![]() I don't think I'm the right audience for this book, but would definitely encourage young people who want to learn more about Helen and Annie to read this book! This is not to take away from an obviously talented author who really did her homework. Sure, there are flashbacks to Annie's life as an orphan and some snippets of letters she wrote at the beginning of each chapter. Having seen "The Miracle Worker" both on stage and screen, I already knew this story. I read such stellar reviews that maybe I got my hopes up too high. Sure, there are flashbacks to Annie's life as an orphan and some snippets of letters she w It's a great version of the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan as told through the eyes of Annie. This book is really well done if you consider that the audience is kids/YA. I also liked how she thought on her feet and developed lessons in the moment to use what was going on to help get to the next step. However it did add to my understanding of her personal history (she came from a poor house) and gave me respect for her willingness to assert her authority and her perseverance. Then a few pages later she is frustrated that she has not made an impact in 3 weeks. I felt like some of the emotional stuff was off a bit- on one page she talks about how she has been given the job in order to duplicate a result one of her teachers had with another multiply impaired person, but reveals that even that victory was not as people thought and had not been replicated by the teacher again. YA is not really my thing, but I was drawn to this fictional diary style account of Anne Sullivan's meeting and early work with Helen Keller. But overall, I enjoyed this book very much, and I am glad that I read it. However, some of the days in the little house are a bit boring. I loved the detail and learned a lot about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. As Annie herself says in the book, she could have taught her to clap her hands or spin in a circle instead of spelling, for "until understands, I can only drop words into her hands like stones into a puddle, hoping someday they will spill across the rim of her mind." But finally, just as the book is nearing its end and it seems hopeless for Annie, one day as they are at the water pump, something in Helen's mind clicks into place. But Helen still doesn't know what the words mean. How can a young, inexperienced student like Annie teach a wild, spoiled, deaf-blind child like Helen? However, Annie is persistent, and a month later, Helen has turned into a calm, civilized child who can spell words with her hands. At first, Helen's chances of learning seem hopeless. ![]() Miller uses beautiful language to tell Annie's tale starting from when she first got off the train in Alabama. This amazing book tells the inside story of Helen Keller's first months with Annie Sullivan, her teacher. How can a young, inexperienced student like Annie teach a wild, spoiled, deaf-blind child like Helen? However, Annie is persistent, and a month later, Helen has turned into a calm, civilized child who can spell words with her hand ![]() ![]()
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