The Patch by Justina Chen Headley and Mitch Vane

Kindergarten-Grade 2–What could have been a saccharine and didactic message book about accepting differences is, instead, a lovely and surprising story that will certainly be enjoyed as a read-aloud. Beccas doctor discovers that shes got a lazy eye and needs a patch and glasses to strengthen her eyesight. The five-year-old is worried that the other students will think she looks stupid so, to boost her confidence, her older brother lends her his favorite pirate costume to go with her purple glasses and bright pink patch (this girl is clearly partial to pink). The bold hues in the cartoonlike watercolors reinforce Beccas and her classmates energy. The students are fascinated as she plays Becca the Ballerina Pirate, Private Eye, and One-Eyed Monster before admitting the real reason for her patch. The illustrations dance off the pages, and Beccas exuberance shines through.–Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA
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Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
My daughter was diagnosed with amblyopia last week and is waiting for her glasses to arrive. I purchased this book and a matching 'Becca' patch from patchpals.com. She has read the book at least 10 times in the past 24 hours. She can't wait to get her glasses and put on her patch. The story was very cute and went well with my daughters love for pink. My only complaint is: I thought the author dropped the ball when it came time for Becca to tell the class why she was wearing a patch. I thought there should be more of an explanation. I was hoping my daughter's teacher would read this to her class so they could understand why she has to wear a patch. The book makes the patch seem fun, but doesn't explain amblyopia. There is an article (written for adults) at the end that describes amblyopia.