[NFBWATLK] Fwd: books to have brailled

[Kaye Kipp]

That's incredible.  Thanks for sharing.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBWATLK [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Denise Mackenstadt via NFBWATLK
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2018 8:01 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Denise Mackenstadt <cane.travel at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFBWATLK] Fwd: books to have brailled

I received this letter from Jennifer Gandarias and wanted to share with all of you. Enjoy the wisdom this young man exhibits. 

Denise Mackenstadt
206-419-9555
cane.travel at gmail.com
Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Denise Mackenstadt <cane.travel at gmail.com>
> Date: December 12, 2018 at 7:49:28 PM PST
> To: Jennifer Gandarias <gandarias1217 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: books to have brailled
> 
> That is fine. You and Frank have done a wonderful job with your sons. 
> 
> Denise Mackenstadt
> 206-419-9555
> cane.travel at gmail.com
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Dec 12, 2018, at 7:40 PM, Jennifer Gandarias <gandarias1217 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Yes, he is fine with that.  However, he is in a competition and doesn't want to ruin of chances of being able earning a place in the letters about literature.  So can we share with Debbie Stein after the competition?  It will be a few months.
>> Jennifer
>> 
>>> On Wed, Dec 12, 2018 at 7:27 PM Denise Mackenstadt <cane.travel at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> With Gabe’s permission I would like to send this on to the listserve.  I read it to Marci and she really liked it. 
>>> 
>>> Denise Mackenstadt
>>> 206-419-9555
>>> cane.travel at gmail.com
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>>> On Dec 12, 2018, at 12:51 PM, Jennifer Gandarias <gandarias1217 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Denise.  Gabe recently wrote a piece about the impact of his favorite book.  I remember buying this book for he and Luc and the talks we had while reading it out loud.  What I didn't realize is the longterm impact on Gabe.  I am attaching his letter below.  What I wonder is if you still work with the group that publishes books for readers.  If so, I think that 3 of Jonathan Auxier's books have a message in keeping with he NFB values and that would be important for families of blind children.  I am also thinking about publishing this letter on the POBC of Wa facebook page for other parents to see.  What are your thoughts about this?
>>>> 
>>>> Jennifer Gandarias
>>>> December 4, 2018
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Dear Jonathan Auxier,
>>>> 
>>>> 	Your book Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes helped me get through a rough time when my brother went blind, and we were making a lot of changes in our family. I first learned of your book when my mom went to an N.C.T.E. convention in Las Vegas and came back with your book autographed and a note saying. “Luc: Be nice to your little brother!  Gabe: When you break stuff … blame Luc!” I was six, and my brother was 9. My mom read this book to us each night as a bedtime story and we lived in Peter’s adventures. While Peter fights the corrupt people of his world, Luc “battles” with people who doubt him and what he can do. In your next book, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, Peter says that he doesn't like having the green eyes because they restore his eyesight and he has grown used to being blind. My brother feels the same. When Luc first lost his eyesight, he wanted it back immediately but in the next year, he understood that being blind opens others doors of possibilities. 
>>>> 	Originally when my mother read us the story, I was surprised about how Peter was happy being blind. The more I read, listened to the audiobook, and grew older  I understood that Peter had time to cope with his blindness. The Fantastic Eyes allowed Peter to become a social person who learned others are not there just to be stolen from, some are there because they truly like him and believe in what he can do. 
>>>> 	As the power of each different set of eyes was revealed to Peter I began to realize that power of my brother’s mindset and what he thinks he can do, he can do. This helped me to treat him like a brother again and not someone who is fragile and lost. In fact, your book helped repair our family as a whole since we were dealing with the realization and changes of what happened to Luc and how we could adapt. At the time I didn’t realize this but now when I think about the Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes and its impact on me, I know that Peter and his challenges made me understand our challenges better. Peter was 10 and blind, Luc was 9 and newly blind.
>>>> 	Peter Nimble and the Fantastic Eyes has been a comfort to me.  Once we purchased the audiobook, I began listening and listening to the book that gives me adventure and understanding outside myself. Thank you for writing this novel because it inspired me to write in your adventurous style and gave me a language to talk to my brother. The way you wrote made me believe you knew someone who is blind.  It's like you understood me because you must have had someone blind in your family. Now I know many blind people who behave and do the things all people do.  They are no different, but I didn’t realize that at first.  Peter Nimble helped me see.
>>>> 
>>>> Your friend,
>>>> Gabriel Mathieu Gandarias
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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