The Boy in the Moon: Learning from Disabilities

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THE BOY IN THE MOON is an extraordinary true story that we felt we needed to bring to your attention. 

Author Ian Brown’s son Walker is one of only about 300 people worldwide diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome—an extremely rare genetic mutation that results in unusual facial appearance, the inability to speak, and a compulsion to hit himself constantly. At age thirteen, he is mentally and developmentally between one and three years old and will need constant care for the rest of his life.

Brown travels the globe, meeting with genetic scientists and neurologists as well as parents, to solve the questions Walker’s doctors can’t answer. In his journey, he offers an insightful critique of society’s assumptions about the disabled, and he discovers a connected community of families living with this illness. As Brown gradually lets go of his self-blame and hope for a cure, he learns to accept the Walker he loves, just as he is.

Kirkus Reviews calls it, "A father’s candid, heart-wrenching account of raising, loving and trying to connect with and gain insight into his severely disabled son. [...] Much more than a moving journal of life with a disabled child; it is about Brown’s quest to understand his son and his son’s condition." 

The New York Times Book Review did a wonderful piece about Brown, Walker, and their book; we recommend you take a look at it. Read "What Disabled Children Teach Us" here.

THE BOY IN THE MOON is now available from St. Martin's Press.

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