Petey, by Ben Mikaelsen

 

Characters
Warm Springs Insane Asylum - 1922 Warm Springs, Montana	Bozeman Nursing Home - 1977 Bozeman, Montana
Petey Corbin – 2 years old when given up by parents, cerebral palsy   Calvin Anders – “Ike”   Esteban – started working in 1927, one of first to recognize Petey’s intelligence   Patches, Sally, William, Cloud, Blackie - mice   Joe – attendant – left in 1937 – former railroad worker   Cassie Graber – nurse Alex – husband serving in the military Lisa – daughter 1945 – Cassie left to join Alex   Owen Marsh – attendant, 1965 - 1973 - retired rancher	Petey – 55 when moved here   Trevor Ladd – 1990 Parents   Kenny, String, Bud – bullies   Shawna – student, became friends with Trevor and Petey   Sissy Michael -nurse   Calvin Anders Boyd Hanson – Calvin’s volunteer advocate   Mr. Hendrick – administrator at home   Owen Marsh

 

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the 2010 edition of the paperback book.

1.       Cassie noticed that Calvin was in better spirits when with Petey.  She said to Petey, “What Calvin needs in life is purpose.  All people need purpose. Would you let Calvin be responsible for taking care of you?” (page 99).  This greatly helped Calvin, but what about Petey?  Was it fair for her to help Calvin, but not think about Petey?

2.       How did you like the part of the story when Petey fed the mice and they became his pets?

3.       When Petey had the flu and pneumonia, Joe said to the doctor “This child is no idiot” but the doctor disagreed (page 74).   In 1965, Owen Marsh thought the same thing about Petey (page 118).  Why could the people who cared for Petey know he was normal mentally, but the medical doctors could not?

4.       When Owen got to know Petey in 1965-1973, he thought Petey “loved life more than any human Owen had ever met” (page 135).   How is that possible?

5.       Likewise, many years later Sissy Michael told Trevor that “Petey has a capacity for happiness that nobody completely understands” (page 155).  What do you think his secret was?

6.       How was Petey able to be so insightful?  For example, he knew something was troubling Trevor and also that Trevor had been watching him.

7.       Trevor was only a teenager. How was he able to relate to well with Petey?

8.       When Trevor took Petey to the movies and people stared, Trevor eventually realized that “Maybe people aren’t really mean – it’s just that they don’t understand” (page 227).  Do you think this is an accurate statement?

9.       This book was first published in 1998.  On page 42 the author used the word “retarded” to describe Calvin.  This word currently is not used.  What might be an alternative that better describes Calvin?

10.   This book is written for 8–12-year-olds.  How do you think they would understand and feel about this book?

11.   Given the time when this story place, could anything different have happened to Petey?

12.   Were you glad you read this book?  What was your favorite part?