Blooming Besties

Description

Blooming Besties

Written and illustrated by Mary Tellefson

ABOUT THE BOOK

Should Ruby, a blind 4th grader, be suspended when she hits a boy who pulled a nasty prank on her at school? What if the boy she hit wasn’t really the culprit?

Blooming Besties is the story of a blind elementary school student, Ruby, and her goofy, sighted sidekick and best friend Charleigh, who sticks up for her in the principal’s office: “You can understand why Ruby thought it was Timmy who did it. He’s been teasing her, and he laughed first when it happened. She couldn’t see who did it, and from her perspective, Timmy was the obvious choice. So it wasn’t her fault!”

This is just one of several experiences the girl’s have together that solidify their bond, challenge their values, and cause hilarious growing pains. Themes of blindness, using a cane, responsibility, lying, bullying, no-tolerance policies, inclusion, and growing up with a best friend weave together in a sensory-rich storyline spanning the girls’ fourth through seventh grade years.

Blooming Besties is a great read for classrooms, individual readers (blind and sighted), and family read-aloud night.

Author Mary Tellefson has been a teacher for visually impaired and blind students, ages birth to 98, for over 40 years. A well-respected professional in her field, she has given workshops all over the US and has published in multiple peer-review journals.

Mary has two more publications upcoming. Two Canes on the Tundra (Orange Hat Publishing) is the story of a blind Yupik boy, Apu, who struggles with accepting the tool he needs to reach his goal of not needing to be guided: a mobility cane. This story highlights the importance of supportive relationships within a culture and the continuity of ancestral courage. Themes of interdependence, independence, bullying, disability, the power of storytelling, native culture, and resilience make this a perfect choice for classrooms, individuals, and families. A professional text entitled Culturally Responsive Orientation and Mobility Career, College and Community Readiness Standards is in publication with Austin Macauley Publishers.

If this book is out of stock, contact Michael (michael@orangehatpublishing.com) for order options.