Whale eyes : a memoir about seeing and being seen / by James Robinson ; illustrated by Brian Rea.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Robinson, James (Filmmaker), Author.

Contributor:

Rea, Brian, illustrator.

Award Winning and Notable Children's and Young Adult Books (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Robinson, James (Filmmaker)--Juvenile literature.

Robinson, James.

Robinson, James (Filmmaker).

People with visual disabilities--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature.

People with visual disabilities.

Discrimination against people with disabilities--United States--Juvenile literature.

Discrimination against people with disabilities.

Producers and directors.

Documentary films.

Discrimination.

Genre:

Autobiographies.

Illustrated works.

Physical Description:

298 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, Nwe York : Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2025.

Summary:

"When Emmy Award-winning filmmaker James Robinson was in first grade, he decided to give up on reading. Growing up with severely misaligned eyes, James stared at books the same way his classmates stared at him. Confused, repulsed, and a bit disgusted. In this humorous and heartfelt memoir, James returns to the format that he used to dread, reimagining what a book can be. Readers will wrestle with words on the page, fail eye exams, practice reading upside down, and experience how James ultimately broke through to those who stare at him -- with a short film that was picked up by the New York Times and went viral upon its release. By spotlighting the unsaid and the unseen, Whale Eyes equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections. Featuring breezy yet tender prose, an interactive design, and poignant illustrations by world-renowned artist Brian Rea, Whale Eyes isn't just a captivating story, it's an invitation -- to a more kind, thoughtful, and caring version of ourselves" -- Jacket flap.

Contents:

My eyes. Preface : afterimage ; Dear time ; The red dot ; How I see ; Eye on the ball ; Drifting ; Hurry up and wait ; I don't care ; Fixation ; 3D ; My X ; Mom ; No such thing as later ; Chocolate ; The people train ; The public eye ; To release is to let go ; Intermission

Your eyes. Getting people to care ; Precise moment ; Out-trigue ; Tension ; Use the form ; Invert the narrative ; Flying weather

A note on surgery.

Notes:

Illustrations rendered with graphite pencil on paper and then color was applied digitally.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-298).

Schneider Family Book Award for Best Young Adult Book, 2026

Other Format:

Online version: Robinson, James (Filmmaker). Whale eyes.

ISBN:

9780593523957

0593523954

OCLC:

1504375701