Blindsided

Blindsided
By Priscilla Cummings
Dutton Children's Books, 2010. 226 pgs. Young Adult

Natalie O'Reilly has been losing her sight for years, but she's always held out hope that she wouldn't go completely blind. However, as the beginning of her sophomore year approaches, Natalie's doctor tells her that she will go blind and she needs to prepare for that. She reluctantly goes to a school for the blind, where she'll be taught to read in Braille, use a cane, and adapt to being without her sight. Even with the new skills she's learning, Natalie ultimately has to decide if she'll use them to face the world or if she'll go back home and hide.

I really enjoyed being able to see how a person would adjust from being able to see to living in darkness. Natalie's struggle to accept her condition, physically as well as emotionally, was realistic and gave readers an inside look at challenges faced by a blind person.

AE