Final Project Book Review 2

Book Review 2: Thank you, Mr Falker by Patricia Polacco

Polacco, Patricia. Thank you, Mr. Falker. New York: Philomel Books, 1998.
Print.

Reading is a profound concentration in education, especially in the early grades. Many books students read do not touch on the struggle of reading that many students can relate to, except Patricia Polacco’s Thank you Mr. Falker. Trisha is a new and struggling learner to her California school ready to hand in the towel. She has struggled reading in her past school, battled the ranting and bullying of her classmates, and is plain sick and tired of being different. Trisha cannot help but struggle with what many children her age face, not only reading, but also the blurred line between what is said and what is done. Coming from loving grandparents telling her “to be different is the miracle of life” and then being bullied for being different, Trisha begins to hate school (Polacco 8). It is not until Trisha meets Mr. Falker and he works one-on-one with her that she begins to realize she is not dumb, and can and will learn to read. This story of a child with dyslexia isn’t just about a girl who can’t see letters or numbers the way others do, it is about a child who sees the world differently and invites the reader into it. As the reader we get to see what it’s like to have dyslexia, how people with dyslexia learn to read, and how dyslexic kids might need extra help.