 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Boy from the Basement
- By Susan Shaw
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Gripping tale handles abuse with a delicate hand.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this story paints a fairly vivid portrait of a 12-year-old boy who has been imprisoned in a basement and abused by his own father for several years.
What's the story?
Charlie has been kept a prisoner in his basement by his psychotic father. He has never been to school, never heard of holidays, never used a phone; he doesn't even know his last name. He believes he deserves all this because he is bad. He has to scavenge for food at night after his father is asleep, and run into the yard because he's not allowed to use the bathroom. He is twelve years old.
One night while running to the backyard he accidentally locks himself out of the house. Wandering into the street he collapses, and wakes up in a hospital. From there he is sent to a foster home where, with the help of a loving foster family and a psychologist, he begins to try to overcome the severe emotional trauma, and adjust to a world with which he is completely unfamiliar.
Is it any good?
Child abuse, like slavery and genocide, is one of mankind's great horrors, and therefore hard to turn into literature without going too far. The balance between honoring the reality of the victim's experience without becoming unbearable is delicate, especially when writing for children, but author Susan Shaw gets it right. It's real (except perhaps for some overly fortuitous timing at the end) and moving without being melodramatic or graphic.
Unlike many other novels of this type, the author doesn't shortchange the lasting psychological impact of Charlie's experiences, nor does she demonize the parents: What they did was terrible, but the mother is passive out of terror, and the father is genuinely ill and, in his warped way, doing what he thinks is best. Charlie's recovery, the main theme of the story, is also realistically slow -- the book has to skip over years at the end to get him to a place where he is even beginning to function normally. In all, it's a powerful and hopeful story.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the grim realities of child abuse and why victims of abuse often remain silent.
Why is Charlie reluctant at first to see the error of his father's ways?
How has being shut in the basement for so many years affected his perception of the outside world?
Does hearing Charlie's story give you any new appreciation for things you might have been taking for granted?
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AGE
Perfect for Adults and teens above 16.
I overall thought the book was a little boring. I also din't like how that in the book, The mother let her husband do these things! Thats not a good message. Women should stand up for their selfs!
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AGE
I loved this book, but a definitely would say it is for older teens and not for tweens or young children.
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Spread the word about this book! Its so interesting! Kids at least over 10!
I love this book! It's a great book to learn about how some kids actually have to live. It is a very intelligent novel and it is great for all kids around the world to get into and participate in. I think this book was great! My class got to choose a novel for our essay, and once i read the back of this book, i was convinced! I never usually read because to be honest, i'm not really into reading, i would much rather be reading a text message truly, but when i realllly like a book, i will read.This book looked awesome and it totally was worth the read! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is into these kind of dark, interesting, can never put it down kind of books!
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AGE
My point of veiw(from a year old)
I really enjoyed this book. it was first given to me the second week of school and i'gve finished it that same week. Allthough the father in the story was very rude and IGNORANT his role was some what understandable. Thwe way he took Charlie and shook him, threw him against the wall, locked him in the basement, and thed way he abused his wife were very indescribable. Being punished for beind outside so called "for bad kids" wasn;t a good enough reason. If you were going to have a child why would you lock them up and not feed him or her. The mother wasn't very enthuisiastic either..... all of the beatens and bruises wasn't called for and she just stood there and took it. When charlie entered the hospital he was very terrified. He feared his father and the spider that always stood in the corner that has watched him since he was locked up in the basement. I thought the spider was his father but it wasn't. But when Mrs. H got there I felt a sigh of relife. This book makes me think.
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AGE
The truth to a love starved child's life
As a girl from a store room I can identify with charlie's slow realiziation of things. I'm still afraid of the wind, of water, like outdoors are to Charlie, they are strange...I find it hard to adjust...and I'm 21! This tale is heroic in the fact that it reveals the truth to human behavior. Life is not magic. Charlie does not suddenly realize that life is good. And with the addition of his foster-care brother it points out how abused children often do not understand fear. Charlie could not comprehend why stairs are bad even though he was hurt worse on stairs. Amazing insite into the mind of a child who is learning to live.
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AGE
I am 13 and can read and watch a lot of things, but while there is no disturbing images like guts on the floor or descriptive open heart surgury, it was kind of hard to get through just becasue the isolation that this child has just makes you so sad. This is a book I would give to kids who think that they are not treated right by their parents because they dont have the lastest iPod. The hardest thing for me to accept is that this kind of stuff happens all the time.
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AGE
HOW DUMB?!
K..All I Have To Say Was This Book Is Absolutely Pointless..I Hated It..It's The Dumbest Book I've Ever Read. It Seemed Like It Was Going To Be Good At First, But It Really Has No Climax Or Whatever..It Was Just Dumb, If You Ask Me..And I Really Didnt Like It At All! Sorry To Say..I Wouldnt Reccomend It. Maybe It's Just Because I'm 14, But Personally I Thought This Book Was Stupid. -Much Love, Kids..Dont Read This Book.*PLETE AND TOTAL WASTE OF TIME!!!
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| Author: | Susan Shaw |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Publisher: | Dutton Children's Books |
| Publication date: | March 11, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 198 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
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