BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSOut of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille is the biography of Louis Braille, a French boy who lost his sight at age three after accidentally injuring his eye in his father's harness shop. Growing up in the village of Coupvray in the early 1800s, Louis learns to navigate the world with a cane carved by his father and impresses a local priest and schoolmaster with his sharp memory and quick mind. At ten, he earns a scholarship to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, where he encounters the best reading system available for the blind, a clunky method of embossed letters that is slow, expensive, and nearly useless outside of school. The book follows Louis as he sets out to do something about it.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a harness maker scoop up his bleeding three year old son and shout for his wife?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
Simon ran into the shop and saw blood pouring from Louis's left eye. He carried the hysterical boy back to the courtyard, where the family and neighbors gathered to help.
- First half
In what book does a school library hold only fourteen books, all embossed in raised letters for fingers to follow?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
Embossed books were huge and expensive, so the Institute owned only fourteen. By the time a student finished reading a sentence, he often forgot how it began.
- First half
In what book do blind students walk through Paris each Thursday in single file, holding a long connecting rope?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
Each Thursday the Institute's pupils were led to the Botanical Gardens, single file, holding a long rope while a sighted teacher described the sights. Passersby stared at the line of boys.
- Second half
In what book does a mother climb to the garret and tuck her schoolboy son into bed like a child?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
When Louis comes home from school looking pale and gaunt from staying up late punching dots, Monique fusses over him. She makes him go to bed early and tucks him in as though he were still a little boy.
- Second half
In what book does a boy tell his director, "You can read faster," while punching dots on a writing board?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
During his first demonstration to Dr. Pignier, Louis was able to record words so quickly that he urged the director to speed up his reading. It showed how well his new alphabet worked.
- Near the end
In what book does a new director say a raised-dot alphabet would close in the world of the blind?
✓ Answer
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
Dufau argued that Louis's invention was too radical and too different from what sighted people used. He banned the alphabet in all classes after taking over the institute.
