Finding the right kids book about wearing glasses can be a huge help when your little one is anxious about their first pair. The Short-Sighted Giraffe by A.H. Benjamin is a charming and funny story that directly tackles the fear of looking “silly” in spectacles, making it a wonderful tool for parents and caregivers.
What is “The Short-Sighted Giraffe” About?
The story follows Giraffe, who is struggling to see clearly. She keeps stumbling, tripping, and bumping into things, but when her animal friends suggest she needs glasses, she refuses, worried they will make her look silly.
Instead of wearing them, Giraffe tries a series of ridiculous solutions to protect herself, donning a helmet, boots, a rubber ring, and even a ladder! Her friends watch on as she ends up looking far more foolish than she ever would with glasses. Taking matters into their own hands, they slip the glasses on her while she sleeps. When Giraffe wakes and sees her reflection, she is shocked to find that the glasses actually look rather smart, and she finally embraces being able to see the world clearly.
Eye Care Themes in This Book
This book provides a simple but effective introduction to several key eye care concepts:
Myopia (Short-Sightedness): The story clearly demonstrates the practical challenges of being short-sighted, like bumping into things and not being able to see your surroundings properly.
Overcoming Anxiety About Glasses: The central theme is Giraffe’s vanity and her journey to overcome her self-consciousness about her appearance.
The Importance of Clear Vision: It highlights that wearing glasses is essential for safety and for properly experiencing the world around you.
Social Acceptance: It reinforces the idea that true friends care more about your well-being than your appearance.
Jason’s View on “The Short-Sighted Giraffe”
As an optometrist, I find this book to be an excellent resource. It cleverly shows that glasses are important tools to help you see well and stay safe, and that your friends and family simply want you to be happy and unharmed. The story resonates with me personally; I remember avoiding my own glasses out of vanity, spending my time squinting and getting headaches when just putting on my glasses would have made life easier and more comfortable.
From a parent’s perspective, the book is a great size for reading together, with large text and vibrant, colourful illustrations that beautifully bring the story to life.
My only slight critique is a stylistic one: the text alignment is quite dynamic and the font varies. While visually interesting, this could potentially be a little harder for children with dyslexia or those just learning to follow lines of text. However, this is a minor point in an otherwise fantastic book. It teaches acceptance of oneself and kindness towards others, and its length is perfect for a bedtime story.
What Other Parents & Readers Think
The general consensus from other parents, educators, and readers online is overwhelmingly positive. Across Amazon, Goodreads, and other review sites, the book is praised for its “beautiful,” “attractive,” and “vibrant” illustrations by Gill McLean.
Many parents noted how effective the funny, engaging story was in helping their own children feel more positive about getting glasses. It’s frequently recommended as a great way to build empathy in other children, helping them understand why a friend might need to wear specs.
Final Verdict
The Short-Sighted Giraffe is a delightful, humorous, and effective book that I would highly recommend to any family with a young child (from age 2 up to 6) who is apprehensive about wearing glasses. It uses a wonderful story and charming characters to tackle feelings of self-consciousness head-on, reframing spectacles as something smart and helpful, not silly.
Ready to read it to your child? You can purchase “The Short-Sighted Giraffe” on Amazon by clicking the link below.
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