This is a biography that goes much further than just the life of Helen Keller as a young girl. We still learn about her youth, and learning processes, but we also learn about her life as an adult. We read about her college years, as well as her thoughts and involvements in politics. This read shines light on fear and loss of hope, and inspires all readers, and especially ones with a disability, to follow their dreams. ( )

This book is suggested for readers aged 10 and up, although I would argue that it is more appropriate for slightly older readers or readers with superior reading skills. This biography of the remarkable Helen Keller is filled with vocabulary words and socio-political concepts that will be unfamiliar to the majority of 10 year olds. Nevertheless, Helen Keller's story is inspiring and has continuing relevance today. Dash's coverage of Keller's life is unsentimental without being critical. Dash doesn't fail to mention the less popular aspects of the lives of Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan: Keller's unpopular political views are covered in the book, as are the early plagiarism scandal and Annie Sullivan's notorious temper. These aspects of Keller's life are not given more importance than they warrant, however, and Dash never fails to give Keller credit for her remarkable achievements. Keller's incredible life makes this book worth reading, but its advanced vocabulary and references to unfamiliar political events could make this challenging reading in lower grades. This should be considered when suggesting the book. ( )