A young girl named Raven has had a lot to say for someone who has never spoken. Both deaf and mute, she communicates with her hands, smiles, and hugs. Raven longs to fit in with her classmates, but she feels their discomfort when they’re around her, as if she is made of glass and will break in their presence.
On a class trip to an animal shelter, Raven notices a puppy with closed eyes being showered off. Immediately, she understands that the puppy is blind. When the animal is dried off, he sniffs the room, then walks directly to Raven and rests his head on her foot.
Raven’s parents agree that she can adopt the rescue puppy, who had been discarded by train tracks when his owner noticed that he was blind and deaf. Raven names her new friend Keller, after Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf.
Raven and Keller become inseparable. They visit hospitals and nursing homes, bringing cheer wherever they go. For a dog trapped in darkness, Keller is full of light. When Raven brings Keller to school for show and tell, the puppy’s surprising, delightful secret is revealed. Raven shows the students not to judge a person by appearances but to consider what’s inside.
This charming picture book, beautiful in both art and theme, is based on the true story of the author’s blind and deaf dog, also named Keller. (Paraclete Press)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.