Helen and Nicky

Helen and Nicky is a story about a very special little girl and a deaf and partially blind Great Dane. The book is intended to engage, delight and introduce many true to life topics to the young reader. It challenges the reader with a wide variety of vocabulary words and issues. The writing is simple enough to engage and yet is informative and heartfelt. The stories are both simple and complex. Both parents and teachers will enjoy reading this heart-felt book with their children and students. Helen and Nicky touches on many life issues that children as well as adults may be dealing with and achieves this with an educational and sensitive approach. The themes are intended to educate and entertain as well as connect to the heart of the reader. Some are homelessness, disabilities, death of a loved one, and terminal illness and were chosen by the author after witnessing her own students go through these experiences. The book also includes several true history themes such as the introduction of Helen Keller and the tragedy of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Helen and Nicky is based on real life characters and events. There is a real Nicky who is the author's daughter and Helen was the author's real life Great Dane dog. The actual stories in themselves are fictional and are not a true hand account of Nicky or Helen's lives. The book includes new vocabulary words and teacher lesson plan ideas. Wendy Green is a teacher and author who grew up in Alameda California. She spends many summers as a child on the beach there. Wendy graduated from Cal State University with a Masters Degree in Education and three teaching credentials. She has taught for twenty years, thirteen years in the California Public School System. She spent twelve years specializing in working with high-risk Middle and High School students. She also spent three years as a Reading Specialist for very low performing readers and now works as an Elementary Physical Education Specialist in California.