 60 years of how children with special needs are treated. Petey is finally diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, in a wonderful uplifting story .
    • 5/5
      In 1922, a precious baby boy was born. But he was not perfect. His parents reluctantly surrendered him to an insane asylum, where he was diagnosed as an idiot. Petey, (real name Clyde Cothran), was born with Cerebral Palsy. CP, as you know, does not affect the brain. Petey was totally trapped in a body that could not communicate and he was written off as having no brain function at all.
      The books spans 70 plus years and perception of handicapped individuals changed greatly over the years.

      This is a must read as it will tear at every emotion in your body, yet leave you with a warm feeling for mankind. This is a true story and the book has won many accolades. Ben Mikaelsen is a wonderful writer you don’t want to miss. If you can get this in audio format it is even better than reading a hard copy as you hear the voices of the patients.

      I read the book about 8 years ago and listened to it this year.
    • 3/5
      Petey is a touching story about a boy born in 1920 who is misdiagnosed because of his disabilities. He is unable to move most of his body or communicate clearly. As the story unravels, a people come into Petey's life who see him as more than an idiot (his original diagnosis). They help him communicate and form friendships with him. Unfortunately, Petey is institutionalized from the start and his friendships are lost due to a variety of circumstances unrelated to him. Finally, Petey is moved to a nursing home where he meets a new friend who is young and has his own problems. They form a friendship that helps them both! This is a great tale, but it's slow. I think it is a great book for helping students understand that there is more to people with disabilities than their disability.
    • 5/5
      I chose to do this book because I am really interested in being a special education teacher and help these children grow and become great human beings. Petey was born with cerebral palsy, who was labeled as an "idiot." I would use this in a classroom to address that bullying is not okay and teach children to be accepting and nice to children that may appear different with physical appearance. I love this book and would recommend it to everyone.
    • 4/5
      Diabilities are a hard thing to understand for anyone, much less children. This book will show children that even with disabilities, all children are the same. This book will help children to know what it feels like for Petey. It will help children be nicer to other children who are not exactly like them. Read aloud book
    • 5/5
      Petey is a touching story about how disabilities were misdiagnosed even in the 1900s. Petey is institutionalized due to his inability to communicate. However, it really just took someone that gives him the time to learn how he is communicating. While most failed to give him a chance, a few people became important in his life. Unfortunately many of them left Petey for a variety of reasons. His long lasting friendship with another patient is finally severed when Petey is moved to a nursing home. A series of events bring a new, young friend into Petey's life who finally gets Petey better living conditions and a renewed outlook on life. Some great things happen when people let Petey into their life, a great lesson to all who read this book.
    • 4/5
      This novel tells the story of Petey, a character born with cerebral palsy in 1922, but misdiagnosed as an 'idiot' by doctors. His parents put him in an insane asylum when he is still a baby and that's where Petey spends his childhood. As Petey grows, certain caregivers see something special in him and recognize his ability to communicate. Petey befriends another patient, Calvin, and the two boys become inseperable as they grow. As Petey becomes an adult, he is transferred to a nursing home, where eventually his condition is correctly diagnosed. When Petey is 70 years old, a boy, Trevor, new to the town of Bozeman, Montana, sticks up for Petey when local bullies begin throwing snowballs. Petey asks to see Trevor so that he can thank him, and Trevor relunctantly goes to the nursing home. Gradually Trevor and Petey become friends. Trevor helps to raise money for a new wheelchair for Petey and he also finds Petey's close friend, Calvin.
    • 4/5
      Petey was born with cerebral palsy in a time (1920s) when people did not understand this disease. Instead, they labeled him as an "idiot" and after much distress, his parents placed him in the care of the state at a very young age. Petey grew up in an asylum and was eventually transferred to a nursing home. A few special friends (care workers in the asylum and another patient in the asylum) came to love Petey and understood that he was not stupid or incapable of understanding the world around him. In the nursing home, later in his life, a lonely young boy defends Petey from some local bullies and eventually ends up becoming his best friend. This is a sad, yet hopeful story about spirit and friendship.The setting of the book is Montana: first, the asylum and later, the nursing home (and surrounding community). The style of the book is chronological, with years as chapter names. There are no illustrations. The print is relatively large, hopefully making the book more accessible for younger readers. The novel deals with disability, betrayal, and illness in a way that is also, hopefully, accessible to younger readers. These difficult topics are handled carefully, with precise, clear prose.Highly recommended for elementary (upper elementary) school and middle school libraries.
    • 5/5
      This is a very good book.This story is about a boy named Trevor. One day he sees a gang, beating up an old man in a wheelchair. So they become friends. The old man (Petey)tells Trevor that he's been in a metal institoin for his whole life. Will Trevor and Petey stay friends? To find out read Petey
    • 2/5
      Petey is about a boy and his journey through life. From his birth to his death you see inside how he deals with having cerebral palsy. When Petey was born he was diagnosed with being an idiot, but his parents refused to give him up. When he was two years old, Petey was foced to move into an insane asylum because his parents simply couldn't take care of him any more. During his stay Petey learned how to love and communicate with others. Every person who met Petey fell deeply in love with him and Petey fell in love with them. They are the closest to family Petey has ever known, but sadly they left just as quickly as they came. When Petey was an old man he moved into a retirement home and he doesn't have much trust in people any more. Until he meets a teenage boy named Trevor. Trevor spends many days with Petey and they developed a very special friendship. Petey is an amazing story about people with disabilities. It shows how strong of people they really are. Its also about trust and friendship.
    • 5/5
      I truly hate to read I think that it’s the most boring thing in the world; it makes me sleepy and cranky and however with this book I ended up loving it. The first time I ever read Petey was about two years after one of my middle school teachers had read Petey out loud to the class. To tell the truth I had forgotten about the book till I was shopping in a book store and ran across it. It was then that I picked up the book and started reading it again. As I read on in the book I was reminded of how I felt about the book back in middle school. And just like back then, at the end of the book I cried like a big baby. Petey is one of the few books that I would read again and again. It really is just that great of a book.
    • 4/5
      Petey tells the haunting story of a child born with cerebral palsey who is misdiagnosed as mentally retarded and raised in an insane asylum. Very few people notice the intelligent, caring person trapped in Petey's crippled body as life passes him by. Petey manages to connect and communicate with a handful of people through the years as they sadly come and go from his life. Later in his life, Petey is moved to a nursing home, away from all he has ever known. But this change allows Petey to meet Trevor, a young boy with no friends as they begin an unlikely but unforgettable friendship. This beautifully sad story made me appreciate even the simplest things, not the least of which is a good story well told. The author builds great characters and weaves a touching, inspirational story sure to require a tissue or two. Visit the authors web site and learn that Petey is actually Clyde Cothern, and learn of the author's real friendship with this amazing man, and reach for a few more. Ben Mikaelsen writes: "I hope each word helps convey the triumph, hope, and joy this special man found in life. Clyde Cothern did become my real life Grandpa Petey."
    • 5/5
      This story is about a boy named Trevor. One day he sees a gang, beating up an old man in a wheelchair. So they become friends. The old man (Petey)tells Trevor that he's been in a metal institoin for his whole life. Will Trevor and Petey stay friends? To find out read Petey.