A Friend Like Henry BOOK REVIEW

• Date Published:
  2007
• Length:
  352 pages—Listening Time: 7 hours 31 minutes
• Genre:
  NonFiction, Memoir, Biography
• Setting:
  1988-1990s, Scotland, United Kingdom
• Awards
  New York Times Bestseller 2007
• Languages:
  Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Swedish
• Sensitive Aspects:
  Negative and potentially stigmatizing portrayal of autism, ableist or outdated autism language, descriptions of intense meltdowns and sensory overload, self-injurious behavior, aggression including biting and kicking, parental distress and hopelessness, references to suicidal thoughts, comparisons of autism to terminal illness or loss, school exclusion and discrimination, potentially troubling framing of a child’s empathy or capacity for love, distressing depictions of disability from a caregiver-centered perspective
• Movie
  A Friend Like Henry was adapted into a highly acclaimed UK television film titled After Thomas, which premiered on ITV in 2006.
• Recommended for Book Club:
  Yes

I’m a complete sap for dog stories. Give me a scruffy face, a wagging tail, and one well-timed act of canine devotion, and I’m done for. My heart has packed its bags, my tissues are wet, and I’m suddenly pretending I’m not crying over a dog who probably sheds on the furniture.

But A Friend Like Henry: The Remarkable True Story of an Autistic Boy and the Dog That Unlocked His World by Nuala Gardner isn’t simply a lovely dog story. It has the kind of dog story magic that will absolutely get you right in the gut, but it’s something much bigger, braver, and more extraordinary than that.

This is the true account of Dale Gardner, an autistic boy whose world often felt frightening, confusing, and painfully isolating, and Henry, the golden retriever who became far more than a pet. Henry was a companion, a bridge, a source of comfort, and—at moments when Dale’s family needed hope most—a quiet, four-legged lifeline. A special dog helping a special boy navigate the barriers autism had placed between him and the world? That is off-the-charts special in my book.

Still, as remarkable as Henry is, the real hero of this story is Nuala Gardner herself.

Nuala and her husband fought fiercely for their children when support systems failed them, professionals dismissed their concerns, and each day seemed to demand more strength than any parent should be expected to summon. Their tenacity is incredible. They didn’t give up when answers were hard to find or when the people meant to help seemed determined to make everything more difficult. They kept showing up. They kept pushing. They kept believing their son deserved to be understood, supported, and given every possible chance to thrive.

Honestly? More than once, I wanted to reach right through the pages and give Nuala a good, long hug—the kind that says, “I see how hard you fought. I see how tired you must have been. And I am so glad you didn’t stop.”

That commitment was later recognized when Nuala and her husband received the Autism Lights Award for their dedication to children with autism. It’s an honor that feels deeply earned after reading what this family endured and the compassion they poured into creating a fuller life for their children.

Autism is not a single experience, and no dog is a magic fix. But animals can offer something profoundly meaningful: steady affection, nonjudgmental companionship, sensory comfort, and a safe emotional connection when human interaction feels overwhelming. For some autistic children, a pet can make communication, confidence, routine, and trust feel a little more possible. Henry’s presence didn’t erase Dale’s autism; it helped him meet the world on terms that felt safer and more manageable.

If you love stories about determined parents, extraordinary animals, and the life-changing power of being truly seen, keep this one close. Just maybe don’t start it without tissues nearby.

A Friend Like Henry is Nuala Gardner’s moving memoir about her family’s struggle to understand and support her son, Dale, after his early childhood development raises concerns. As the Gardners search for answers, they encounter a world in which autism is poorly understood, support is difficult to access, and ordinary family life can feel impossibly complicated.

Then Henry, a golden retriever puppy, joins the household.

What begins as a family’s hope that a dog might bring companionship and comfort soon becomes something far more profound. Henry forms a unique bond with Dale, offering a steady, affectionate presence that helps the family discover new ways of reaching him. Through this remarkable friendship, Nuala and her husband begin to see possibilities they had scarcely dared to imagine.

Part family memoir, part tribute to the quiet intelligence of dogs, A Friend Like Henry follows the Gardners through exhausting setbacks, small victories, and the fierce love that keeps parents going when the world doesn’t seem built to meet their child’s needs. It’s an emotional true story about perseverance, connection, and one very good boy who makes an unforgettable difference—without ever needing to say a word.

This book is part of the Paws, Pages, and Plot Twists lineup because of my husband. He read it a few years back and raved about it. When I read it for this series, I understood his kudos. So, if you were sitting beside me right now, asking, “So… what should I read next?” I’d slide A Friend Like Henry across the table before you’d even finish your coffee. Here is why you should read this incredible story:

You need a reminder that small moments matter

This is a story built from moments that might seem ordinary to someone else but carry enormous emotional weight for Dale and his family. It made me appreciate how meaningful a single connection, a new routine, or a little more confidence can be.

You love dog stories with real heart

Henry isn’t written as a magical cure or a cute accessory. He is a faithful companion whose calm, affection, and instinctive understanding help create space for Dale to engage with the world in new ways.

You’re drawn to fierce, determined mothers

Nuala Gardner is the emotional center of this memoir. Her love is not sugary or sentimental; it is exhausted, protective, frustrated, hopeful, and utterly relentless. More than once, I wanted to reach through the pages and give her a long hug—and possibly hand her a cup of tea and a support team.

You want an honest family story

The Gardners face misunderstandings, limited support, and the relentless uncertainty that can come with raising a child whose needs are not being recognized. Their story has difficult stretches, but it never loses sight of love or possibility.

You believe animals can be extraordinary companions

Pets can offer routine, reassurance, sensory comfort, and connection without judgment. Henry’s relationship with Dale is a beautiful example of how an animal’s presence can help a child feel safer, more understood, and less alone.

You want a book that stays with you

This isn’t the kind of memoir you close and immediately forget. It lingered for my husband,it lingered for me, and it will linger for you—in the best way—because it asks you to notice resilience, to honor parents who keep fighting, and to recognize the remarkable impact of simply being there for someone.

If A Friend Like Henry left you wanting more stories about family resilience, neurodivergent lives, and animals with an uncanny gift for showing up when it matters most, these eight books belong on your reading list. A few are memoirs, a few are novels, and all of them understand that connection rarely arrives in a tidy little package with a bow on top.

The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson
This memoir follows a father and mother who travel with their autistic son, Rowan, to Mongolia after discovering his powerful affinity for horses. The Horse Boy became a New York Times bestseller, and its documentary adaptation was nominated for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and won an audience award at SXSW. If you loved the family’s determination and the animal-human bond at the center of A Friend Like Henry, this is a natural next read—just swap Henry’s golden fur for a horse’s mane and prepare for a much bigger journey.

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida, translated by David Mitchell and K. A. Yoshida
Written by a nonspeaking autistic teenager, this brief, illuminating memoir answers questions about how he experiences communication, behavior, emotion, and the world around him. It became a New York Times and No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, was named a best book of the year by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, and inspired an award-winning documentary. Readers who appreciated seeing Dale’s experience treated with compassion will value the chance to encounter an autistic person’s perspective in his own words.

Following Atticus by Tom Ryan
In this true story, a middle-aged journalist and his miniature schnauzer, Atticus M. Finch, attempt to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks—twice in one winter—while raising money for charity. It was a New York Times bestseller and reached No. 5 on The Boston Globe's bestseller list. If Henry’s loyal companionship was your favorite part of Gardner’s memoir, Atticus offers another unforgettable proof that a small dog can carry an astonishingly large emotional presence.

Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalván with Bret Witter
This memoir chronicles a wounded Army captain’s life after combat and the golden retriever service dog, Tuesday, who helps him rebuild a sense of safety, routine, and connection. It became a New York Times bestseller, was an APA Audie Award finalist, and appeared on Amazon’s Best Books of 2011 list. Like A Friend Like Henry, it is a moving account of a dog’s practical and emotional support—only this time, the person finding his way forward is a veteran rather than a child.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Narrated by Enzo, a wise and deeply devoted dog, this novel follows a family through love, ambition, hardship, and the messy business of staying loyal when life refuses to behave. It was a New York Times bestseller, a No. 1 BookSense Pick, and the winner of the 2009 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. Anyone who closed A Friend Like Henry wishing Henry could have narrated a chapter or two will adore this tender, funny, and occasionally tear-inducing canine point of view. The full review of this awesome book is coming soon as part of the Paws, Pages, and Plot Twists series.

Marley & Me by John Grogan
Grogan’s beloved memoir recounts thirteen chaotic, hilarious, and heartfelt years with Marley, the wildly mischievous Labrador who becomes part of every major moment in his family’s life. It was an international bestseller, spent 76 weeks on bestseller lists, won Quill Awards in memoir/biography and audiobook categories, and was adapted into a major film starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It does not share A Friend Like Henry’s autism-centered storyline, but readers who responded to Henry’s immense personality and a family’s life-changing bond with a dog will find plenty to love here. The full review of this incredible book, as part of this series, is coming soon.

Rules by Cynthia Lord
This middle-grade novel follows Catherine, a twelve-year-old who tries to manage life with her autistic younger brother by creating a running list of “rules” for the social world—and learns that people are far more complicated than any list can contain. It received a 2007 Newbery Honor and won the Schneider Family Book Award. Readers who were touched by the Gardner family’s day-to-day reality will appreciate this warm, funny, honest fictional look at autism, sibling relationships, and the yearning to be understood.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
Told through the eyes of ten-year-old Caitlin, an autistic girl grieving her brother, this novel follows her effort to understand loss, navigate a changed world, and find a path toward healing. It won the 2010 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and later received the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award. If A Friend Like Henry moved you because it invites readers to meet a child where they are—not where others expect them to be—this compassionate, emotionally powerful novel is well worth your time.

---