Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller

by Sarah Miller

Hardcover, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

HF1887

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2007), Hardcover, 240 pages

Description

At age twenty-one, partially-blind, lonely but spirited Annie Sullivan travels from Massachusetts to Alabama to try and teach six-year-old Helen Keller, deaf and blind since age two, self-discipline and communication skills. Includes historical notes and timeline.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Whisper1

This is well written and absorbing. Ann Sullivan entered Helen Keller's life when she was 20 and Helen was six. Blind, deaf Helen was an exceedingly pampered, spoiled brat, locked in her own world of confusion. Her parents showed pity and allowed Helen to have free reign to punch, push, eat food

like a pig and throw horrendous temper tantrums throughout the entire day.

All this changed when Ann Sullivan accepted the challenge of teaching Helen. Using very harsh, stern methods Ann gradually was able to reach and teach Helen, but not before Ann received black and blue arms, legs, had her tooth knocked out and her eyes scratched.

This is a book that haunted me long after I finished reading the last page. While the methods used to break through to Helen may be deemed harsh by today's standards, it is wise to remember that Ann loved Helen and was successful in opening a whole new world for her.

Highly recommended

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LibraryThing member Croote

I really enjoyed the beginning and end of the novel. I thought the middle was slow but overall the book was great.

LibraryThing member ohioyalibrarian

Covers the Helen Keller story from the viewpoint of her teacher, Annie Sullivan. Includes Annie's childhood spent at an almshouse in Massachusetts.

LibraryThing member mochap

This book was great--even if you feel that you know the Helen Keller story like the back of your hand, this book will feel like an old friend, with a bit of a different spin. Moving

LibraryThing member edspicer

Miller, Sarah . (2007). Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. New York: Atheneum, Simon and Schuster. 240 pp. ISBN 978-1-4169-2542-2 (Hardcover); $16.99.

This is an historical fiction telling the factual story of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher. It is told in the very plausible voice of

Annie Sullivan (Teacher) based on the author's research of Sullivan and the Keller family. This is an extremely engaging story that feels true even if the details cannot be claimed as historical truth. Miss Spitfire gives readers new respect for language and all the doors that it can unlock. Miller is a Michigan author and Miss Spitfire is a top ten historical fiction for youth selection by Booklist Magazine.

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LibraryThing member mlgonzales

Sarah Millers version of the first introduction between teacher, Annie Sullivan, and pupil, Helen Keller, from the young teacher's train ride to Alabama, during which she anticipated teaching a charge who had "no words, only sensations," to the breakthrough at the water pump, where she taught Helen

to use language. This biography is based on Sullivan's letters, excerpts of which begin each chapter, and in Sullivan's voice, Miller brings about to the reader many questions and challenges that she faced: "It's up to me to show Helen that communication between people exists at all." Very detailed to the wording and description of rooms to Helens behavior.
While reading this book, I couldnt help but think of my own daughter. While she was going through her cancer, with chemotherapy and radiation. She was 3 and a half at this time. I had to re-train her to potty in the toilet, to bath herself, and lots more simple self-help skills for a child at her age. We got through it. I had her cancer against me and then her attitude and frustration didnt help. But we get through it. I could see the intention that Sullivan had to accomplish anything with Helen. How personally rewarding it all is forever!!!
In the classroom, I would have the children keep a journal, accompanied by a photo, of all their daily activity starting at the beginning of the school year and then at the end of the year examine the extent of their learning, along with another end of year photo. Discuss the many growing experiences that were learned and accomplished throughout the year. Not to mention the growth that will continue to develop as the years go on. Another extension, I would ask the children to not talk for an hour, they can use other forms of communication as long as no sound is coming from their mouths. Wait and see their imagination go to work!!!

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LibraryThing member CSLA2Team

This novel imagines Annie Sullivan’s first experiences with her famous pupil, Helen Keller, from the young teacher’s train ride to Alabama, during which she anticipated teaching a charge who had “no words, only sensations,” to the breakthrough at the water pump, where she taught Helen to

use language.

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LibraryThing member melissagagnon

bookclub september -0ctober 2008 recommended by Joyce Ogalve. I learned a lot about how teaching is from a child. This is a good one to use for my thesis. I had the chance to meet the author, Sarah Miller. She came to our bookculb meeting and told us facts about Helen Keller and her teacher. It was

amazing. I love this book. Sarah even signed our book. She is on libary thing too. You have to read this book. It was wonderful!

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LibraryThing member litelady-ajh

Great book about Helen Keller from the Teacher's perspective.

LibraryThing member RoseMarion

This is a wonderful historical fiction novel. I could not stop reading this amazingly well-written book. The author, Sarah Miller,

LibraryThing member camcleod

Full disclosure: I have always been fascinated by the story of Helen Keller, but even more by her teacher Annie Sullivan. One of my books on a long ago Scholastic Book order back in elementary school was Helen Keller's Teacher. I read about Annie Sullivan's horrendous childhood, years of which were

spent at the almshouse Tewksbury in Massachusetts. There her beloved brother Jimmy died of tuberculosis, leaving her alone, angry, and blinded by glaucoma. Miraculously, she found her way to an education and, her sight - mostly- restored through surgeries and for lack of any other real career possibilities, she accepted the job offer from the Kellers in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Years later I read the book to my own children and when we were able to stop at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia on our way to Memphis, suffice to say, Nick and Kat were properly impressed. All this by way of saying, I knew I had to read Miss Spitfire and I only hoped that its author would do the story right. Sarah Miller did. The years at Tewksbury are there, the horror of Jimmy's death, the desperation with which Annie threw herself at a visiting delegation to the alsmhouse, begging to go to school. These flashbacks show how Anne Sullivan grew into a twenty-year-old determined to make her own way.The story is told from Annie's point of view, and the reader hears all her anger, frustration, intelligence, and love, as she tries to essentially tame her student so that Helen can be released from her overwhelming isolation. That she was able to do so less than two months after her arrival at Ivy Green is a testament not so much to her natural teaching ability but to her identification with Helen's loneliness. Sarah Miller, if I got a vote on the Newbery, it would be yours. Thanks for a truly lovely read.

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LibraryThing member hoganedix

Wow! I never had heard this version and it was very interesting to learn more about Ann Sullivan.

LibraryThing member LoganLynn

I have to say it was alright book sad because of Annie was halfblind that she was desperate for work and taught children who were like her. Helen wanted a daring teacher & the only person who could fit that is Miss. Spitfire

LibraryThing member pearsonni

I really enjoyed experiencing Helen Keller's story from an entirly different perspective. Although fiery as a child, she became a huge inspiration to many people, including me.

LibraryThing member lugeram

It was interesting to learn about Helen Keller in a different perspective. It's hard to believe that she was that crazy as a child, she became a huge inspiration to many disabled people.

LibraryThing member mfink1

Most peole know about Helen Keller, but not through her teacher's eyes. This is a great novel from Anne Sullivan's point of view. It goes over not just Helen's difficulites and also Anne's. This is a great book to help teach not just Helen Keller but the perspective change of "stepping into someone

else's shoes".

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LibraryThing member courtneyspako

Hearing about Helen Keller from Anne Sullivan's point of view is a completely different story in its own way. It is a great book about Helen and Anne's struggles with their disabilities and the ability to overcome these disabilities in their own way. This is a great book to read when you want to

step in to someone else's shoes.

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LibraryThing member melscott

Miss Spitfire offers a first person account of Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller's triumphant teacher. There are glimpses into Sullivan's early years filled with tragedy and hardships that she endured, all of which prepared her to be the thoughtful,determined, and committed teacher of blind-deaf Keller.

The story begins with Sullivan's journey to the south to the Keller estate and concentrates on the first few critical months of disciplining Helen. Sullivan, so often overlooked, here is the heroine, constantly in agony and turmoil over her relationship with and ability to educate Helen who finally succeeds in penetrating the mind and spirit of her pupil.

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LibraryThing member TheVeaz

It was refreshing to see a book about Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan (Teacher) as the lead character. The author writes in Teacher's voice, allowing the readers to see her desire to love and be loved. After reading this book, one realizes that Anne Sullivan was able to reach Helen because of her

"tough love" stance. While her teaching skills may have been able to be imparted by any other teacher, it was her stubbornness and toughness that allowed Helen to learn obedience and thus knowledge. After reading THE MIRACLE WORKER, an interesting assignment would entail comparing/contrasting the two stories. In addition, a study regarding the use of asylums would work well with older students. Another interesting topic for discussion/writing/presentation would be the connection between discipline and learning.

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LibraryThing member ambourg7

This is from the stand point of Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan. It shows how Anne worked hard to help Helen. This is a great read. It shows that no matter what disability a child has, there is always a special person and way to teach them.

LibraryThing member kris0812

Novel that tells the story of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan. Their relationship wasn't easy at first, but once communication lines opened, the pair were inseperable. Great biography of both amazing women.

LibraryThing member KatherineLo

Miss Spitfire is the voice of Annie Sullivan and her plight to reach Helen Keller. In this book we get to see the view point of Annie. She went through great personal growth while trying to reach a young child that could not see or hear. In the classroom: learning literary elements, getting in the

mindset of the author and voice they choose to give the book, learning history by identifying with a character.

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LibraryThing member pbrent

Miss Spitfire is an excellent companion for studying Helen Keller in the classroom. Annie Sullivan's story is told vividly and in detail. The story is gripping and does well in explaining the different techniques that Sullivan used to help Helen Keller communicate with the external world. In the

classroom, this book could be used to study biography, historical fiction, and different literary and narrative elements.

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LibraryThing member mdonley

The amazing true story of Annie Sullivan, the woman who helped bring Helen Keller out of a world of darkness. The tragic childhood of Ms. Sullivan comes across so vividly, and the reader knows instantly that this woman can handle any situation, no matter how extreme or difficult. And Helen proves

to be extremely difficult. Annie certainly has her work cut out for herself. This book shows that every child deserves to be educated, no matter the exceptionality. A great read!

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LibraryThing member sammarocco

I could never imagine what it is like to have a disability. Hellen Keller and Annie Sullivan are truly two inspirational people. This book goes through the struggles Hellen Keller faced and the struggles her teacher Annie Sullivan faced. Told from Annie Sullivan's point of view, this book really

captures the reader. This book opens you up teaching about disabilities and the strides Hellen Keller made to understand the world around her.

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