THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T READ

A girl with a learning disorder meets an inspirational teacher in this debut picture book by teacher Weston, illustrated by her former student AK.

An unnamed girl with brown skin and long, dark hair has trouble reading. As a result, school is difficult, and her elementary school teachers believe her to be lazy and careless. When she enters fourth grade, though, she finally has a teacher who understands how to make learning fun. When she’s tested in fifth grade, the school administration discovers that although she doesn’t read aloud well, she’s a highly advanced reader “in her head,” and the girl realizes that she has skills that are “super powers.” Readers may assume that the protagonist has dyslexia, although this is never directly stated. However, the book is printed in easier-to-read OpenDyslexic typeface, and a guide at the end tells of dyslexics’ struggles and strengths. Unfortunately, the book never shows the process of how the girl discovers her “super powers,” which would have been helpful to readers. AK’s colored-pencil and marker illustrations beautifully fit the tone of the text and feature a diverse cast of teachers and students.

A well-illustrated title that may give confidence to students struggling with reading difficulties.