Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller (A Big Words Book, 6) Hardcover – Picture Book, October 16, 2012

Helen Keller's story is fascinating, moving, and inspiring. I've read this twice with my 8 year old granddaughter and know that she will ask for it again and again. She was reluctant the first time because it "sounded boring." However, the book gave us oodles of opportunity to talk about what was happening to Helen, how difficult it must have been, what it would be like to be blind or deaf ourselves. We had some terrific conversations. She really absorbed it. I found "The Miracle Worker" movie on t.v. a few days later and we watched it together. That really brought home the emotional and physical realities of Helen's early life. (Caution: I'd forgotten Annie's back story--living in an asylum as a child with her brother, who died in the asylum. These scenes can be disturbing to children. I was able to skip lightly over the explanations of what was going on.)I love that the title of the book is in braille on the cover, that quotes from Helen occur frequently so we "hear" her own words, that the sign language alphabet is illustrated at the back, and that the book covers her whole life. She was an indomitable, incredibly talented woman. A worthy role model for all children.

This is a wonderful book and great introduction to the life of Helen Keller. The pictures are gorgeous and my family and I learned so much! The "Manual Language Chart" is on the back end page and the title is in Braille across the top of the cover. A timeline of important dates/events is included, as well as research sources and other reference books for more to read about her.

Every time we drive through the center of Feeding Hills, MA, our youngest grandkids notice the sculpture on the commons that depicts Helen Keller learning about “water.” Recently we told them about Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, who was born in Feeding Hills. They were fascinated with how Anne was able to teach Helen to read and speak. So we bought the book Helen’s Big World and brought it to the little park so we could all look at the sculpture and read the book together. (A video of the book is also available for free on Amazon Prime Video, but we love reading actual hard cover books😊)

The most beautiful book written about Helen Keller for children!!! Very sensitive, very well versed, and consistently aware of the times she lived in. A very moving children's book that is very helpful to show how thankful we are for Helen Keller and the person who helped her so much in her life.

It's wonderful to find a 'kids' book of Helen Keller that goes beyond the "water incident". My 5 year old niece has recently become fascinated by Ms Keller but keeps asking me what happened after she started to learn. I'm SO excited to share this book with her. Also, the artwork is beautiful.

We checked this book out at the library and it sparked our 5 yo girl's imagination and now she wants to know more about Helen Keller. I think it is also helping her learn empathy for others.

It was one of the lists for my daughter's "Battle of Books" competition for high elementary school graders.

I volunteer occasionally to do activities in health care and memory care, and I read it to them. They loved it, and it generated to much conversation.