My Travelin' Eye by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Grade 1–4—Children sometimes get teased when they begin to wear eyeglasses, but Jenny Sue has an additional problem: strabismus, described in an author's note as a condition when one eye (or both eyes) "misaligns and turns in, out, up, or down." While the youngster views her travelin' eye as a means for seeing the world in a special way, a caring teacher suggests that she visit an ophthalmologist. The doctor's quick diagnosis results in what Jenny Sue sees as a very ugly eye patch. Her mother, however, comes to the rescue with patches of brightly colored materials and quirky designs. Soon, Jenny Sue is the envy of her school. When she graduates from the patch but must still wear glasses, she and her mother fashion imaginative frames that delight the girl's friends. In telling her story, Kostecki-Shaw utilizes the whole page, placing different sizes of text among images that vary from large to small, from vivid to diffused (visualizing Jenny Sue's eye problem). Use of acrylics, crayon, pencil, collage, and tissue paper creates colorful, imaginative illustrations. The jacket features Jenny Sue's wide grin below gaily decorated specs that sport a perky butterfly, setting the tone for this upbeat story. Children with a "difference" of some kind will be reassured by Jenny Sue's take on her special situation.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA
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Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
This cheerful picture book by new author Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw is dear to my heart as my son also has a wandering or travelin' eye. I wish I'd had this book when he had to wear a patch and glasses to school for the first time. Jenny Sue, in a loving manner, portrays, through her text and illustrations, what it is like for a child with a travelin' eye. In this semi-autobiography of herself as a little girl Jenny Sue describes how she saw the world with each eye and the gift each eye gave to her, one an artist and the other a navigator. However, when she had to wear a patch and glasses, how did she cope with suddenly seeing in a different way and with the pointing of the other children? Young readers will be entranced to find out. The mixed media illustrations are delightful and inspire children to turn the pages just to see what they can find in each picture: counting opportunities, finding objects, and trying Jenny Sue's art activities. Teachers and parents will also find this an inspiring book for their children with wandering eyes, or for a unit on understanding disabilities. This picture book is highly recommended for young children, ages 3-8.