Annie and Helen

Within a few minutes of starting this book, I was in tears. Remembering the inspiring story of Helen Keller I learned as girl, and feeling so thankful for my sight and hearing. I was filled with gratefulness that my children have good health and are well, and just thinking about her parents’ struggles--now that I'm a parent myself--before Annie Sullivan arrived to change their world and the world of their tormented daughter overwhelmed me!

Happily, as I continued reading, the miracle of the light Annie brought to Helen’s life, through language and communication, brought me the hope I also remember feeling upon learning of their story. Theirs is a story that transcends time and generations and speaks to us about the very core of humanity—what is it that makes us human and enables us to connect with one another, and therefore, give and receive love? There is no doubt that Helen not only discovered illumination of her mind, but the love that comes from relationship. She was given the key to language and for a deaf and blind girl, her universe was changed. I am thrilled to be able to introduce this story to my girls in such a concise and well-written yet easy to understand format, along with lovely and unique illustrations, and I know this will be a treasured book in our library for years to come. Fiction is great, but sometimes the truth is not only stranger than fiction, but more marvelous and miraculous than we could imagine.

My first impression of this book is that it's beautiful! The illustrations are warm and inviting and really bring the story to life. This book tells about Helen Keller's life from Anne Sullivan's POV and features some of her very own letters. The story itself gives enough information to keep young readers engaged but is one adults will enjoy too. (I did!) The braille alphabet included on the back adds a hands-on approach, giving children a chance to feel letters the way Helen did. As a homeschooler, this book is a perfect compliment to our curriculum.