When I was a little girl, I would lay in the dark before bed. And when I fell asleep, I had many wonderful dreams. I dreamt of dancing across glorious stages for crowds of people. I dreamt of traveling the world, of crossing deep blue oceans, and climbing mountains that seemed to graze the heavens. I dreamt of becoming a teacher, sharing my experiences with the next generation of dreamers. When I was a little girl, after a night of dreaming, I would spring from my bed excited to share my dreams with anyone who would listen. But as I shared my dreams, I noticed something that made my heart sink.
People began to frown. People exchanged worried glances. People told me, "no".
People would say,
“You can’t do these things because you can’t see.”
And then I met The Gardener…
Yes (Softcover)
“In a world where children are often told “no” and “it’s not possible” a courageous young dreamer transforms a perceived disability into abilities – the ability to dance, travel and teach. This inspiring tale encourages all children to dream big and for adults to support these dreams!”
-Diane Brauner, Manager of Perkins’ Paths to Technology website
“There needs to be a little bit more "yes" in this world! This sweet story brings the magic of believing to the readers. There are so many well-meaning people out there who don't realize the limits they put on our kids with vision impairments. Will their experiences be different? Yes! And that's okay. This story reminds kids that "stars" are real. That ability is always stronger than disability. It also encourages our grown ups to help nurture the dreams that kids plant in their dream gardens. I have a smile on my face every time I read this story. As a teacher, I hope that I have given stars to my students throughout their lives. They have given me more stars than I can count.”
-Robbin Clark, MA, Expanded Core Curriculum Coordinator, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind