The Eye Care Advocate

Book Review: Mole’s Spectacles

When it comes to books for toddlers, the team of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are legends. In Mole’s Spectacles, part of the popular “Tales from Acorn Wood” series, they bring their signature charm to a very relatable problem. This interactive lift-the-flap board book is a fantastic kids book about losing your glasses, perfectly pitched for the very youngest readers.

What is “Mole’s Spectacles” About?

The image shows the front cover for the book called "Mole's Spectacles" - it is a beige cover with a picture of an anthropomorphised mole wearing a purple cardigan, brown corduroy trousers and a white and red stripey shirt. The mole is using a stick to life a lily pad and there is a duck in a red dress watching.
The front cover of the book Mole’s Spectacles, one from the series of Tales from Acorn Wood.

The story follows the short-sighted Mole, who has misplaced his spectacles and can’t find them anywhere. The narrative takes the reader on a hunt through Mole’s house, into his garden, and around Acorn Wood. On each page, flaps hide different objects and characters, allowing the child to actively participate in the search. It’s a simple, engaging, and interactive “whodunnit” for the toddler crowd, with the missing glasses as the culprit.

Eye Care Themes in This Book

For a simple board book, it touches on several important early concepts:

Normalising Glasses: It presents a main character who wears glasses as a simple fact of life, which is brilliant for toddlers.

The Challenge of Misplacing Glasses: The entire plot revolves around the difficulty Mole faces without his spectacles, highlighting their importance.

Looking After Your Belongings: It provides a gentle lesson on the need to take care of important items like glasses.

The Importance of a Spare Pair: While not stated directly, Mole’s struggle is a perfect conversation starter for parents about why having a backup pair of glasses is a good idea.

Jason’s View on “Mole’s Spectacles”

From a professional standpoint, this book is a valuable tool for introducing the idea of glasses to children in the 1-to-3-year-old age range. It normalises spectacle wear from a very early age. Rather than focusing on the clinical need for glasses (a concept far too advanced for toddlers) it focuses on the practical reality: they are important, and it’s a real problem when you can’t find them! It effectively demonstrates the difficulty of life without clear vision, which subtly reinforces the benefit of wearing them.

As a parent, I can confirm my son adores this book. The lift-the-flap mechanism is a huge hit (even if a few flaps have become casualties repaired with sticky tape!). The classic Axel Scheffler illustrations are engaging, with fun details in the background; although as an adult, I did wonder if the mice in the cellar and snails on the lettuce were a subtle commentary on a socioeconomic level or just fun details for toddlers to spot (I do suspect the latter!). The rhyming text is a joy to read aloud, making it a firm favourite.

An image of a cartoon mole looking through pans. Underneath is the text from the book. This is an image from the book - Mole's Spectacles.
A sample page of Mole’s Spectacles, showing wonderful illustrations by Axel Scheffler and the large and simple text from the story by Julia Donaldson.

What Other Parents Think

With a stellar 4.8-star average from over 1,400 ratings on Amazon, it’s clear that parents and toddlers love Mole’s Spectacles. The interactive flaps are consistently mentioned as the main draw. The most common “complaint” is a testament to its success: the flaps are often loved so much they get torn by enthusiastic little hands.

Goodreads reviewers, often adults, offer a more humorous and satirical take, joking about Mole’s “harrowing struggle” or finding the story deeply relatable as glasses-wearers who constantly misplace their own pair. While some feel the rhymes aren’t as strong as other Donaldson titles, the overall sentiment is positive.

Mole's Spectacles: The Rating

8.5 out of 10

This book is a hit with toddlers and gets a strong rating from The Eye Care Advocate for its effectiveness at introducing glasses in a fun, age-appropriate way.

The Eye Care Advocate's Rating
8 out of 10
Average Online Rating
9 out of 10

Pros

Created by the beloved duo of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

The interactive lift-the-flap format is highly engaging for toddlers.

Excellent for normalising the idea of wearing glasses from a very early age.

A gentle, rhyming story that is easy and enjoyable to read aloud.

Cons

The board book flaps can be fragile and may be torn by very keen toddlers.

Focuses on the struggle of losing glasses rather than the positive benefits of wearing them.

Some adult readers find the story less compelling than other classics from the author.

Final Verdict

Mole’s Spectacles is a perfect “first” book about glasses for children aged 1 to 3. Its interactive format, charming illustrations, and simple, repetitive story make it an instant hit with toddlers. It brilliantly introduces the concept that glasses are a normal and necessary part of life for some, all wrapped up in a fun little mystery. This is an ideal choice if your child, a young friend, or a relative is starting their journey with glasses.

Ready to read it yourself? You can purchase “Mole’s Spectacles” on Amazon by clicking the link below.

Buy it now on Amazon

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