In this brief novel set in 1887 Michigan, nine-year-old Hannah, who is blind, tells of a turning point in her life when the new teacher comes to board with Hannah's stern family and eventually persuades them to let Hannah attend school. A touching, believable story with strong characterization and sense of place.

Gr 3-5-- A nine-year-old blind girl lives in the West of 1887. When the new teacher arrives , Hannah's mother is persuaded to allow her to go to school. The first day is a disaster, but is followed by better days as Hannah proves that she can learn by listening and finds out that she can get books in Braille. In the end the children band together under the leadership of the class bully to earn money to buy her a Braille writer. This is a gentle story that sensitively portrays Hannah's feelings, especially as she is taken on her first tour of the farm by the new teacher. However, the ending is too perfect, as the bully becomes concerned with someone else's welfare, and learning seems to be an easy matter for Hannah. And if the family has no money for a Braille writer, one wonders how they can get books in Braille. Hannah's mother too readily agrees for her to leave home and go to school, and some readers are sure to wonder why no survival skills were taught to a child of this period. Bowan's realistic pencil drawings are well placed and greatly enhance the book's drama and appeal. Pleasant, but not really believable. --Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA