A Walk in the Words

* With a directness similar to Jordan Scott's I Talk Like a River, this story addresses the stigma surrounding dyslexia... Leavened with humor, charm, and a child's self-empowerment, this is an important book both for struggling readers and for classmates who need to cultivate a dose of empathy. -School Library Journal, starred review Seamless interplay between the text and the art, rendered in ink, colored pencil, and watercolor, amplifies the text. . . . . Emphasizing sheer persistence as the way through, this is a personal, visually arresting read for those who may find themselves learning at a different pace. Back matter features an author's note. -Publishers Weekly An encouraging picture book for those who struggle with reading. -Booklist In the watercolor, colored-pencil, and ink pictures, books fly at him like so many bats or birds of prey; trees are menacingly twisted into and around words; and an entire spread of newsprint becomes a gray, densely packed 'Wall of Shame.' He feels 'alone and lost in a world of words' and worries; what if his classmates find out he can't keep up with them? As he comes up with strategies to forge his own path . . . the illustrations' palette slowly lightens. Then he begins to experiment with how to write stories. . . . In an appended note, Talbott relates his childhood struggle with dyslexia and how he wrote this story to help others. -Horn Book