Advanced Praise for Whale Eyes
Whale Eyes is how you write a memoir. Wow. The words soar, and the illustrations illuminate a thoughtful and powerful message: see me not just for my eyes, but because I deserve to be seen.
I was captivated by the raw, beautifully written stories and the layered experiences shared within these pages. Each moment challenges us to question how we perceive others—and how often we fail to truly see their humanity, especially when disability enters the conversation. This book doesn’t just invite reflection; it demands it, in the most profound way.
Thank you to Penguin for gifting me this incredible book. Released in 2024, it’s a stunning read, and I’m so glad I finally got to experience it. These thoughts are entirely my own, unpaid opinion.
Whale Eyes is perfect for book clubs, classroom discussions, or personal reflection. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truths about how society views others and challenges us to do better, see deeper, and honor the full humanity in everyone.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.
-Pernille Schmidt Ripp, Founder, Global Read Aloud
“With heart and humor, James Robinson shares his story of learning to live with a vision disability. In this illustrated memoir, he invites readers to visualize his point of view with honest anecdotes and interesting, interactive images that truly make his words sing.”
—Claire Margetts, Weller Book Works, Salt Lake City, UT
“I have never in my life read a book quite like this. You never know what someone else is going through unless you walk in their shoes. Whale Eyes gives you a picture of what the author and others like him see with their ‘whale eyes.’ There are vision tests and examples of how they see, and you can’t help but feel protective of the author. This book stayed with me for a long time and I can’t wait to put it in the hands of elementary school teachers to read aloud to their class.”
—Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, NC
“Informative and interesting, this should be a must-read in classrooms. So much to discuss!”
—Kristine Jelstrom-Hamill, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohassett, MA
“After growing up having no one able to understand his point of view, James Robinson takes readers with him through his childhood as he struggles with a rare eye condition where his eyes are disconnected from each other. It’s not only a great way to understand his specific situation, but also a pointed look at the public education system and how we evaluate intelligence.”
—Kalli King, Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID
A heartfelt memoir about disability, how we're seen and how people see us.
—Nicholas Kristof, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize
and coauthor of Half the Sky