این منم، هلن کلر

Ordinary People Change the World

by Brad Meltzer, زهرا غفاری (Translator)

We can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times Bestselling picture book biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer

When Helen Keller was very young, she got a rare disease that made her deaf and blind. Suddenly, she couldn't see or hear at all, and it was hard for her to communicate with anyone. But when she was six years old, she met someone who change her life forever: her teacher, Annie Sullivan. With Miss Sullivan's help, Helen learned how to speak sign language and read Braille. Armed with the ability to express herself, Helen grew up to be come a social activist, leading the fight for people with disabilities and so many other causes.  

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, History, Biography Memoir, Historical

42 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill JFK before he was sworn in – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are We are the Beatles, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.

In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.

He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.

He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.

For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.

His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!

His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.

His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.

His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.

He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.

Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Helen’s full autobiography. She is such an inspiration in this world still. This series by Brad is a great place to learn about someone we know as famous and their history and background as a jumping off point in the future to know more about them. These stories are interesting and a great way to draw young readers into nonfiction. These books gloss over a lot, but it gets the important points and the important point here of you can do anything you set you mind to. Nothing can stop you if you decide to do it. It’s a powerful story.

Brad does all the dialogue of people in bubbles like cartoons from the funnies. Our protagonist, Helen, is a young kid all the way through the story so she is relatable. It’s a great series and I enjoy getting them for the kids.

The nephew couldn’t believe that people could be deaf and blind. His head couldn’t compute that. It seemed impossible to him. He was so interested in the page of braille alphabet that the niece came over and felt that page with the raised dots on it too and she got into the story. The nephew gave this 4 stars and he was impressed. The niece felt Helen’s story was amazing and she gave it 5 stars.

[Atiyeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Helen Keller by Brad Meltzer is a compelling and inspiring addition to the "Ordinary People Change the World" series. This children's biography brings the remarkable life of Helen Keller to young readers in an engaging and accessible way. Meltzer uses a straightforward, narrative style that highlights Keller’s challenges, perseverance, and incredible accomplishments, making it an empowering read for children.

The book does an excellent job of introducing young readers to Keller’s story, from her early struggles with being deaf and blind to her triumphs in communication, education, and advocacy. The vibrant illustrations and short, punchy text make it easy for younger readers to follow along while also capturing the depth of Keller’s determination and resilience. Meltzer doesn’t shy away from the difficulties Keller faced but also emphasizes her strength, intelligence, and indomitable spirit.

One of the strengths of this biography is its ability to make Keller’s extraordinary life feel both relatable and achievable for children. The message of overcoming obstacles and believing in oneself is clear throughout, encouraging readers to see the potential within themselves, no matter the challenges they might face.

Overall, I Am Helen Keller is an engaging, educational, and inspirational read that serves as an excellent introduction to this incredible historical figure. It’s a great choice for young readers and a valuable resource for teaching children about resilience, perseverance, and the power of determination.

[Fatemehshahvari · Rating 4 out of 5]

من که از بچه‌ها زیاد خوشم نمیاد و فکر‌ می‌کنم نمی‌تونم باهاشون ارتباط بگیرم
این کتاب رو برای فاطمه دختر خانوم اسلام‌زاده خوندم و بعدش دوستم برگشت گفت
اوو آفرین چه خوب با بچه‌ها ارتباط می‌گیری

برام جالب بود نظرش و تاثیرگذار

[MAhdis]

این مجموعه از کتاب‌های "آدم‌های معمولی دنیا را تغییر می‌دهند" برای آشنایی بچه‌ها با افراد مشهور و زندگینامه و دستاوردهاشون عالیه. این نسخه هم درباره زندگینامه هلن کلر هست؛ زن موفقی که در هجده ماهگی به خاطر بیماری نابینا و ناشنوا میشه. اما ناامید نمیشه، زبان بریل رو یاد می‌گیره، خوندن، نوشتن و حرف زدن رو یاد میگیره و حتی به دانشگاه هاروارد راه پیدا می‌کنه. داستانی درباره امید، جا نزدن و موفقیت افراد تأثیرگذار. اگر دوست دارید بچه‌ها با آدم‌های مهم آشنا بشن و درس زندگی یاد بگیرن، حتما این مجموعه رو براشون بخونید. من نسخه نشر پرتقال رو از فیدی پلاس خوندم

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, but just felt in the heart." - Helen Keller

Out of all the wonderful books in this series, the story of Helen Keller is by far my favorite. I love the way Brad Metlzer wrote Helen's story. It's an informative book that is written in a manner that it's relatable for children, and easy for them to understand what they're reading/what's being read to them. I even learned a few new things myself, reading this book. Within this book's pages readers will learn more about Helen Keller, get to read their name in braille (which we thought was really cool), see actual pictures of Helen, and see the timeline of her life, and achievements.


Read my FULL REVIEW here http://www.mundiekids.blogspot.com/20...

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kid has been very interested in Helen Keller lately and this is my favorite by far. We have also read some about Louis Braille and this is the first book to include Braille letters so that she could feel them. I love the illustrations and it is the perfect amount of information.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story about this book: my son has recently discovered the PBS show "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum." I was watching it with him while I was on maternity leave and I could not figure out why the animation style looked so familiar. I figured it was done by a children's book illustrator, but I couldn't figure out who. Finally I remembered (why didn't I just Google it? Because I'm sleep deprived, duh!) that it was Brad Meltzer! I had just read the I Am George Washington book and thought it was adorable. How cute that they made a TV series to go along with it.

Anyway, it turns out my son LOVES the Helen Keller episode. He talks about Helen all the time. So I checked and lo and behold, there's a book. :) I brought it home and he was SO EXCITED. He sat down to watch the episode and flipped through the book at the same time. They are not identical but it was close enough that he was just delighted.

I also realized that the little bald kid with glasses on the show, Brad, is in fact the very likeness of...well...Brad. Cute!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun fact: my mom’s aunt was friends with helen keller

[Safa · Rating 3 out of 5]

بیشتر وقت ها سخت است یک چیز جدید یاد بگیری.
من با کلمه ها شروع کردم.
خیلی زود تعدادشان زیاد شد.
بلاخره معنی کلمه ی دوست داشتن را یاد گرفتم.
به معلمم چند شاخه گل داده بودم، برای همین او کف دستم نوشت: من هلن را دوست دارم.
دوست داشتن یعنی چی؟
گیج شده بودم. از او پرسیدم:
همین طور که روی دستم می‌نوشت،
با نوک انگشت زد روی قلبم و گفت: این جاست.
هنوز گیج بودم‌.
فهمیدنِ چیزی که نمی‌توانستم لمسش کنم، سخت بود.

برشی از متن-

[Mr. Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would 100% be a 5 Star Book if the ending didn’t drag on and on and on.

Including actual raised Braille letters made the kids love it!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: I am Helen Keller. When I was little, I was just like you. I loved to play. I loved my dog. And I loved seeing all the bright, beautiful flowers. I also loved copying people.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book biography of Helen Keller. It includes narrative--which I liked for the most part--and speech bubbles--which I could take or leave. Meltzer has Keller speaking directly to young readers--or listeners. "Close your eyes and block your ears. I couldn't see anything. Or hear anything. That's right. Nothing." That page is completely black except for the white text. The book celebrates teaching, learning, reading, and writing. Also THINKING. The concept of the braille alphabet is introduced and readers can feel the letters.

I may not be able to see, but I have vision. I may not be able to hear, but I have a voice.

My thoughts: This one is written in the first person, for better or worse. The message of the book is good. It's hard to argue with the positive, hopefulness of it. But I can't help comparing it to Helen's Big World. That picture book included quotes from the real Helen Keller. And it was beautifully written and illustrated. This one may pack a LOT of information, but, it is not beautifully illustrated. It bothers me that Helen stays the same size no matter if she's a year old, six years old, or fifty-six years old. Her face, her hair, EVERYTHING stays the same. It's just not REGULAR.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful introduction to Helen Keller, told from her point of view. I pretty much fell in love with the lines, "They were right. I wasn't well-behaved. I was extremely frustrated." YES YES YES. When people complain about the lack of compliance in kids with special needs, I want to yell at them, how would you feel if it was hard to communicate what you needed or wanted? Wouldn't you to anything in your power to get your point across? So, loved this, and the art was spectacularly adorable. It was only made better by the fact that the illustrator, who has worked for Marvel, put the Hawkeyes and Lucky in there (with Clint signing I Love You to Kate, omg swoon), plus Matt Murdock and Foggy, ha.

Also, she met every president from Cleveland to Johnson?? That puts her life span into such perspective. So crazy.

[Roya · Rating 4 out of 5]

روزایی که غمگینم، میرم سراغِ کتاب‌های کودک.
حال‌مو با نقاشی‌هاش و داستان‌های بامزه‌ش خوب می‌کنم.
این کتاب اما پر از اُمید بود. یک هُلِ محکم برای ادامه دادن.
"گاهی سُر می‌خوری، میفتی، دوباره قِل می‌خوری پایین. اما اگر برگردی و به بالا رفتن ادامه بدی، بهت قول میدم به قله میرسی."
"اجازه نمیدم چیزی جلومو بگیره"

[Carol Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series "Ordinary People Change the World". I enjoy the illustrations and the postive messages along with the facts. In this one I especially liked being able to feel the braille letters.

[forthefamilyssake Hailey White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great concept for children's biographies. Love the book size and content. Didn't care for comic style text boxes (what are those called?).

[Megan Mobley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I am Helen Keller is a biography written by Brad Meltzer that I would recommend for students in grades 3-5. The book is a complex picture book with full paragraphs on each page and speech bubbles to supplement the story. The book tells the story of Helen Keller’s journey growing up as she became deaf and blind during a time that it was very rare to have those conditions. She had a big personality and was referred to as a “monster” by her relatives - but when you think about what it must be like for a child to not see or hear anything, you would expect exaggerated behaviors. It was inspiring and impactful to walk through her struggles throughout the story and see how she persisted despite the seemingly impossible situation.

This was a WOW book for me because I learned a lot of new things about Helen Keller and her personality that I hadn’t been taught in school growing up. I liked that the story was written in first-person perspective, giving it a more relational feel. It was really interesting to learn how she figured out different motions and gestures to communicate based on her associations and emotions. I also enjoyed envisioning her blossom and feel more connected to the world the more she learned and grew. It’s crazy to think about how she could learn to read and speak without seeing or hearing.

There are several different ways this book could be incorporated into the classroom. It would go very well as an inclusion lesson to help students accept others’ differences and read about how some students learn differently. I would like to have some braille books that students could look at, as well as a translation chart to see if they could figure out any of the text. I think this would help them see a glimpse into the life of others who learn to read using braille. I would also want students to research a way they could have helped teach Helen Keller and present an idea. Back then, it was uncommon to see this and most people did not know how to communicate with Helen or teach her. I think it is important for students to learn about ways they can help others who learn in different ways from themselves.

[Kaitlyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I have read a few "I am...." books by Brad Meltzer, this story really stands out to me as a wow book! This biography, perfect for students in 3-5 grade, is a wow-book for me because it not only tells the true story of Helen Keller, a girl who was both deaf and blind, but it also encourages readers to overcome any obstacles in front of them. The story begins with Helen Keller as your everyday- average child. She then however, becomes ill and loses her ability to hear and see. She goes on to tell of her struggles and the frustration she felt from being in a dark and silent world; but she still didn't give up. Then, she meets a woman who changes her life completely: Anne Sullivan, her teacher. Though difficult at first, Miss Sullivan continued to work with Helen and both were determined to succeed. To teach Helen to communicate, she would sign out words on the palm of her hand. Eventually she became so good that she even learned to read braille and speak! She went on to become a social activist, fighting to help those who were looked down upon (women's rights, people in poverty, and people with disabilities). I think another aspect of this book that made me classify it as a wow book, was when Helen learns about love. I thought this piece was so moving and encouraged me to think and reflect on love in my own life!

This is most definitely a book I want to include in my future classroom. It teaches so many valuable lessons about courage, persistence, and determination. There are so many potential ways to use this for instruction, but one could be to have students, after reading it, complete an autobiography about their own lives or a biography about another person's life. If you went the biography route, you could have students conduct research on their person (whether they be famous or someone in their life) and then write a paper on what they found. Another way this book could be used in the classroom, is by having students write about some struggles in their own lives and list out ways they can overcome them. I think using someone like Helen Keller, a woman who has overcome so many obstacles, will be beneficial for students because they can see that no matter what comes at them, they can overcome it, even though sometimes it will be hard and take time.

[Becca Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synthesis: “I am Helen Keller” is a biography in which I would use when teaching 3rd-5th grade. It describes Helen Keller’s childhood, growing up like a normal child until she was 19 years old. Helen got very sick, resulting in her becoming both blind and deaf. The book continues as she explains her struggles, yet overcomes them with the help of her teacher Anne Sullivan. She later graduates from college and even becomes an advocate for others.
Ideas: I would use this book to teach my students about disabilities and perseverance. I would express to them how that although she may not be able to see, nor hear, she never gave up. She pushed past obstacles and exceeded expectations. I could even blindfold my students and have them wear earplugs to show them how she lived her life. I feel as if this would allow them to truly see what she overcame throughout life. Throughout this experience, I would hope that the students saw her as a role model.
Why: I thought this was a WOW book because it truly inspires people to dream big. Helen Keller’s story itself is one in a million, her passion and perseverance to continue to grow amazes me.

[Azam Amir · Rating 4 out of 5]

وقتی بچه بودم، شخصیت هلن کلر برام خیلی جذاب بود، اصلا فکر می‌کنم اون کتابی که تو بچگی در موردش خواندم اولین کتاب از سری زندگی‌نامه بود که تو زندگی‌ می‌خوندم. علاقه‌ی شخصی ام رو دخیل کردم و این کتاب رو برای برادرزاده‌ام خریدم و به همراه او بعد از خواندن کتاب لذت بردم. کتاب به زیبایی تصویر سازی شده و ترجمه‌ی کتاب بسیار روان و قابل فهمه.

از متن:
روزی به معلمم چند شاخه گل دادم و او کف دستم نوشت...
من هلن را دوست دارم.
حسابی گیج شده بودم، از او پرسیدم دوست داشتن یعنی چی؟
آهسته با نوک انگشتش روی قلبم زد و همزمان کف دستم نوشت: «این‌جاست.»
هنوز گیج بودم٬ فهمیدن چیزی که نمی‌تونستم لمسش کنم، سخت بود. هیچ معنایی برام نداشت. چرا معلمم نمی توانست دوست داشتن را به من نشان بدهد؟
بعد او توضیح داد که...
تو نمی‌توانی ابرها را لمس کنی، اما متوجه‌ی بارش باران می‌شوی و می‌دانی که گل‌های شاداب چطور سیراب می‌شوند.
دوست داشتن هم همین‌طور است. نمی‌توانی آن را لمس کنی، اما می‌توانی احساس کنی چقدر خوشحالت می‌کند.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Keller is a fascinating test case when it comes to heroism.  Her relationship with her devoted teacher Anne Sullivan and her resourcefulness in overcoming the problems that resulted from a serious illness that left her blind and deaf are genuinely heroic.  And yet her suffering had some negative consequences when it came to her political views as well.  Her personal dependency based on her disabilities led her to support a greater dependence on government than is either wise or proper, and that is a common problem that one faces.  Still, one does not have to dwell on the political misadventures of people resulting from their own learned helplessness and lack of ability to cope with freedom and personal responsibility to appreciate the heroism it takes to overcome such crippling deficits as Helen Keller faced.  That she could not have done it without a lot of help is quite true, but that she could not have done it without a great deal of strength of will and perseverance herself is also true.  And all we can provide on our own is the strength of will to overcome the obstacles we face, and find the resources we can along the way.

This particular volume looks at Helen Keller's life, focusing mainly on her childhood.  This is smart, because it allows us to see a child who was somewhat precocious and also somewhat spoiled deal unsuccessfully with isolation and loneliness and an inability to communicate with the world.  Her discovery of language allows her to communicate with others, and her use of braille and the hand-spelling that allowed her to get a college degree.  Up to this point all is well and good as far as heroism is concerned.  Most children (and many adults) can at least imagine how difficult it would be to be in a world of darkness and silence where one had grave difficulties in playing with animals and making one's needs and wants understood by others.  However, at this point the book has a coda that promotes her celebrity status, her writing of books, and we are back to the author's familiar tendency to celebrate people not for their heroism but for their celebrity.  That this is a common failing of the author does not make it any less annoying as a reviewer, though, or any less problematic for the book's intended audience.

At any rate, this book presents both the virtues as well as the vices of the author's approach when it comes to celebrating heroism.  Most of the book focuses on areas that the author would be able to consider heroic.  Helen Keller is somewhat easy to identify with as a spoiled brat, seeing as many of the book's intended readers could likely be similarly viewed by uncharitable adults.  The struggles made by the subject against her disabilities is something that is inspirational, especially for those who feel as if they have crippling problems that limit their own abilities to succeed in the world.  All of this is something worth appreciating, and that alone makes this one of the better books in this series.  However, unfortunately, like nearly every other book in the series, it appears that this book suffers from the author's tendency to believe in celebrity as something that conveys a sense of heroism.  Helen Keller would have been heroic without any celebrity status or any meetings with presidents, and that is something this author seems unable to fully understand and grasp with.  Hopefully, it is something his readers, young and not-so-young, can understand, though.

[Sarah Hugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

SYNTHESIS: Helen Keller deserved to have the story of her life told because of the challenges she faced and overcame. When she was born, Keller was a regular girl who could play and copy people and their words. But when she was nineteen months old, she suffered through an illness that left her unable to see and hear. This was a struggling time for Keller because she could not communicate exactly what she was feeling or what she wanted until her parents hired a teacher for Keller called Anne Sullivan. At first, Keller struggled to understand the alphabet that Sullivan was teaching her through touching, but that changed when Sullivan was spelling water on one of Keller's hand and in the other, Keller felt water on her fingers. this changed the way Keller could feel the world and now apply words to objects and people and even concepts such as love. Keller even learned to read through Braille and through another teacher called Sarah Fuller, Keller learned to speak by feeling Fuller's mouth when she pronounced a letter. Going beyond her inability to see and hear, Keller became the first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree, wrote twelve books, and even met every president from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon Johnson. Because of her hardships, Keller grew a great need to help others and fought for social change and equity for people with disabilities. Even though Keller has passed away, she continues to aid those with abilities with a organization in her name called the American Foundation for the Blind and Helen Keller International, and her story will continue to be a story of success for those who suffer hardships as well.
IDEAS: Educators can use this book to motivate students and educate them that no obstacle is a big enough obstacle. Institutionally, it can be a self-motivation lesson and social studies as well about important people who overcame their differences. Helen Keller is a great example of a historical figure in American history who overcame her differences because she did not let her disabilities hold her back even though it was frustrating and it was difficult for people to understand her. I think this is a great moral for students to learn as a reality rather than in a fiction book, and this book includes interactive parts to the reader, such as reading Braille. Teachers could center their lessons around the significant moral of the story and then connect it to students' experiences where they or others thought they could not overcome their difficulties, but students could prove that they will and they can.
WHY 'WOW'?: This is a WOW book for me because I have read one or two biographies about Helen Keller and I think one of them was geared toward elementary school students, however I do not remember how it went. "I Am Helen Keller" is a much better biography I have read and, especially for children's books, I think it was very entertaining and accurate to Helen Keller's life. I like how in one part, the book was completely black, except for the words, and it asked the reader to cover their ears as well, connecting it to the fact that was how Keller saw and heard her world as absolutely nothing. But then the accomplishments the book mentioned were some I never heard before and I learned a lot more about Helen Keller that I didn't realize before, even though I knew about her before reading this book.

[Leiah Tamaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Helen Keller is a biography about Helen Keller detailing her journey from darkness and frustration to learning and becoming connected to the world around her. It is an inspiring story that children in grades 3-4 are sure to love. We are shown through this book, how Helen Keller felt as a young child being blind and deaf and how Anne Sullivan helped her, and brought light into her world. We see Helen Keller's determination and perseverance as she overcomes obstacles to accomplish great things like going to Harvard, learning multiple languages, and advocating for equal rights.

This book would be a great way to integrate Social Studies and English Language Arts. Through this book, children can learn about agents of change and the obstacles they overcame in their life to bring positive change into the world. They can make connections to the reading and think about how they can act as agents of change as well, and the obstacles they may have to overcome in order to create the change that they would like to see in the world or in their community. Students can complete a writing piece about what they would like to do in their communities, or construct community service projects and write about their experiences being agents of change themselves.

This book would also be a good way to teach readers how to determine the message in a story. There are many messages that we can learn from this book including the importance of perseverance, or having a growth mindset and knowing that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The teacher can model this by determining a message and using evidence from the book to support their reasoning. They can also show students that there can be multiple messages in a book and that different people will find different messages. Then students can determine a message that they learned from the book and use evidence from the book to support their thinking.

This was a wow book for me because the story of Helen Keller is truly an inspirational one and this book does an amazing job of describing how Helen Keller felt and the obstacles she faced. It also talks about the patience and selflessness that her teacher, Anne Sullivan had. For me, as a teacher, I find this very touching, and hope to be able to have the same dedication and love that Anne Sullivan had. It is amazing to see how one teacher completely changed Helen Keller's life, and how this child who was frustrated from not being able to connect and communicate with the world around her was able to go on to accomplish so many things. Helen Keller has always been one of my favorite historical figures and I love how this book details her life in a heartfelt, yet, humorous and entertaining way.

[Deja Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biographical picture book follows the structure of the previous books in the series, by introducing readers to Helen Keller, and the challenges that she experienced in her life as she coped with blindness throughout her life. I loved the decision to maintain Helen's look throughout the book, which helped really reinforce the idea that: 1) this is a children's book aimed at young readers, and 2) the overall lesson that Helen's strength throughout her life, was influenced by her interactions with Annie Sullivan as a young child. It includes narrative and speech bubbles which caught my attention more than if I would've read the book without them. Meltzer has Keller speaking directly to young readers--or listeners. "Close your eyes and block your ears. I couldn't see anything. Or hear anything. That's right. Nothing." That page is completely black except for the white text. The book celebrates teaching, learning, reading, and writing. This book really makes the readers think and develop questions about blindness and the ways in which Helen Keller was able to live a normal life. I really liked the book's message the most along with the use of braille in the book to give students the opportunity to understand what it's like to read with one's fingers rather than eyes. Meltzer doesn't shy away from the idea that Helen's life was challenging - especially because she couldn't enjoy many of the things we take for granted, e.g. playing with the family dog - but she also emphasized that patience, understanding and willingness helped Annie work with Helen, to make the breakthroughs that would change Helen's life. Helen's an inspirational individual, and a reminder to readers both young and old, that there's nothing that you can't conquer, if you put your mind to it. Additionally, I feel that this story would be an excellent selection for young children in group story time or the younger grades of school. Its message of always believing in oneself, and letting others believe in you, is a great one. 

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Helen Keller is a amazing picture book biography about Helen Keller’s inspirational journey. It starts by saying that when Helen Keller was young she was just like the reader but then she got sick and lost both her hearing and sight. It follows the emotional journey that Helen Keller goes on from frustration and anger that she could not communicate, to learning basic words, to learning about love, and developing a deep appreciation and love of learning. The book ends with a wonderful message about how overcoming obstacles in your life and not to let anything stop you.

This book would be a great book to read for 2nd and 3rd graders and older students could read on their own. The book almost has a comic book feel to it with speech bubbles and drawings that the students would enjoy reading on their own. It also includes a brail alphabet that students could feel for themselves. This book would be a great book to start discussions with students about disabled people as well as about over coming obstacles in life despite the odds. It could also be used in the classroom to talk about the genres of autobiographies and biographer, what they are and how to write them.

This was a wow book for me because the book did such an amazing job at conveying how frustrating not being able to connect with people and how life changing it became when she could finally communicate. There was also a lot of humor included in the book particularly in the illustrations that the students would really enjoy.

[Jennifer Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awards Received: None
Appropriate grade level(s): Preschool to Second Grade
Summary: I am Helen Keller is about how when Helen Keller was young she became deaf and blind because she had a rare disease. Helen Keller had a hard time communicating with others until she was six and her teacher taught her braille. Helen learned how to express herself and blazed the trail for people with disabilities.
My review: I am Helen Keller is such an inspirational book and it really shows that you can do anything you put your mind to. This book is a great way to learn about a historical figure because it is simple and truly paints a picture. I am Helen Keller is a book I will have in my classroom because it shows disability in such a positive light.
1-2 Possible in-class uses: I am Helen Keller can be used to start the conversation about learning sign language or braille. I am Helen Keller can also show students that they too can overcome adversity and persevere. Lastly, I am Helen Keller can be used when discussing disability and use this platform to show disability in a positive light.

[Kelsey Rice]

This story is about a blind woman named Helen Keller. When she was nineteen months old, she got very sick which made her blind and deaf. A teacher named Anne Sullivan helped Helen to spell, read, and speak. She became the first blind and deaf person to earn a college degree.

I enjoyed reading this book! I thought it was so neat how they put braille in the book for you to feel as you read. I also loved the page that was completely black to show that all she saw was darkness.

I think this book could be used in many different ways and for several different lessons.
I think this book could be used to teach about determination. Also, this book would be great for teaching about disabilities and obstacles in life but seeing the positive. Obviously, it could be a good resource to teach about Hellen Keller. Many different lessons could be learned from this book.

[Brianna Jensen]

When Helen Keller was very young, she got a rare disease that made her deaf and blind. Suddenly, she couldn't see or hear at all, and it was hard for her to communicate with anyone. But when she was six years old, she met someone who change her life forever: her teacher, Annie Sullivan. With Miss Sullivan's help, Helen learned how to speak sign language and read Braille. Armed with the ability to express herself, Helen grew up to be come a social activist, leading the fight for people with disabilities and so many other causes.

Age level: 5-8 years

Possible themes to integrate into the classroom: Heros, civil rights, biography, overcoming odds, perseverance, inspiration

This young reader non-fiction is perfect for early elementary research projects!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't give many 5-star ratings, but I love this book and this series. We've read many in the series, but this is one that our 4-year-old particularly liked. These books have such great messages and such a neat way to approach learning about some amazing historical (and sometimes not so historical) figures. I would love to own every book in this series, but for now we get them at the library, and they seem to be in high demand. The stories were too long/detailed for our 2-year-old, but we told her a simplified version and looked at the illustrations (which are a tiny bit to busy for my taste, but I think they're going for a more graphic novel style, so I get it--there's a lot to tell and fit on a page).

[Judy Desetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great biography of the life of Helen Keller. I loved the messages at the end about how everyone can overcome obstacles. That each person has potential and all people are like flowers that need to be watered. Very encouraging words for children to hear. This was a wonderful message about Helen's life. Reading level is such that young kids will easily access the understanding of her life.

I have read several in this series"Ordinary People Change the World" by Meltzer and they are all really good. And the cartoonish illustrations will appeal to kids and yet send a great message.

Recommend

[Kayley Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This autobiography of Helen Keller is previewed in a graphic novel and I love that. Autobiographies are often times hard to tech with in elementary school because they aren't much geared towards their age group but in this case I believe that this is perfect for teaching about Helen Keller and how she strives to be the best person she can be regardless of her limitations. I would use this every year when teaching my kids not only a history lesson but also refer to her and her attributes to describe a strong independent role model to strive to be like when we as humans face challenges and obstacles.