The Touch Of Magic By Lorena Hickok

The Touch of Magic by Lorena Hickok

The book I chose to read is called The Touch of Magic written by Lorena

A. Hickok. The story was about Anne Sullivan Macy, Helen Keller's wonderful teacher. I had never heard of Anne before I read this book, but while looking in the library my mom explained to me who she was and she seemed like she would be an interesting person to do it on. I was right.

Anne Sullivan Macy was born on April 14, 1866 in Feeding Hills,

Massachusetts. At the age of nine she was taken to the outskirts of Tewksbury,

Massachusetts with her three year old brother Jimmie. There, they were sent to the Massachusetts State Infirmary. Not because they were mentally sick or anything, but because they had nowhere else to go.

Their mother had died of tuberculosis and their father had left them.

None of their relatives wanted them because Annie was nearly blind and Jimmie had something wrong with his hip and had to walk with a crutch. Annie's one year old sister was taken right away by her aunt and uncle because she was darling. Nobody knew where to send them so that's how she ended up at the infirmary. A few months after they had arrived, Jimmie got deathly ill. The doctor' s couldn't do anything for him and unfortunately he past away. Annie took this unbelievably hard for she had realized that Jimmie was the only thing she had ever loved.

Annie's attitude then worsened even more because she felt she had nothing left. She would throw hissy fits at the nurses and kick and scream.

Believe it or not, this is one of the character traits that I most admire about

Miss Macy. She was aggressive and didn't let anyone tell her what to do. Even though she could hardly see, she lived her own life in her own little world.

Another trait that I admire about her is that she was a dreamer. I know

I am a big dreamer and can get lost in my thoughts sometimes, but her dreams weren't like mine. Annie dreamt of being able to see, but most often dreamt of going to school. Annie wanted to learn but had no one to teach her.

One day, about a year after Jimmie's death, the State Board of Charities came by to look around. Annie was so excited because she heard they might be able to send her to school. When they were leaving she jumped in front of them and yelle...

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...t wasn't a divorce, but more of a separation. Annie knew that she could count on him if she needed anything, so it wasn't like they hated each other, it just didn't work out.

Annie and Helen spent the rest of their lives together touring the

United States and parts of Canada, talking to people and doing presentations.

Annie off and on during these years, got sick. Sometimes really bad and sometimes just little colds. On October 19, 1936, it was different. A couple of days before, Annie had seemed happy and was laughing and smiling just like her old self. On that night though, she slipped into a coma and never woke up again. She had quietly past away, but lived a good, long life of seventy years.

Helen was fifty-six.

I really enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes an interesting true story. The book taught me a lot about the blind and deaf and how they cope with their unfortunate handicap. It taught me that even though you might have a handicap nothing is impossible. As long as you put your mind to it you can do anything. Anyone who likes an inspirational novel would love this book.