Before she started school, Trisha looked forward to learning how to read more than anything else. But in first grade, when all her classmates are learning to read, she finds that she can't. Each year her problem gets worse and worse and, although she struggles to keep it a secret, she begins to think of herself as stupid and ugly. It isn't until Trisha is in fifth grade that she has a teacher who discovers her secret and helps her learn to read. An autobiographical story shows the frustration and determination of child who's different, and offers a tender portrait of the real-life teacher who made a difference in her life. (Ages 6-10)