My Thirteenth Winter (GR Level X)

Samantha Abeel tells her own story of living with and overcoming dyscalculia. She describes in painstaking detail how her life was affected by her learning disability before and after she was diagnosed, and the way her peers, her family, and her teachers treated her.

In seventh grade, Samantha suffered anxiety attacks as she struggled to keep up in her classes, to remember two locker combinations, and to deal with new teachers. It was not until eighth grade, her “thirteenth winter,” that the underlying cause of her academic challenges was discovered. After a teacher helps her recognize her gift with words, Samantha experiences success that far exceeds anyone's expectations.