Follow My Leader

When I was in elementary school, my teacher read this book to the class. We ALL LOVED IT! Our teacher was beyond dedicated to her students and in seeing the class's response to this book, she arranged for the author, James B. Garfield to actually come to our school to speak! We actually got to meet him! It was the most exciting and memorable experience I had in all my elementary school years!

I'm James Garfield's granddaughter. He dedicated the book to my mother, Carolyn Lazarus, who is now 81 years old. My granddad lived to be 102 years old, living half of his life blind. He had a seeing eye dog, Coral, a golden retriever who was the sweetest animal I've ever met and she was so very attentive to him. He would have been very flattered to read these reviews so I thank all of you who have taken the time to write about Follow My Leader.

My 6th grade teacher read this book to my class back in 1973. It was a class favorite! What stands out most vividly all these years later is a complete lack of a whiny, self-pitying tone, while still dealing honestly with the anger and bitterness that Jimmy at first feels upon going blind. The book also honestly captures the tension between Jimmy and Mike, the boy who threw the firecraker at Jimmy (not on purpose), and how the strain between them is eventually resolved. The book is also a fascinating look at the world of the blind, and of guide dogs. I've never forgotten the scenes of Jimmy at the school for the blind before he gets his dog. Even eating can be tricky; the teachers use clock face references so the blind students know where the food is (e.g. meat is at 3:00, the peas are at 6:00, and the glass of water is at 10:00). I am glad to see this book is still in print.

James Garfield has entertained and enlightened generations of schoolchildren with this classic tale of perseverance. Jimmy Carter is an All-American eleven year old dreaming of playing in the big leagues when he is accidentally blinded in a playground accident. Although Jimmy first sinks into self-pity, his fortune changes when he meets Social Worker Miss Thompson, who teaches him how to use a white cane and read braille. Miss Thompson also arranges for Jimmy to receive a guide dog, Leader, who becomes Jimmy's "four-legged eyes." With Leader's help, Jimmy reclaims a life he thought was closed to him forever. FOLLOW MY LEADER is a good old-fashioned story of how determination helps to overcome all obstacles. Jimmy's story shows young readers how even a simple task like crossing a room can be fraught with risks, but it also encourages children to develop a sense of self-reliance, as Jimmy travels alone cross-country to the school where he meets and learns to work with Leader, and learns to adapt to the world around him. And lastly, it is a tale of forgiveness, as Jimmy comes to terms with the boy responsible for his accident, and ultimately, his own circumstances. A careful reading of the Dedication makes it clear that FOLLOW MY LEADER is semiautobiographical. And just as trivia: I have always found it oddly fascinating that author James Garfield, who shares a name with a President named his protagonist Jimmy Carter, the name of another President who served decades after the original publication of this book. Highly readable, enjoyable, informative, and recommended for both children and adults.

My 6th grade teacher read this book to my class back in 1963. It was a class favorite back then also! I recently had lunch at a mall food court and by chance wound up sitting next to a blind woman and her guide dog. During a very interesting conversation with this lovely lady, I discovered the training she went thru for her dog was very much like the training "Jimmy" received in "Follow My Leader". This a wonderful book for all and like many, I too read this book as a youth over 40 years ago. I am very pleased to see it still in print.

I am using this book as a read-aloud in a three week intervention class every month. My students listen to a chapter a day, and then write a one page summary of each chapter to put in their "Follow My Leader" book. I also show the 30 minute video, which is probably vintage 70s, on the last day of class. My students feel/read a Braille book from our learning center library; discover the characteristics of coins (sizes and ridges); and learn another application of the face of a clock (where are the mashed potatoes and the carrots?!!).My thanks to Mrs. Gray, my second grade teacher, for reading this book to my class. It is the first book I ever remember hearing in school. I own my second German Shepherd dog now and I am a faithful supporter of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. in San Ramon, California. This book touched me like no other, and I am happy to be sharing it with my students.