Thank you, Mr. Falker

This book is one that needs no words for me and my eldest daughter, Sarah.

The protagonist, Trisha, lives with her mother, brother, grandmother, and grandfather after her parents’ divorce. Trisha, who had a hard time reading, finds school life difficult. After her grandmother and grandfather, who always gave her strength and courage, passed away, Trisha’s family moved. She wanted to get along well at the school she transferred to, but she was severely teased by the pranksters because she was not good at anything other than drawing and especially became a fool during literacy class. Trisha, who used to avoid teasing and always be alone, meets Mr. Falker and comes out from darkness to light. Mr. Falker and the reading guidance teacher keep Trisha after school for reading guidance, and after several months of effort, Trisha finally reads a book and learns what it is like to pursue knowledge.

I remember crying a lot while reading this book to my three children. There were several reasons, but it was because our eldest daughter,Sarah was similar to Trisha in the book. Sarah had a hard time reading and often missed letters when reading, and she said she felt dizzy when she saw a book with a lot of text. As a mother, I diagnosed Sarah as dyslexic on my own, but my husband said let’s wait a little longer. Eventually, around the fourth grade of elementary school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia at a pediatric psychiatry clinic. The treatment required time and effort, but we were in China and there was nothing we could do other than learning approaches.

We read this book long before the diagnosis, but it always stayed in my heart. The reason why Patricia Polacco’s books are touching is because the subject of the book is her own experience. On the last page, she reveals that the protagonist Trisha is herself Patricia Polacco. I couldn’t help but be moved by the scene where she met Mr. Falker at a wedding long after graduating from school and told him that Trisha, who couldn’t read a single letter properly, had now become a children’s book author. If you were to choose a blessing that you would definitely want to enjoy in life, I would say ‘meeting’. Among them, meeting with an excellent teacher is such a great blessing! Thanks to the dedicated efforts and faith of the teacher, Trisha was able to get on the track of pursuing knowledge.

Sarah says that she has teacher luck herself. Maybe it’s thanks to this book? As a mother who was moved by this book, I always prayed for my children’s teachers. Sarah received a lot of influence from dedicated teachers at an alternative school that suited herself and dreamed of becoming someone who helps teenagers.

The real reason I chose this book as number one on the list is this. Sarah had a hard time with international school life in Shanghai. A child who had difficulty reading Korean had to study English and make friends with foreigners from various countries… Even adults had to go through difficult things. We cried a lot together. About a month before Sarah’s birthday, an idea came up: send an email to Patricia Polacco! I searched her homepage for a long time but couldn’t find her personal email. In the end, I sent an email to her secretary saying that one postcard from her would be the best birthday gift for a Korean girl struggling with dyslexia in China. But then I got a reply in a few days and the secretary sent me Patricia’s drawing by air mail. I can’t forget how moved I was when I received that picture. We were grateful for the warm heart of an author who shows small sincerity to children who are experiencing difficulties they have experienced far away in Asia! 

Another touching point in this book is Grandpa’s legacy. People think inheritance is always money. But descendants who receive an inheritance that is not visible but deeply engraved in their hearts and does not disappear and leads their life like a lighthouse are truly blessed. On the day Trisha started reading books, she came home and took out books filled with memories with her grandfather and honey jars. Just as bees travel in search of honey, we must embark on a journey in search of knowledge and wisdom; that’s the legacy she received from her grandfather. Looking at the stars in the sky, Trisha would have said: ‘Grandpa, I’ve finally started that journey! Thank you!’

This is an excellent storytelling book where you can’t help but get deeply immersed in the short story. I highly recommend reading other books by this author as well. She’s such a wonderful author who shows warm hearts to children struggling with difficulties she has experienced far away in Asia! And if you have been moved by a book, be sure to contact the author! A very special event awaits you