Whale eyes is a memoir about one who had been born a condition that prevents his eyes from focusing simultaneously, This makes reading a time-consuming and tedious task. He felt embarrassed when he began to fall behind his classmates and especially so, when strangers would stare at his outward-turned eyes. In middle school, his architecture professor mother took time off to home-school him and his dyslexic older brother. She helped her son, James, discover helpful reading strategies and he developed a passion for documentary films, which led to him studying film at Duke University.. In 2021, the New York Times published his autobiographical short film, Whale Eyes, which is another term for his condition. Whale Eyes is written by Jams Robinson himself and illustrated by award winning artist, Brian Rae. The illustrations really highlight the text with tactics such as…..
switching from white to black backgrounds, spiraling sentences, and words and letters scattered across the pages, which often need to be turned sideways or upside down.

For this reason it is better to read this book in paper format as E-readers won’t allow you to turn the text upside down.

This is a really interesting memoir about a condition I’ve never come across in my 41 years as an elementary school teacher.

Readers in grades 5-8 with an interest in medical conditions should find this book intriguing.

Born with strabismus, filmmaker Robinson has a condition where his eyes do not track correctly and has eye misalignment. Growing up, he struggled with performance, relating to others, and how others perceived him. Included are illustrations that show readers what it’s like to navigate life with strabismus.

The memoir is well written, informative, and offers a fresh perspective. The illustrations are detailed, helpful, and add depth to the author’s story. An inspiration to those who have disabilities, readers who like memoirs, non-fiction, and books about filmmakers will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. 4 stars, Gr 5 to 8

Whale Eyes is the memoir written by James Robinson that chronicles his experience with an eye condition. James writes his story through anecdotes and visuals so we can literally see the world through his eyes. Readers will understand the complexity of his condition and empathize with his experiences. This is a book that will stay with you, prompting reflection and fostering greater understanding.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for this honest review.

This was a very interesting book. I had seen the documentary he made about his condition in the NYT in 2021. It was interesting to read more about it and his experience. It would be a good companion book to "Wonder". The interactive elements are a nice touch to help you visualize what his condition is like. Students interested in medical topics, differences or interested in documentary making will like this book.

This book has been surprisingly educational for both me and my middle grader! We really got to understand James' point of view, and it’s been such an interesting read.

Wow!
What an incredible biography! I was totally immersed in Robinson's explanations of his early life and education. As a mom of a son who has dyslexia, I quickly identified with Robinson and his dyslexic older brother. Their need to find alternative ways to learn hit me hard, remembering all the accommodations and modifications my own son needed in order to learn and be successful. Robinson's desire to truly be seen despite his condition reminded me of former students I have encountered as a veteran educator and challenged me to find better ways to truly 'see' them.
This biography will say with me for a long time. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to read Whale Eyes.

Insightful read and powerful, simple illustrations accompany the text. The second half of the books gets too slow for elementary readers as the authors delves into the making of his documentary

James has issues with his eyes, in that they never figured out how to be stereoscopic. He has made it work for him, but it took a long time in grade school and beyond to figure out how to make it work for him. I found the first part with his childhood fascinating having never experienced something like this, and trying to figure out how he was describing things. I liked the introduction of the artwork and the mild "House of Leaves" style of the book in places. I got disappointed in the second half. Not because he was figuring out how to share this or make people aware, but it felt that he moved away from the tone of the first part. There was a lot of "you can do it!" vibe in the second half, and I'm glad people are adapting and becoming nicer to those with differences. It just felt that in a book for middle graders it went from understanding and adjusting from a disability to now I'm famous because I had an article in NYT. I think if you have a child struggling with a difference this could be intriguing.

Whale eyes is part biography, part documentary into disability. Through the use of strong visuals, and brief notes to starers, James brings to life his eye condition and this makes him see things differently and engages readers to understand whale eyes.