A Cane in Her Hand

by Ada Bassett Litchfield, Eleanor Mill

A strong sense of self, an offhand humor, and determination help Val in adapting to a new way of living when her sight slowly fades

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1977

Reviews

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of how a young girl named Val learns to accept and revel in the use of a long white cane as her vision lessens. It also shows how sighted people respond in different ways to her and her cane. This would be a good book for any child experiencing conflicting feelings about their changing vision and the need for a cane. One of the best aspects of the book is the girl's parents. They provide her with love and support as things change, but always expect that she will remain active and fully engaged with her family, friends, and community. This positive message is just as crucial as the one about using a cane. Every book that presents blind kids held to high standards and doing the things appropriate for their age is a hopeful one that will help in the fight against society's misguided notions about blind people.

[Kristina Moss]

This narrative tells about a young girl name Valerie who is visually impaired. Valerie is not totally blind, but has difficulty seeing even with the help of her eyeglasses. Soon Valerie gets help for her low vision by learning to use special accommodations such as large printed books and her cane. The author, Ada B. Litchfield captures the voice of the child as she describes her frustrations and difficulties of not seeing well. As a teacher, I will use this text to teach my students feelings of understanding and acceptance to visually impaired individuals. I loved the way author Ada B. Litchfield highlighted Valerie’s frustrations and difficulties to give readers a better perspective on this issue. The illustrations by Eleanor Mill also engage readers on appropriate accommodations and adjustments made for individuals like Valerie.