Jimmy

January 1, 2006
Jimmy, a mildly retarded child, sees "Watchers," or angels, and in his innocence, he's very nearly an angel himself. His parents wonder if he'll ever be able to take care of himself and gently move him toward independence. He responds admirably. In fact, it's Jimmy's highly developed sense of responsibility that eventually gets him in trouble, but his angels are there, and whatever happens, apparently, is God's will. For some readers, " Jimmy" will seem sentimental. For others, it will summon gratifying tears. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)