Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind

Written by Margaret Davidson
Illustrated by Janet Compere

Grade:

3-5

ISBN-13:

978-0590443500

Publisher:

Scholastic (1991)

This slender chapter book recounts the extraordinary life of Louis Braille for older children. Colorfully written and poignantly told, the story follows Louis from the onset of his blindness in a French village at age three, to his triumphs learning to do chores without sight, to his school-age battles learning without the benefit of books. When his parish priest heard of a school for the blind in Paris, off went Louis, only to discover that his life’s work would be to invent an alphabet that allowed the blind to read. He did it – at age 12! An amazing story of dedication and persistence in the face of adversity. Mostly text; not a picture book. If your students are good readers, they could read this themselves after listening to Six Dots in class.