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Summary
Summary
Paige is just like every other kid. She goes to school. She practices her violin. She plays outside. The only problem is, she cannot quite see the chalkboard, her sheet music, or anything else! Despite Paige's repeated refrain of "I can see just fine," the comical illustrations portray a different story. Paige's parents decide it's time for her to visit the eye doctor, despite her protests. But Paige's stubbornness quickly dissolves as she braves an enthralling eye checkup, enjoys a playful frame selection, and, most importantly, ends up with perfect eyesight! Barclay successfully depicts a very real and relevant issue with lightheartedness and gentle humor. Young readers will relate to Paige's journey and celebrate her triumph of seeing clearly in the end.
Praise for I Can See Just Fine
"It's a useful, non-didactic story for kids in Paige's situation-and utterly fun, too."
--Publishers Weekly
"A gentle way to introduce the topic of eyeglasses with a resistant child and what to expect in finding a solution."
--Shelf Awareness for Readers
"With an attractive, clean layout and big speech bubbles, this story is one that young readers will easily follow as Paige ultimately triumphs with her new glasses."
--School Library Journal
"This is an easy picture book for beginning readers with full-color illustrations. The stylized, pleasing illustrations are done well and a lot of children can relate to the situation."
--Library Media Connection
Author Notes
Eric Barclay has been illustrating and designing for the advertising world for more than a decade, working with clients such as American Express, Disneyland Paris, Nokia, Sprint, Hyatt Hotels, and Westin Kids Club. He currently illustrates for American Greetings and Hallmark. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and their two daughters.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Barclay approaches the subject of eyesight and glasses with empathy and humor. Paige insists that she can see "just fine," but the illustrations show that she has mistaken a skunk for a kitten, can't see the sheet music in orchestra, and has her bedtime book upside down. Children will delight in noticing the details that contradict the child's declarations. When she finally receives her glasses after a visit to the eye doctor, two pictures (one blurry and one crisp) settle the matter in a simple, yet convincing manner. With an attractive, clean layout and big speech bubbles, this story is one that young readers will easily follow as Paige ultimately triumphs with her new glasses.-Nora Clancy, Teachers College Community School, New York City (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Regardless of whether readers need glasses themselves, they'll quickly recognize that Paige's repeated exhortation that "I can see just fine!" is suspect. On the cover, the blonde girl shouts the title in a speech bubble as she reads a book (it's upside down); before readers even hit the title page, they see Paige leaving a bathroom with toilet paper trailing from her mismatched shoes (worse, it's the boys' room). Paige's father notices something is amiss after Paige mistakes a skunk for a cat, and her teacher realizes she's having trouble seeing the chalkboard. Barclay pictures Paige standing on tiptoes on her school desk, peering intently at readers-it's an impressive approximation of a squint, considering the dot-eyed characters call to mind Fisher-Price Little People figures. Trips to the eye doctor and eyeglasses store follow, under protest, and although Barclay also squeezes humor into these scenes (Paige tries on a monocle and pair of 3D glasses), there's a reassuring normalcy to the entire process. It's a useful, non-didactic story for kids in Paige's situation-and utterly fun, too. Ages 4-6. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Paige insists, "I can see just fine!" But through a series of humorous situations, readers will know that's not true. Sure enough, Paige goes to the eye doctor and finds out she needs glasses; once she finds the perfect pair, Paige "can see...EVERYTHING!" The adorable illustrations contain clever touches and combine with the warm, funny story to make the getting-glasses experience inviting. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Repeatedly uttering the titular protest, a child is dragged off to "see" the eye doctor in this neatly drawn, too neatly resolved take on a common experience. Paige's inability to make out what's on the class chalkboard is just one of a set of symptoms that trigger a day off from school, an eye exam, a chance to try on a zillion pairs of eyeglass frames and, after a fitting, a whole new, sharply focused world. But if the textual narrative is pretty straightforward, the visual subtext is not. The climactic fuzzy-to-sharp spread implies that Paige's affliction is really no more than simple myopia, but cues scattered through Barclay's bright, simple cartoon illustrations point, if apparently unintentionally, to more complex vision (or other) problems. Paige wears mismatched shoes of different colors; in one scene, she "reads" a book held upside down; most egregiously, she happily cuddles a "kitty" that is actually a skunk (later, she identifies it correctly and still cuddles it). Even the final scene, in which Paige pours orange juice into her breakfast cereal while disagreeing with her mother's remark that her glasses are too dirty to see through, doesn't quite come off as a joke. It's hard to judge intent, but even if this might provide lighthearted reassurance for young squinters, it's going to leave more observant parents and other caregivers disquieted, at best. (Picture book. 5-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Paige's teacher notices that she is having trouble seeing the chalkboard. Dad observes that the kitty she brings home is a skunk. Could it be that Paige needs glasses? In her opinion, which is often repeated, I can see just fine! Still, Mom takes her to have an eye exam and to choose frames. Later, when Paige first looks through her new glasses, she suddenly goes from seeing just fine to seeing EVERYTHING! Told with simplicity and wit, the story has a good mix of narrative and information. Children anticipating their first eye exams will appreciate knowing about eye drops and the mask with nobs and buttons, while other kids will absorb the details as a small part of the narrative. The digital illustrations have clean lines and subdued colors as well as bits of hidden visual humor. The Paige's-eye view of the world just before and just after putting on her glasses will be a revelation to children who haven't had that experience. Fine for reading aloud.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist