Hero the greyhound (Simon's Hero)
Simon is autistic and his mum, Simone, is in despair. He doesn't speak, he doesn't make eye contact and she wonders whether he will ever be able to communicate with her, or indeed, with anyone else. Simon's dad wants a son he can be proud of, one he can watch playing footie on a Saturday morning - not a silent, withdrawn child, unable to connect with anyone or anything in his world.
Handsome Hero is a beautiful, sleek, black racing greyhound. He's at his peak, winning a fortune for his owners, a six-man syndicate who bask in his reflected glory, sending their wives and girlfriends flowers every Monday morning, after another huge win at the track until...
Hero crashes into the dog in the next lane and his injuries are so bad, it's clear he will never race again. Will Simon ever learn to speak? Will Hero survive his fall? Will Simon's mother ever allow him his own pet dog? More importantly, will she ever learn how to cook? Find out by following Hero and Simon's stories, chapter by chapter, in this heartwarming tale about a boy and a dog.
