Publishers Weekly says Like No Other Boy “finds true beauty in the moving love of fathers for sons” in this emotional tale of a single father fighting for the happiness of his autistic child.
Chris Crutcher has lost nearly everything. His divorce–the “uncivil war” as he calls it–started the downward spiral two years ago, and although he has remained strong, life threatens to take the only thing that truly matters to him. As his job opportunities dwindle, his ex-wife leaves him with nothing but a stack of child support bills and a lawsuit for full custody.
If Chris wins the battle, he gets to keep the only person in the world who matters to him: his 8-year old autistic son, Tommy, who finds happiness only in his love for the chimps at a local primatology research center in sunny San Diego. If Chris loses the battle, his ex-wife will tear their son away and transplant him in Houston, far from his father and the chimpanzees he has learned to love.
With beautifully insightful interior narration, Like No Other Boy is equal parts tortured and heartwarming, showing the full spectrum of the fatherhood experience: successes, failures, dreams, and fears. By weaving in scientific concepts about communication barriers, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and humans’ connections to animals, author Larry Center has created an optimistic fictional story perfect for adult audiences. Whether they are simply compassionate individuals with curious minds or the parents of children with developmental delays, readers are sure to feel the joys and pains of both Chris Crutcher and his one-of-a-kind son.