Sunday, January 12, 2014

Jacob's Eye Patch; Beth Kobliner Shaw & Jacob Shaw

 Beth Kobliner Shaw & Jacob Shaw
(Illustrated by Jules Feiffer)
Simon & Schuster - 2013
 
Jacob's Eye Patch is a true story for kids about what it is like to be different.  Jacob is a young boy who has worn an eye patch a few hours a day since he was only (5 days old), to treat "amblyopia", commonly referred to as "lazy eye".

Whenever Jacob goes out, people ask him or his mother about his eye patch. Normally Jacob doesn't mind, but today is different. He is in a hurry to get to the science store to purchase a light-up globe, but along the way people stop them to inquire about his eye patch and he is getting annoyed. At one point he takes the eye patch off and tosses it on the ground, but his mother always carries extras, so he's not off the hook.

At the end of the book there is a short narrative about how the real Jacob felt about the eye patch as well as his mom's perspective of how people should react when encountering someone who looks "different".

The book covers and important topic.  I liked the book, but there isn't a lot of attention to made regarding illustrative detail. It seemed at times what is going on and being said in words, and what was shown (illustrated) on paper didn't match, making for an almost confusing feel. I would recommend checking this one out at the library first, and then deciding whether to purchases it or not.

3.5/5 stars
(library book)

4 comments:

  1. Hi Diane, it is wonderful that there are books out there that help educate people about how to behave around people who are different, especially kids. Teach them early enough and they won't think twice about a person's 'difference'. Everyone wins. Thanks for the great review.

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  2. Well, it is a good topic. Maybe the illustrator has vision problems too.

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  3. From what I can see the illustrations look cool. Too bad they didn't quite seem to bring out the story.

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  4. I appreciate kids books that celebrate different! Not sure this is one I need in Gage's library, but there is a local man who wears an eye patch at the gym and this might help Gage 'get' it.?

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