001: A Friend Like Henry: The Remarkable True Story of An Autistic Boy and the Dog That Unlocked His World
Pages: 262
Status: Complete
Found this randomly off the library shelves rather unexpectedly, after finding it in the “Memoirs” section of a bookstore I decided to see if the library next to it had the book - it did! :-) (and so I borrowed it)
I wouldn’t say this book was one that was an absolute page-turner that I couldn’t put down, but I did look forward to reading it where I had time - read it on the way, to/from work. Also, unlike several better known memoirs that I’d read (Falling Leaves, Dave Pelzer’s My Story) this book was uplifting, and not one filled with the protagonist’s self-pitying/swearing (which occurs alot in My Story, *cue eye roll*)
The latter part introducing the boy’s sister’s autism, however, was quite redundant, I felt it just dragged the book (as though the author was quite unwilling to end the novel!) And like several other reviews I’ve read online, I don’t entirely think it’s about the dog’s crucial role in helping Dale (the boy) overcome autism - the dog was a major tool, but only because his parents had the ingenuity to use it as a tool, in the first place.
Overall, enjoyed this book though! Quite a good start to my year of reading, haha (wanted to specifically choose a first book, but didn’t in the end. Worked out decently I think :p)
