Thank You, Mr. Falker

This story is a toching story of a girl with a learning problem and the teacher who found a way to help her. For educators it is a reminder of the lifelong impact they can have on the lives of their students. For childrenit teaches that everyone learns in a different way and at their own pace. It touches on bullying and shows that what we say to others can have deep impact on their life. For a child that may be having a difficult... Read Full Review

One of the most touching children's books I've read in recent memory, this autobiographical story by the great Patricia Polacco tells how "Tricia" overcame her reading problems with the help of a compassionate teacher. Polacco's story evokes the attendant feelings of inferiority and isolations, as well as her grateful joy upon finally reading an entire paragraph. The story opens with a family ritual later expanded into a... Read Full Review

I applaud Patricia Polacco for her outstanding book, Thank You, Mr. Falker. She tells a story that happened to her as a little girl which will encourage children everywhere who are learning to read or struggling with the idea. When I read this story to my eight year old nephew he smiled and said, "maybe I will learn to read better." The main character of this book, Trisha, goes through something that many young children... Read Full Review

Patricia Polacco bases this story on her own experiences as a child. She uses the story in this beautiful book to thank her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Falker. In the book, Tricia, who has a yearning to learn to read because of her family's love of learning, discovers that letters in books seem to be all just wiggling shapes. As Tricia moves through school, students call her dumb. She sadly begins to except their teasing... Read Full Review

Even though Thank You, Mr. Falker is a children's book, it is one of the most incredible and profound books I have ever read. It is a "must-read" for every child and teacher, whether new or experienced. The text and the picture blend so perfectly together, just like all picture books should. The pictures portray the feelings of a little girl who is obviously alone and so in need of love and recognition. I introduced Thank... Read Full Review