Rating: 4 for creating a sliding glass door into the author's life
My Thoughts:
At the beginning of this second Trump presidency, as the power barriers and balance scales were torn down, I vowed that for the next four years, I would not read any book authored by white authors. When I look at the publishing list, when I see what is coming up on my Net Galley feed, when I look at the books on the Goodreads challenges, they are predominantly white authors. As a professor of teacher education, specializing in middle and secondary language arts, I have always touted the idea that the western canonical literature should be a supplement equal to literature by indigenous authors, authors of color, and queer authors.
So why did I read this book?
I read this book because I saw the New York Times opinion video that Robinson created about his eye condition first. This video is part of a series on "overcoming your discomfort with disability." I realize, and I should have known this already, that disability is also part of the underrepresented narrative in our schools. This memoir is about the author's struggles with strabismus and other eye ailments that he simply calls whale eyes. There are many educators that did not have a clue on how to differentiate for him, and that is tragic. There are the taunts and how strangers do not look him in the eyes, but this is not a memoir full of pity and despair.
This memoir does not shy away from the fact that his world was not ready to teach a kid like him, however, it is also a way for non disabled kids to really read this as a sliding glass door into his condition. With line drawings by Brian Rea, the author and illustrator help readers to feel a little bit of what Robinson deals with. This is the beginning of the empathy journey for readers, but the author also offers up some advice and hope for disabled students. Even if the multiple surgeries, 3-D glasses, etc. did not work for him, Johnson shows them how their disability does not make a person abnormal.
At the most crucial teaching point of students' lives (middle school), this memoir will help all readers, abled and disabled to understand how to be better humans.
From the Publisher:
Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s experiences growing up with strabismus, allowing them to see the world through one eye at a time.
Readers will get lost as they chase words. They’ll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They’ll hold it upside down as they practice “pretend-reading”…and they’ll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.
With poignant illustrations by Eisner Award–nominated artist Brian Rea, James’s story equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.
Readers will get lost as they chase words. They’ll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They’ll hold it upside down as they practice “pretend-reading”…and they’ll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.
With poignant illustrations by Eisner Award–nominated artist Brian Rea, James’s story equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.
Publication Information:
Author: James Robinson
Illustrator: Brian Rea
Publisher: Penguin Workshop (March 18, 2025)
Reading age: 10 and up
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