"You're going to read--I promise you that."
Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. And her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad."
Then, in fifth grade, a new teacher comes. A real character! He sees right through the sad little girl to the artist she really is. And when he discovers Trisha's secret--that she still can't read--he sets out to help her prove to herself that she can. And will!
The autobiographical Thank You, Mr. Falker is a story close to author Patricia Polacco's heart. It is her personal song of thanks and praise to teachers like Mr. Falker, who quietly but surely change the lives of the children they teach.
