All He Knew

Henry, a deaf boy in the 1930s, has decided that speaking to strangers is unsafe. Although he understands language, he is wrongly considered unteachable and faces inhumane treatment at an institution. His family has little money and feels unable to help him; his older sister Molly loves him deeply. At the institution, a worker recognizes Henry’s potential and becomes an important ally. Told in verse and inspired by real events, the novel follows Henry’s treatment and the people who see more in him.