Specs:

128 Pages

Paperback

Full-color

8.1x10.1

ISBN-13: 9781683964063

A boy with developmental disabilities finds his world turned upside down after his mother has a stroke and he realizes for the first time he's on his own.

When Noel's mother has a stroke, his world is turned upside down. Especially when a man comes, who tells Noel that he can't stay in the only home he's ever known. He has to move from his apartment and his city to some kind of care facility, in a town he's never heard of. For the first time, Noel is on his own. Who can he trust? Who can he love?

There is a village in Germany called Neuerkerode that is largely populated and run by people with developmental disabilities — the local restaurant, the local bar, the local supermarket. It's a beautiful, even incredible place — and it's where The Thud takes place. In 2016, I began visiting Neuerkerode. Over the course of two years, I learned about the people who live there and listened to their stories.

Told from Noel's perspective with humor and empathy, The Thud offers a window into the life of a boy living with developmental disabilities.