Follow My Leader, by James B. Garfield, one of the best modern books for young readers, is back in print.
The story follows Jimmy Carter, a twelve-year-old baseball player who is suddenly blinded by a firecracker. We see Jimmy when the bandages are unwrapped from his eyes, and feel his anger and fear. We are with him on each step of his recovery from the injury, from the first visit by a social worker to his unprecedented trip to the guide dog school and his day-by-day training there. Ultimately, we are there when he encounters the boy who inadvertantly blinded him, and is able to forgive him and move on.
This book appeals to both boys and girls aged about ten to twelve or thirteen. Depending on reading ability, younger readers can also identify through the character of Jimmy’s kid sister, Carolyn. Parents of children with disabilities will recognize the challenges that Jimmy’s mother has to meet.
I read it when I was ten, and I was riveted by the process of Jimmy’s learning how to work with his guide dog, whom he names Leader. it’s a wonderful story of the relationship between dogs and humans.
I’ve reread the book a number of times over the years, and it holds up beautifully. It’s fascinating, funny, challenging and with a few elements just scary enough to appeal to kids’ need for peril in their stories.
The book is neither sentimental nor cold, and the relationships are drawn very realistically. I highly recommend this one as a book to get your kids away from the computer and television screens and get them interested in reading.
