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She Persisted: Helen Keller

Part of She Persisted

Author Courtney Sheinmel, Chelsea Clinton

Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger, Gillian Flint

Paperback

$5.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | Philomel Books

5.31"W x 7.63"H x 0.23"D | 3 oz | 48 per carton

On sale Dec 07, 2021 | 80 Pages | 9780593115695

Age 6-9 years

Reading Level: Lexile 790L | Fountas & Pinnell R

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Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Helen Keller!

In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Courtney Sheinmel, readers learn about the amazing life of Helen Keller--and how she persisted.

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing after a childhood illness, but she didn't let that stop her from learning to read, speak, and make a difference. She was the first person who was both deaf and blind to go to and graduate from college, and she continued to write books and articles, speak in public, and stand up for the rights she believed everyone should have, inspiring others to do the same.

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Helen Keller's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.

And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Temple Grandin, Sonia Sotomayor, and more!

Praise for She Persisted: Helen Keller:

"An engaging portrait of a fascinating woman." --Kirkus Reviews

"A must purchase for all libraries." --School Library Journal

Courtney Sheinmel View titles by Courtney Sheinmel

Chelsea Clinton is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World; She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History; She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game; She Persisted in Science: Brilliant Women Who Made a Difference; Don't Let Them Disappear: 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe; Welcome to the Big Kids Club; It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!; Start Now!: You Can Make a Difference; with Hillary Clinton, Grandma's Gardens and Gutsy Women; and, with Devi Sridhar, Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? She is also the Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, where she works on many initiatives, including those that help empower the next generation of leaders. She lives in New York City with her husband, Marc, and their children. You can follow Chelsea Clinton on Twitter @ChelseaClinton or on Facebook at facebook.com/ChelseaClinton. View titles by Chelsea Clinton

Alexandra Boiger (AlexandraBoiger.com) has illustrated nearly twenty picture books, including the She Persisted series by by Chelsea Clinton; the popular Tallulah series by Marilyn Singer; and the Max and Marla books, which she also wrote. Originally from Munich, Germany, she now lives outside of San Francisco, California, with her husband, Andrea; daughter, Vanessa; and two cats, Luiso and Winter. You can follow Alexandra on Instagram @alexandra_boiger. View titles by Alexandra Boiger

Gillian Flint View titles by Gillian Flint

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Dear Reader,

As Sally Ride and Marian Wright Edelman both powerfully said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” When Sally Ride said that, she meant that it was hard to dream of being an astronaut, like she was, or a doctor or an athlete or anything at all if you didn’t see someone like you who already had lived that dream. She especially was talking about seeing women in jobs that historically were held by men.

I wrote the first She Persisted and the books that came after it because I wanted young girls—and children of all genders—to see women who worked hard to live their dreams. And I wanted all of us to see examples of persistence in the face of different challenges to help inspire us in our own lives.

I’m so thrilled now to partner with a sisterhood of writers to bring longer, more in-depth versions of these stories of women’s persistence and achievement to readers. I hope you enjoy these chapter books as much as I do and find them inspiring and empowering.

And remember: If anyone ever tells you no, if anyone ever says your voice isn’t important or your dreams are too big, remember these women. They persisted and so should you.

Warmly,
Chelsea Clinton

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Baby Helen
Chapter 2: Changes
Chapter 3: The Most Important Teacher
Chapter 4: Life Lessons
Chapter 5: Dream It, Do It
Chapter 6: Helen's Legacy
How You Can Persist
References

Chapter 1
Baby Helen

By the time Helen Keller was ten years old, people all around the world knew her story—the little girl from Tuscumbia, Alabama, who was blind and deaf, and who had learned to write and speak. Helen would later use those skills to go to college, write bestselling books, and give speeches around the world. She inspired millions of people to not let their challenges hold them back.

But before all that, Helen was an ordinary baby.

Of course, Helen’s parents didn’t think she was ordinary. To them, she was precious and extraordinary.

Helen Keller was born on a summer day in 1880. She was a baby who started talking befor she was even a year old. Here are some of the first things she said:
Tea tea tea
How d’ye (an informal way of saying “How do you do?”)
Wah-wah (Helen’s way of saying “water”)

Helen was curious and active, too. She loved the sounds of the birds and the colors of the fields and trees on her family’s farm. By her first birthday, she’d started to walk. Her parents marveled at all the things she could do. It was a very happy time.

Then something terrible happened. When Helen was just a year and a half old, she became sick. So sick that doctors told her parents she could die. Her body was hot with high fevers. Helen’s mother stayed beside her and tried to soothe away all the bad feelings.

Eventually, Helen's fever broke. Her parents were grateful to know that their little girl would live. But they began to notice her life would be different.

Copyright © 2021 by Courtney Sheinmel with introduction by Chelsea Clinton; illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Praise for She Persisted: Helen Keller:

"An engaging portrait of a fascinating woman." --Kirkus Reviews

"A must purchase for all libraries." --School Library Journal

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