  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2016 Stories of Louis Braille and his perfection of a writing system for the blind already populate the picture book and juvenile collections, but even in a crowded field Bryant’s tightly focused work, cast in the fictionalized voice of Braille himself, is particularly distinguished. Bryant was blinded by an accident and subsequent infection as a child; unlike many disabled children of the early nineteenth century, however, Braille had a host of resources available to him with a family and townsfolk that supported him, helped him toward independence, and acceded to his desire to enroll at the Royal School for the Blind in Paris. Excelling at his studies, he was introduced to oversized books with raised lettering, and he quickly understood the need to improve the system. The chance arrived when a French army officer’s raised code, readable by touch, provided Louis with the groundwork for a vastly superior method based on six raised dots, which was immediately adopted within the school and then rapidly spread throughout blind communities. Although many Braille biographies stress his disability, Bryant’s title subtly emphasizes his creativity and celebrates him as an inventor, making this an excellent addition for STEM collections. Illustrations in Kulikov’s signature style, light-hearted with a touch of tartness, deftly toggle between sun-washed scenes in which the world views Louis and blackened scenes in which Louis recreates the world he sees in his mind. End matter includes an author’s note, a Q & A on Louis as inventor, and lists of resources for further investigation. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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