num_pages: 178
description:    Precocious Katy Thatcher always knew she wanted to be a doctor like her father. She joins him on his rounds and has a keen interest in the people around her. She's especially intrigued by Jacob, a gentle, silent boy who has a special sensitivity toward animals. While Jacob never speaks to or looks at Katy, they develop an unusual friendship and understanding. The townspeople dismiss Jacob as an imbecile. Katy just thinks of him as someone special who has a way of communicating with the animals through his sounds and movements.   And only Katy comes to realize what the gentle, silent boy did for his family. He meant to help, not harm. It didn't turn out that way.
language: English
title: The Silent Boy
titlecomplete: The Silent Boy
genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Coming Of Age, Historical Fiction, Historical, Childrens, Juvenile, Young Adult, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Fiction
ratings_count: 6340
awards: awardedAt: 1072944000000
name: Massachusetts Book Award
category: Children's/Young Adult Literature
publisher: Dell Laurel Leaf