The Boy Who Could Fly

A haunting short novel, really no more than a novella, "The Boy Who Could Fly" ostensibly falls somewhere between children's & young adult fiction. But while sensitive young readers will certainly appreciate this gentle yet probing tale of being different, adult readers will find much in its pages to ponder as well. The story is told from the viewpoint of the gifted boy's older brother, who loves & protects his younger brother as best he can. For the world can be cruel to someone who's different, who doesn't quite fit in, who seems wiser than most adults in many ways. In fact, the pettiness & sheer meannness exhibited by some of the adults is all too recognizable to any of us, who see it in the office, on the news, and even within families. And in this case, being different not only means being telepathic, it means possessing a deeper, more empathic sensitivity to the world. A telling note is when the narrator realizes where he's seen an expression like that on his younger brother's face -- on statues of the Buddha. The implication as that he'll grow to be a great spiritual leader, a teacher, someone who can see past human greed & anger ... if he lives. Here we get to the psychological & philosophical depths of this story, as if makes each reader ask why we so easily yield to & enjoy cruelty, and why we're driven to fear & often destroy those who seem beyond it -- the very ones who ought to be models for us, inspiring us to better & richer lives. Why DO we let ourselves be ruled by fear? Undoubtedly this story resonated all the more when it was first published in 1967. But its message is needed all the more today, I'd say, when crassness & ignorance have such a grip on popular culture. And that message is presented with subtle power, without mawkish & cheap sentiment. A book definitely in need of reprinting!

"The Boy Who Could Fly" is a remarkable work of juvenile fiction about a boy who has the telepathic ability to read minds. Narrated in the second person point of view by the boy's older brother, the book is compassionate and moving and psychologically complex and made all the more vivid by haunting and innovative charcoal illustrations by Paul Sagsoorian. The older brother's attempts to shelter his gifted younger brother after the death of their parents is the thrust of the plot which evolves into a mysterious and profound character study. First published in 1967 and long out of print, the book deserves to be recognized as a classic in the field of juvenile fiction. Its psychological themes are a great introduction to young readers to a more complex fiction, yet it can be read as a thoroughly engaging story in itself. The 1986 movie of the same name seems to be very loosely based on the story.