Spectacles

by Ellen Raskin

A nearsighted little girl talks about and shows some of the unusual things she saw before being fitted with glasses.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile

47 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Ellen Raskin was a writer, illustrator, and designer. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up during the Great Depression. She primarily wrote for children. She received the 1979 Newbery Medal for her 1978 book, The Westing Game.

Ms. Raskin was also an accomplished graphic artist. She designed dozens of dust jackets for books, including the first edition of Madeleine L'Engle's classic A Wrinkle in Time.

She married Dennis Flanagan, editor of Scientific American, in 1965.

Raskin died at the age of 56 on August 8, 1984, in New York City due to complications from connective tissue disease.

Reviews

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A childhood favorite before I even needed glasses. If you can still find a copy of this, highly recommended!

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover is a great indication of what you'll find inside, though I didn't realize it until after I was done reading.

This is a story about a little girl who needs to get glasses, because the world she sees around her is not what it seems. She sees wacky, imaginative creatures out of common-day objects and the people around her, due to her lack of glasses.

Alternating between the pages to see the real object, and the imagined one, is the most entertaining part about this book.

Would have loved to read this when I had to get glasses as a child. Would have inspired confidence in me.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mom bought this book for me when I first got glasses. It's cute and imaginative illustrations show children why it's important to wear their glasses. I have read it to my young students who didn't want to wear their glasses.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book, and the kids and I liked it. The real fun came later, though, when the kids asked me to take off my glasses and tell them what they looked like as they made faces and struck poses.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite picture books ever. Just now realized that Ellen Raskin wrote this as well as The Westing Game.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's. Pictures alternate between what the child sees and what it really is. Good book to share with children who are getting glasses for the first time.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the concept when I flipped through it: girls without glasses imagines fanciful shapes. It's cool to show the kids the geometric things going on, and how one thing can look like another. But they seemed like they didn't really get it. And the ending was so stupid, with all this stuff about what sort of glasses she wanted, etc., that took away from the story.

[Kokeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child. I still have my childhood copy and reread it recently. It is just as funny and charming as I remembered. I am thrilled to be reading more of Raskin's work presently with The Westing Game.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was little. I remember checking it out at the library constantly. I even based a story I wrote in first grade on it. I think it is funny that all of these years later I still remembered the title, the color of the cover, and the pictures.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a charming picture book, about a girl who is surrounded by fanciful creatures, until the day she gets spectacles.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a clever book! I used it for a storytime about wearing eyeglasses and I just fell in love with it!

[Toryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this book today & already in love with it!