Helen Keller: A photographic story of a life (DK Biography) [Paperback]

Leslie Garrett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2004 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Tells the inspirational tale of this spirited crusader.

In this groundbreaking new series, DK brings together fresh voices and DK design values to give readers the most information-packed, visually exciting biographies on the market today. Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts, definitions of key words, and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives that students will love to read.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reviewed with Kem Knapp Sawyer's Anne Frank.

Gr. 5-10. Most of the famous people in the new DK Biography series have been well covered in books, films, and plays, and their autobiographies have remained international best-sellers. That said, these attractive books are, nonetheless, highly readable, worthwhile overviews for young people that introduce both personal and wider background and historical issues. For Anne Frank, Sawyer drew extensively on several sources, including the Diary in its various versions and accounts by Anne's father and their rescuer Miep Gies. Her clear history makes this a good place to start research. Less has been written about Keller, so many readers will find Garrett's book a fascinating first look at the amazing woman, blind and deaf since childhood, who, helped by a devoted teacher, learned to read and speak and traveled the world as an inspiring public speaker and political activist. The publisher's familiar illustration-rich page design works well in the smaller format of this series, and the smooth narratives are broken up on every page with boxed facts and quotes as well as well-chosen, small color photos. For other titles in the series, see the Series Roundup in this issue. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (August 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756603390
• ISBN-13: 978-0756603397
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Special Needs > Nonfiction
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Health > Physical Disabilities
  • #14 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Special Needs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traversing a Dark Valley, March 21, 2005

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Helen Keller: A photographic story of a life (DK Biography) (Paperback)

"Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." ~Helen Keller

The DK Biographies introduce children to famous and influential individuals, although I personally also enjoy reading these tiny biographies. It is a great way to gain insight into a life and Helen Keller is a symbol of overcoming limitations. She refused to live her life shut away in a dark room and instead she taught herself to speak many languages, traveled to many countries and loved to read.

Helen Keller's life is truly inspirational and although her life started out in such a bleak way, she overcame many obstacles and eventually exceeded everyone's expectations. She was actually world-famous by the age of 10. It is truly amazing to see the articles she wrote at age 12.

After we read about the initial illness that left her blind and deaf, Leslie Garrett takes us on a beautiful journey through Helen's life. She was quite the little prankster as a child and also had a great sense of humor about life in general. She also had a temper and this is where Annie Sullivan enters the picture.

We learn about Annie Sullivan's life and how Helen and Annie meet. Leslie Garrett explains how Helen learns about life and how to live in a world where few people understand her. Annie shows extreme patience in very difficult situations and eventually teaches Helen how to deal with everyday situations. She also teaches her how to read and later on attends college classes with her to spell out the lessons into her hand.

Leslie Garrett's writing style is perfect for this story and this is definitely one of my favorite DK biographies. After reading this story, you will never again think about life in the same way.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~Helen Keller

~The Rebecca Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jojo says,"This biography is great and is for anyone", June 2, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Helen Keller: A photographic story of a life (DK Biography) (Paperback)

Imagine being blind your whole life. Well this person was Helen Keller! This book Helen Keller is about the story life of Helen growing up blind. She is an amazing person she had to learn how to talk with her hands and that was hard because she was blind and deaf. The author of this book was Leslie Garrett. I think this book is for 9 to 16 year olds. This book has 121 pages. This biography is a fantastic book.
Helen Keller was an amazing woman she was blind and deaf her whole like. Did you know that Helen went to Harvard, that's the best college in the world? Helen had many challenges in her life she had lost a lot of her family when she was younger. When she was about 9 years old this girl named Annie came to help Helen be able to live a happier life being blind and deaf. Helen and Annie worked hard so Helen could live a good life. When Helen grew up she made many movies and books during her life. Without Annie's help and guidance she would not have seceded.
When I read Helen Keller I think my favorite part of the book was when she was going to Harvard and when she studying, it's a huge part of the book!
When I read this book the most important thing I learned from reading this book was keep trying and don't ever give up!
There are lots of books like this one, but there are lots of other DK books on Helen Keller. Also and other people like Albert Einstein and more!
My recommendation for reading this book Helen Keller is you will be amazed at how Helen got to where she was at and Annie was huge part of Helens life. You will love this biography! I would give this biography 5 big star!!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Book review from an 11 year old, August 29, 2009

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Helen Keller: A photographic story of a life (DK Biography) (Paperback)

I thought that this book was pretty good. I am not much of a person who reads biographies but I thought that it was very informative about Hellen Keller's life and it made a good read.