Once There Was a Child - Paperback

by Darlene Pscheidell Kwarta (Author)

"A fun, yet deeply touching account of Darlene Pscheidell Kwarta's time as a special education teacher." --Literary Titan

"At the end of the day, Kwarta has made a difference not only in young lives, but by publishing an engrossing account of working with youth who hold every bit as much potential as any of their able-bodied peers." --Midwest Book Review

"Heartbreaking yet inspiring...[Once There Was a Child] will warm your heart." --Readers' Favorite

"It's refreshing to feel all of the potential and the goodness Kwarta feels in each of the children she teaches. She shares a deep connection with these kids, and you can feel it." --Independent Book Review

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"Hey, it's Darlene. I got the job!"
"Great! How many other teachers applied for that position?"
"Just me! I guess no one else was up for the challenge of a multi-handicapped class of junior high kids, but I am."
"Uh, Congratulations, I think."
"Thanks, I'm going to love it!"
And she did.

As a child, Darlene always felt like an outsider and was drawn to others like herself. She learned sign language from her deaf neighbor, Joe, and was the only person in the neighborhood who could communicate with him. The Helen Keller story inspired Darlene. So did the movie Teacher Teacher, which is about a teacher with many demons who works with a severely autistic, lonely young boy. Those teachers brought both of these children into a world they might never have known or become a part of. That's what Darlene wanted to do. In her first book, ONCE THERE WAS A CHILD, Darlene Kwarta chronicles her journey with children who were often forgotten.