Young Trisha grows up in a home where story is part of every day life. Her mother reads to her every night and she can't wait to grow up and be big enough to read all by herself. In kindergarten she watches as the magic of reading comes to the children around her. Her older redheaded brother tells her she will learn in the first grade.
But the first grade comes and reading still isn't coming alive for her. Instead she is laughed at and children call her names because she just can't figure out those words on the page. She began to feel "different."
In her family she is blessed to have her grandmother who reassures her that "being different is the miracle of life." Every firefly is different. Why should we all be the same?
In the fifth grade when Trisha was living in California Tricia had a new teacher. His name was Mr. Falker.
This is the touching and amazing story of a smart young teacher who saw the truth of a lonely, frightened little girl. He figured out that she couldn't read and that she thought she was dumb. Then, he went to work and together they conquered the world of words and reading and books.
Thirty years later she met Mr. Falker at a wedding. When he asked her what she does for a living, she said "Why, Mr. Falker, I make books for children." "Thank you, Mr. Falker. Thank you."
No greater testimonial than that.
32 pages Ages 6-10 978-0399257629
A young girl struggles to read. A teacher enters her world and we see the power of a teacher.
