Sixteen years ago, Miyuki Inoue lost her eyesight five months after birth because of a retinal disease. Now in the tenth grade, Miyuki has written a book about how she grew up and about her gratitude to her mother for the way she was brought up.

The book, Ikitemasu, 15 sai (Fifteen Years Old and Glad to Be Alive), has sold over 350,000 copies since its publication in July 2000. Miyuki says in the book, "Because I am blind, I may not be able to do many things. But nothing will prevent me from doing my best in whatever I do."

Miyuki, who lives in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, in the southern Japanese region of Kyushu, was born premature, weighing only 500 grams (1.1 pounds). Her mother, Michiyo, 53, says she felt very miserable when she was told that Miyuki couldn't see. Miyuki's father was killed in a traffic accident just before her birth.

But Michiyo decided to steel her heart and raised Miyuki much the same way as she would a child with normal eyesight, so that her daughter could lead an independent life even with the handicap. She encouraged Miyuki to take in her surroundings by touching things with her hands in place of seeing them. An active child, Miyuki would go out to play unhesitatingly despite her blindness. She would play on slides and swings, and she even learned to ride a bicycle. She was no quitter, even after bumping into something, stumbling over, or getting hurt once in a while.

Miyuki says she is very thankful to her mother for being an easygoing mom, which helped her grow up without ever losing spirit. In 1999, when she was in middle school, Miyuki won first place in a speech contest among schools for the blind across Japan. Her speech, entitled "My Mother's Tears," describes her appreciation for her mother, who shed tears of despair when the doctor announced that Miyuki was blind but has been a determined and caring mom ever since.

Since the book's publication, Miyuki has received more than 1,000 letters from readers, including those of her generation. Many of them have written that reading her book helped them find the courage to face up to difficulties and to live. Delighted to find that she can be of help to other people, Miyuki says she will keep a positive outlook on life--something she has learned from her mother. Her dream is to have a cheerful family, just like the one she has with her mother.

Photo: Miyuki Inoue's bestseller.