Miss Spitfire.

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This compelling debut novel focuses on Anne Sullivan and her attempts to break through to pupil Helen Keller, who learned obedience, love, and language from her demanding yet compassionate teacher. Donnelly’s emotional reading is particularly heartfelt. Speaking in a delightful Irish burr, she inhabits the brash, bold Sullivan, who takes on the seemingly impossible task of teaching the wild, unmanageable six-year-old deaf and blind Keller, who has been allowed to control the household. Donnelly portrays all facets of Sullivan, replete with a range of emotions revealed through her inner monologue and her written correspondence, which begins each chapter. Her tenseness of voice illuminates Sullivan’s impatience with herself, and in scenes in which teacher and pupil battle wills, Donnelly delivers the instructor’s anger and despair with an intensity that personifies the character’s deep emotions. Sullivan’s frustration is palpable, as is her joy when she finally breaks through to her headstrong pupil. This well-researched, fictional account realistically captures Sullivan’s jealousy of Mrs. Keller and her yearning for Helen’s affection. Donnelly conveys Captain Keller in deeper tones that personify his mostly uncompromising attitude, while Mrs. Keller comes across with a sweet softness reflective of the long-suffering mother. Donnelly seamlessly transitions between Sullivan’s Irish lilt and the Kellers’ southern accents. Her tones caress the descriptive passages, emphasizing the sensory details of this sensitive, poignant novel.