Here's my review of Jimmy by Robert Whitlow, 2005, 384 pages

Read this book and meet Jimmy, a 12 year old boy about to take the stand as a witness in a case involving a corrupt policeman.  Jimmy has some mental limitations that make him different from other boys, but one thing he does know is how to tell the truth. His father is the lawyer for the defendant, and despite the misgivings of his mother, Jimmy's testimony helps keep a man from going to jail. One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is that Jimmy also sees what he calls "watchers", angel-like figures that sometimes help him in difficult situations.  And Jimmy has plenty of those, such as learning to climb to the top of a utility pole from his grandpa, facing his fear of water, deciding whether he wants to see his birth mother, dealing with death, and starting high school.  Jimmy's biggest challenge comes when he overhears another conversation that could get some people in big trouble--if he tells the truth.
Whitlow does a great job of making Jimmy come to life as a believable character.  His mother and father are also engaging characters, especially in the struggles they face with Jimmy's "specialness" and the reapperance of his birth mother.  The only characters that don't come off well are the bad guys, who don't seem to have believable motives.  The watcher element is woven in very well, these "angels" are as real as you can believe an angel to be and not just fluffy storybook characters.  Whitlow moves the story along at just the right pace for the reader to feel the warm emotional involvement of Jimmy with his parents, grandparents, dog, bike riding, and other loves of a 12-13 year old boy.  The ending will not agree with all readers, but there is an alternative ending on the author's website.