Welcome to the inaugural Sofia Sees Hope Book Club! This club is especially made for middle school-age kids who are visually impaired. It will be moderated by Sofia Priebe, a high school senior in Connecticut who has vision loss due to Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA).

The Book Club will meet weekly on Zoom beginning Monday, January 18, and last for four weeks. Each hour-long meeting will begin at 4 p.m., EST. Upon registration, you will receive a link to join the Zoom.

Our first book is called “Lila and Hadley,” written by New York Times bestselling author Kody Keplinger. Kody also has LCA, and each of her books features a character who has vision loss. “Lila and Hadley” is recommended for ages 9-12.

The Club schedule is:

• Jan. 18, 4 p.m. – chapters 1-5
• Jan. 25, 4 p.m. – chapters 6-11
• Feb. 1, 4 p.m. – chapters 12-18
• Feb. 8, 4 p.m. – chapters 19-24

Registration is capped at 15, and registration will close January 11. The book is available on Bookshare (free), Audible, Amazon, your local independent bookstore (ask them to order it for you if they don’t have it in stock), or your public library. If you need help accessing the book, please send an email to Beth@sofiaseshope.org. You will also need a Zoom account (they’re free). We’re happy to help!

This event is made possible with the support of Spark Therapeutics, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Meira GTx, Dominion Energy, ProQR, and AGTC.

What’s the book about?

Hadley, 12, legally blind, angry, and not a lover of dogs unexpectedly bonds with Lila, a depressed pit bull waif.

Hadley feels as if she’s lost everything, and now she’s losing her sight. With her mom in prison, she must move to Kentucky to live with her estranged older sister, Beth, last seen when Hadley was 7. Accompanying Beth, a dog trainer, to Right Choice Rescue and wandering among the penned trainees, Hadley spots Lila, considered unadoptable, looking equally miserable. Observing them connect, Vanessa, the owner, talks Beth into taking Lila home for Hadley to train. Still furious with Beth and their mom, whose letters and phone calls she ignores, Hadley works with Lila and grudgingly allows Beth to guide the training. Her vision worsening (she has retinitis pigmentosa), Hadley eventually agrees to mobility classes. Learning to use a cane is challenging, especially while holding Lila’s leash in one hand. Her persistence—Hadley’s strong suit—is a plus.

This event is made possible with the support of Spark Therapeutics, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Meira GTx, ProQR, and AGTC.

Watch the trailer for “Lila and Hadley:”