“Ian Brown’s son Walker is one of only about
300 people worldwide diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome—an
extremely rare genetic mutation that results in unusual facial appearance, the
inability to speak, and a compulsion to hit himself constantly. At age
thirteen, he is mentally and developmentally between one and three years old
and will need constant care for the rest of his life. Brown travels the globe,
meeting with genetic scientists and neurologists as well as parents, to solve
the questions Walker’s
doctors can’t answer. In his journey, he offers an insightful critique of
society’s assumptions about the disabled, and he discovers a connected
community of families living with this illness. As Brown gradually lets go of
his self-blame and hope for a cure, he learns to accept the Walker he loves, just as he is. Honest,
intelligent, and deeply moving, The Boy in the Moon explores the value of a
single human life.”
