about spectacles

Ellen Raskin is most widely known for her Newberry Medal winning book The Westing Game, but she had already published and illustrated many books before that book was published in 1978. However, The Westing Game is a masterpiece and a great read. But due to that huge success, so many of her other books were overlooked.

One such book is Spectacles, published in 1974, and the subject of this fanlisting. This book is about a little girl who needs glasses. Ellen Raskin wore glasses, and she wrote and illustrated this book with herself in mind.

Ellen brings the silliness out in seeing objects as wild fantastic impossible things instead of what they really are. She makes needing glasses into something fun and an advantage, instead of a negative experience.

I really enjoyed this book, it was adorable. As a person in need of glasses or contact lenses, it was something I felt very good for a child to read and lessen the bad side of getting glasses.