Book Review of OUT OF DARKNESS: THE STORY OF LOUIS BRAILLE

Bibliography:

Freedman, Russell. 1997. Out of the darkness: The story of Louis Braille. Ill. by Kate Kiesler. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395775167


Summary:

Out of the Darkness is the story of Louise Braille, who was blinded as a result of an accident that occurred when he was three years old. The village priest, concerned with Louis’ future in a world that ignored the blind, helped to get Louis admitted to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Louis entered the Royal Institute at the age of ten and remained there for the rest of his life, first as a student and later as an instructor. While he was a student, he began to develop a system of raised dots to help blind individuals read. He worked for many years to perfect his alphabet system and faced much opposition to it from the French government and his own school administration. Near the end of his life, his alphabet was being used by schools for the blind throughout the world. Louis Braille died from tuberculosis in 1852 at the age of forty-three.


Critical Analysis:

In Out of the Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille, Russell Freedman tells the story of Louise Braille, the creator of the Braille alphabet, in a simple, informative style. Although most people have heard of the Braille system, very few know about its inventor. Freedman presents Braille’s life in a brief interesting story that highlights the struggles he faced and his continued effort to perfect an alphabet that “opened the doors of knowledge to all those who cannot see” (page 78).

Instead of just telling the basic facts of Braille’s life, Freedman presents insights in to the world of the blind. This enables readers to understand how blind individuals experience every day life and how they adapt and adjust to not being able to see. In the chapter, “The Little Blind Boy,” Freedman informs readers that “like any child who loses his sight, Louis faced a daunting task: he had to rediscover the world around him” (page 11). The author then explains how Louis learned to move around his house by “memorizing every nook and corner . . . until he could walk freely without tripping” (page 11), eventually memorizing the courtyard and his village. Freedman also relays to his readers how a blind person’s other senses are heightened when he can no longer see. For instance, Louis “recognized people by the sounds of their voices . . . Spring became associated with the sweet smell of wildflowers . . . Rain was the sharp wetness on his face.” (page 13). Finally, Freedman reveals the isolation of blind individuals in the 19th century who could not read or write and who often “ended up begging on the street for a living” (page 18). By pointing out these simple truths, the author enables the reader to step in to Louis’ shoes and imagine what his life was like. Thus, the reader is able to view the world from a different perspective and to fully appreciate the obstacles this young boy overcame.

The organization and design of Out of the Darkness allow young readers to learn about Louis Braille without becoming bogged down in too many details. The biography, only seventy-nine pages, covers the main events in Louis’ life that led to the creation of the raised dot alphabet system. Kate Kiesler’s pencil sketches scattered throughout the book reinforce the information presented. For example when Freedom describes the students’ weekly walk to the Botanical Garden, he writes: “They walked single file, holding on to a long connected rope, while a sighted teacher described the scenes around them” (page 29). Kiesler’s drawing of the boys walking on the streets of Paris brings Freedman’s words to life. In addition, the inclusion of illustrations explaining the Braille alphabet and showing what the grooved writing slate and stylus looked like enables readers who have probably never seen either to know exactly what is being talked about in the story. This understanding may spark an interest to learn more about this special alphabet and its inventor.

My only misgivings with this book are that the author does not cite his sources. There is no bibliography listing the resources Freedman used in researching the life of Louis Braille. Freedman acknowledges the director of Information for the American Foundation for the Blind and the custodian of the Louis Braille Birthplace Municipal Museum on a separate page following the title page verso, but no other documentation is given for the information included in this biography. Thus, the reader may question the accuracy of Freedman's depiction of Braille. Is it based on written records or information that has been handed down? Despite these reservations, Out of the Darkness is an inspiring biography that encourages children to believe in themselves and their dreams.

Russell Freedman’s Out of the Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille is an entertaining biography which reminds young readers that they should not give up on something they believe in. The fact that Louis Braille made a significant contribution to the education of “those who cannot see” while in his teen years is an important point to share with children who are growing up with role models in the form of actors, singers, and sports figures who often take paths that lead to self-destruction. While all children may not be motivated by this 19th century inventor, some might find this biography to be just what they need to be true to themselves and their dreams.


Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal (March 1997) - “An extremely well-written and informative book that tells about Braille's life and the development of his alphabet system for the blind. Freedman's gift for making his subjects both accessible and intriguing comes through wonderfully in this book. Readers learn not only about Braille and his struggle to communicate through the written word once he lost his sight, but also how long it took for his revolutionary innovation to become universally accepted. They also become aware of how isolated the blind were before his invention. Finely detailed pencil drawings and diagrams appear throughout the readable narrative. An entertaining and fascinating look at a remarkable man.”

Kirkus Reviews (February 1997) - “This biography from Freedman (The Life and Death of Crazy Horse, 1996, etc.) tells the familiar, moving story of the determination of Louis Braille, who did ``more than anyone in history to bring blind people into the mainstream of life.'' . . .Readers know the ending, but the somber story of this gifted, generous boy is a compelling one. Rigidly rendered black-and-white illustrations make the setting of the story real; useful diagrams of Braille's alphabet and the slate and stylus used to write are included. With warmth and care, Freedman deftly delineates a life.”


Connections:

Have students complete the “Biography Writer’s Workshop with Patricia and Fred McKissack” at http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/biograph/index.htm. Use this site to teach students how to write biographies.


Divide the class in to four groups and have each group read one of the books below. Groups will compare the information presented in their selected book to the information presented in Out of the Darkness. They will also compare/contrast the authors’ writing styles and make a recommendation for or against reading the book. Each group will present their findings to the class.

Birch, Beverley. LOUIS BRAILLE: THE INVENTOR OF A WAY TO READ AND WRITE THAT HAS HELPED MILLIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE COMMUNICATE WITH THE WORLD. ISBN 0836800974

Bryant, Jennifer Fisher. LOUIS BRAILLE: INVENTOR. ISBN 0791020770

Davidson, Margaret. LOUIS BRAILLE: THE BOY WHO INVENTED BOOKS FOR THE BLIND. ISBN 059044350X

O'Connor, Barbara. THE WORLD AT HIS FINGERTIPS: A STORY ABOUT LOUIS BRAILLE. ISBN 1575050528


Create a biography box. Discuss the elements of a good biography: accuracy, reliable sources, organization, selecting the subject, etc. Each student will select one person to research. After collecting information about the person, the student will create a biography box to display what they have learned. Students will include facts about the person as well as pictures. They will also include why they selected the person.