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Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen
From Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes a breathtaking illustrated memoir for middle-grade readers (and adults, too)—inspired by the viral, Emmy-nominated short film Whale Eyes.
Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.
Readers will get lost as they chase words. They’ll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They’ll hold it upside down as they practice “pretend-reading”…and they’ll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.
With poignant illustrations by Eisner Award–nominated artist Brian Rea, James’s story equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.
Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.
Readers will get lost as they chase words. They’ll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They’ll hold it upside down as they practice “pretend-reading”…and they’ll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.
With poignant illustrations by Eisner Award–nominated artist Brian Rea, James’s story equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2025
39 people are currently reading
4681 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
January 11, 2026
A super engaging memoir with tons of interactive elements. It's a creative read with a fantastic perspective that will have you reflecting on what it means to be viewed differently by the world.
March 20, 2025
“To tell a child that they are disabled is to tell them that they are protected. That long before they took their first breath, there was a community that was fighting for them. It's a community that continues to fight to this day.”
May 21, 2025
A standout middle grade memoir about growing up with misaligned eyes (a condition called exotropia, sort of similar to dyslexia) and the author's experience being different, being stared at and learning to cope with his condition. I loved how unique and interactive this book is and the way its designed to help readers see things through eyes that probably don't work like theirs. Highly, highly recommended and it pairs well with the audiobook read by the author who turned into an award-winning documentary filmmaker and disability advocate.
Fav quote:
"Everyone wanted to fix me. They began putting forward strategies that weren't always backed by science. The desire to fix overpowered the desire to help."
Fav quote:
"Everyone wanted to fix me. They began putting forward strategies that weren't always backed by science. The desire to fix overpowered the desire to help."
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January 24, 2026James Robinson navigates the world with strabismus, a disability where a person's misaligned eyes do not work together. As a child, this caused James to struggle with reading and activities like t-ball, and to become the target of hurtful comments and attitudes. In his memoir Whale Eyes, Robinson explains how he coped with his disability at home, in school, and in personal situations. What makes Whale Eyes particularly powerful is its creative use of text and graphic design which simulate Robinson’s experiences.
Like Cece Bell’s El Deafo, Whale Eyes is a book that readers of many ages will find engaging and enlightening. The appealing childhood stories and the later sections about Robinson’s work as a documentary filmmaker offer meaningful insights for readers about disability representation and the importance of special education in school settings.
Like Cece Bell’s El Deafo, Whale Eyes is a book that readers of many ages will find engaging and enlightening. The appealing childhood stories and the later sections about Robinson’s work as a documentary filmmaker offer meaningful insights for readers about disability representation and the importance of special education in school settings.
April 22, 2025
This book was fantastic! It was clever and engaging, and is accessible for a wide age range.This middle grade memoir is a quick read for anyone who is curious to know a little more about what it's like living with a disability. Oh! and be sure to read the actual book, much of the charm will be lost through audio!
Just a few of my favorite quotes:
“Everyone wanted to fix me. They began putting forward strategies that weren't always backed by science. The desire to fix overpowered the desire to help.”
“Dear starer, can I be honest? If I didn't have these eyes, I would probably stare too. Anyway. I hope you find what you're looking for.”
“I wasn't looking for remorse. I was seeking connection.”
“..the disability community has been fighting for this word to mean something else – not weakness but protection.”
“Caring is the precursor to action. The precursor to policy. It can drive movements and marches. It can transform relationships. Of course, none of these results are guaranteed, but without the ability to get others to care, not much can happen.”
Just a few of my favorite quotes:
“Everyone wanted to fix me. They began putting forward strategies that weren't always backed by science. The desire to fix overpowered the desire to help.”
“Dear starer, can I be honest? If I didn't have these eyes, I would probably stare too. Anyway. I hope you find what you're looking for.”
“I wasn't looking for remorse. I was seeking connection.”
“..the disability community has been fighting for this word to mean something else – not weakness but protection.”
“Caring is the precursor to action. The precursor to policy. It can drive movements and marches. It can transform relationships. Of course, none of these results are guaranteed, but without the ability to get others to care, not much can happen.”
January 19, 2025
James has issues with his eyes, in that they never figured out how to be stereoscopic. He has made it work for him, but it took a long time in grade school and beyond to figure out how to make it work for him. I found the first part with his childhood fascinating having never experienced something like this, and trying to figure out how he was describing things. I liked the introduction of the artwork and the mild "House of Leaves" style of the book in places. I got disappointed in the second half. Not because he was figuring out how to share this or make people aware, but it felt that he moved away from the tone of the first part. There was a lot of "you can do it!" vibe in the second half, and I'm glad people are adapting and becoming nicer to those with differences. It just felt that in a book for middle graders it went from understanding and adjusting from a disability to now I'm famous because I had an article in NYT. I think if you have a child struggling with a difference this could be intriguing.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Copy provided by NetGalley
May 18, 2025
So great!! This memoir examines the social impact of misaligned eyes. It’s about seeing, but really it’s more about being seen. I didn’t know I cared about the subject but just like all great documentaries, this made me care. James Robinson is a deep thinker, a smart man, an incredible documentary maker, and now a memorable author. His book is in the Juvenile section of the library but could and should be read by ppl of all ages. And definitely in physical format so that you can experience the fantastic graphics paired with the text and take part in a couple experiments to help you better connect with and understand James Robinson’s experience. That’s kind of the core of the book: turning what he calls out-trigue to connection.
At around the halfway point of the book, there’s a page called intermission that says “take a break from the book and watch the 12 minute film: whaleeyes.org/watch.” I recommend doing that whether or not you read the book.
EXCERPTS:
The movie Whale Eyes was built on the faith that our vision is transferable. That you can borrow my eyes and connect with me through my vision. And that for a few moments, we can become each other.
The thing about out-trigue is that it pushes you in two directions. In moments of out-trigue, you find yourself “trigued.” Fully captivated by an unexpected oddity. But rather than being drawn into a connection through intrigue, you find yourself, leaning out, as a cultural anchor pulls you away from the reality you’ve experienced. Perhaps you begin laughing, blushing, or at the very least, questioning. Often times out-trigue fades into an awkward and insecure silence. But it doesn’t have to. When you experience out-trigue, the key is to kindly and quietly lean in. It’s during these micro moments of misunderstanding when we are most ripe to connect with each other. It’s easier said than done: transforming out-trigue to connection often requires extraordinary trust.
(The story, his mom tells about being able to fly when she was a child was so touching)
“Hey boys, it’s flying weather!” And every time without fail – even late at night – we would race outside, feel the breeze, and spread our arms. We would taste the air and try to surrender to the conditions, telling ourselves that on this day, that this time, that in this weather, we, too, could fly.
With her story, mom pushed us into caring. Through her out-trigue, tension, and the shared, precise moment, she made us forget everything else as we focused on the elements before us: the direction of the wind. The color of the sky. Our position in the grass. She made us care about the hints of green. The stiff thickness of the humidity. And the texture of the invisible energy that flowed between our fingers. She allowed us to experience firsthand what it means to place our trust in a force that is as wild and unpredictable as it is real.
At around the halfway point of the book, there’s a page called intermission that says “take a break from the book and watch the 12 minute film: whaleeyes.org/watch.” I recommend doing that whether or not you read the book.
EXCERPTS:
The movie Whale Eyes was built on the faith that our vision is transferable. That you can borrow my eyes and connect with me through my vision. And that for a few moments, we can become each other.
The thing about out-trigue is that it pushes you in two directions. In moments of out-trigue, you find yourself “trigued.” Fully captivated by an unexpected oddity. But rather than being drawn into a connection through intrigue, you find yourself, leaning out, as a cultural anchor pulls you away from the reality you’ve experienced. Perhaps you begin laughing, blushing, or at the very least, questioning. Often times out-trigue fades into an awkward and insecure silence. But it doesn’t have to. When you experience out-trigue, the key is to kindly and quietly lean in. It’s during these micro moments of misunderstanding when we are most ripe to connect with each other. It’s easier said than done: transforming out-trigue to connection often requires extraordinary trust.
(The story, his mom tells about being able to fly when she was a child was so touching)
“Hey boys, it’s flying weather!” And every time without fail – even late at night – we would race outside, feel the breeze, and spread our arms. We would taste the air and try to surrender to the conditions, telling ourselves that on this day, that this time, that in this weather, we, too, could fly.
With her story, mom pushed us into caring. Through her out-trigue, tension, and the shared, precise moment, she made us forget everything else as we focused on the elements before us: the direction of the wind. The color of the sky. Our position in the grass. She made us care about the hints of green. The stiff thickness of the humidity. And the texture of the invisible energy that flowed between our fingers. She allowed us to experience firsthand what it means to place our trust in a force that is as wild and unpredictable as it is real.
November 28, 2025
I love a memoir that makes me really feel like I learned about what someone else’s experience is truly like. This middle grade book does this beautifully both with the written page and the audio book. I cannot wait recommend this to readers who are looking for something real to read.
May 22, 2025
A truly unique memoir by a writer who is born with “whale eyes” (misaligned eyes.). Reading is extremely difficult for him - he shows us what the words look like to him and the book is so original and creative! He even includes a link to a 10 minute video that he made to further demonstrate the challenges he faces. Even so, he graduated from Duke and is an Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker. Definitely read it in written form- the audiobook will miss a lot.
January 28, 2026
The audiobook is phenomenal.
April 19, 2025
I loved this completely interactive memoir. There is an intermission where the reader is directed to the author’s 12 minute documentary. Well worth the 12 minutes. I would have enjoyed the hard copy better than the ebook that I read because ironically, the ebook had no features to adjust the print size. So even though it gave me eye strain, i enjoyed the book.
August 31, 2025
As an individual with Strabismus and a facial difference, I cannot recommend this book enough! Highly interactive, creative, raw and real. A quick read with great short story snippets bound within a larger narrative of being seen, understood and accepted amid cultural taboos.
June 3, 2025
I don't often write reviews anymore, as what is enjoyable, informative, or whatever else (insert descriptive word of choice here) for me may not be for you. Even the timing of a book may not be right.
That said, this book spoke to me in more than one way, reflecting on my past teaching career, how my daughter teaches and works with individuals on the spectrum, and how I interact with individuals today. So, yes, despite its intended audience being stated as middle grade, Whale Eyes is a book that everyone should read.
I am glad I listened to the book narrated by the author - it was powerful and I enjoyed hearing how he made the book interactive, describing illustrations and having family and friends try the experiments in the book. There is an attachment so you can experience the best of both versions, audio and digital/print.
Be sure to check out the author's short documentary as well, ideally before reading/listening
https://nyti.ms/4jJ3wLe
A few quotations from the book that will stick with me for a long time.
"Honestly, I don't have a problem with the way that I see, my only problem is the way that I am seen."
"We spend so much time and effort into making sure that people who are perceived as different can understand what it would be like if they were normal. But we rarely do the opposite, pushing those who see themselves as normal to understand what it would be like if they were different."
"I'm still here - you're just having trouble connecting with that person."
So, yep, I expect to see this winning some awards, and perhaps the greatest reward for Mr. Robinson is a more compassionate community is created for all those who may be seen as different.
That said, this book spoke to me in more than one way, reflecting on my past teaching career, how my daughter teaches and works with individuals on the spectrum, and how I interact with individuals today. So, yes, despite its intended audience being stated as middle grade, Whale Eyes is a book that everyone should read.
I am glad I listened to the book narrated by the author - it was powerful and I enjoyed hearing how he made the book interactive, describing illustrations and having family and friends try the experiments in the book. There is an attachment so you can experience the best of both versions, audio and digital/print.
Be sure to check out the author's short documentary as well, ideally before reading/listening
https://nyti.ms/4jJ3wLe
A few quotations from the book that will stick with me for a long time.
"Honestly, I don't have a problem with the way that I see, my only problem is the way that I am seen."
"We spend so much time and effort into making sure that people who are perceived as different can understand what it would be like if they were normal. But we rarely do the opposite, pushing those who see themselves as normal to understand what it would be like if they were different."
"I'm still here - you're just having trouble connecting with that person."
So, yep, I expect to see this winning some awards, and perhaps the greatest reward for Mr. Robinson is a more compassionate community is created for all those who may be seen as different.
April 9, 2025
Stop and read this book. Beautifully crafted written. Wonderful visuals that add to the story. Robinson also knows how to write to and for young adults.
May 28, 2025
I loved the first half of this book, which is a memoir of the author's childhood and an incredibly inventive primer on how vision works (and an introduction to how the author sees differently.) The second half felt overly didactic as he talked about the making of his documentary, Whale Eyes, and his mission to help others. I endorse the mission and appreciate the insights into film making, but just felt put off by the tone. This is directed at a much younger audience (it's kept in the kids' section of the library) so perhaps that's why it didn't work for me.
July 17, 2025
I really liked the first half of this book, when the author talked about his experiences growing up with his disability. I think that a lot of kids will have a greater understanding of his condition and will empathize with many of the stories he tells. However, the second half of the book, in which the author talks about his inspiration and process for his documentaries, does not seem like it will resonate with kids.
July 10, 2025
The autobiography of James Robinson, focusing on how growing up with anomalous retinal correspondence - a condition he’s dubbed “whale eyes” to make it easier to understand - impacted his childhood and youth and adulthood, especially his feelings about reading. He then explains how he decided to make a documentary about himself as a young adult to help others understand why he looks the way he does and the challenges he has in visual perception. And then how that opened the doors for future employment, more documentaries, and this book.
Back when I did tutoring I accidentally ended up working with several kids with visual acuity issues, one was similar to James’ issue, but not exactly the same. The fact that kids who perceive the world differently can teach themselves to adapt and survive in a world not catered to their conditions is astounding. I loved hearing how James’ documentary helped others feel seen, and his further documentaries are doing the same for people with other “invisible” issues. He’s doing important work, and this book is part of that. I hope reading this helps the younger generation be more understanding and empathetic. It’s a good reminder that you never know what is going on in someone’s life. It was also so interesting to hear how he’s trying to change the Hollywood use of people with misaligned eyes to not just portray those who are crazy or evil. I need to get a copy of this for our library.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: I don’t remember any.
Ethnic diversity: James’ family is white American.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Discrimination based on appearance. School unwilling to make accommodations (or does so sparingly). Misunderstanding someone with a disability.
Back when I did tutoring I accidentally ended up working with several kids with visual acuity issues, one was similar to James’ issue, but not exactly the same. The fact that kids who perceive the world differently can teach themselves to adapt and survive in a world not catered to their conditions is astounding. I loved hearing how James’ documentary helped others feel seen, and his further documentaries are doing the same for people with other “invisible” issues. He’s doing important work, and this book is part of that. I hope reading this helps the younger generation be more understanding and empathetic. It’s a good reminder that you never know what is going on in someone’s life. It was also so interesting to hear how he’s trying to change the Hollywood use of people with misaligned eyes to not just portray those who are crazy or evil. I need to get a copy of this for our library.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: I don’t remember any.
Ethnic diversity: James’ family is white American.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Discrimination based on appearance. School unwilling to make accommodations (or does so sparingly). Misunderstanding someone with a disability.
July 24, 2025
This is an important book about kindness, compassion, and understanding and acceptance of those with disabilities. James Robinson, the author, has an eye condition that not only makes him look different, but affects how anything in his sight (words, baseballs, hands) appears. This interactive autobiography will make the reader think about how she or he reacts to those who appear or act differently than expected. While advertised as a children’s biography, it seems more suited to older teens and adults. The first half of the book will be appreciated by those younger, but the 2nd half gets into more mature concepts. I’d expect this unique book to receive awards. I looked up and watched his NYTimes documentary on stuttering that he writes about towards the end of the book and it is excellent, especially after reading in this autobiography about the process that went into that specific documentary.
May 22, 2025
We learn about James's eye disability- in general and the specifics as to his version of strabismus. James shares what it's like to function in the world - the nuts and bolts of what it is like to see as he does. He also shares what it is like to be "other" and to be stared at.
My favorite part of the book is learning how his mother left her career so she could teach her two songs who learn differently. And learning about James's journey in becoming a documentarian.
And James tells his story in a unique "style" with artwork and interactive bits. he even directs you to go to a link online to watch a short video he produced.
Very well done and worth reading.
My favorite part of the book is learning how his mother left her career so she could teach her two songs who learn differently. And learning about James's journey in becoming a documentarian.
And James tells his story in a unique "style" with artwork and interactive bits. he even directs you to go to a link online to watch a short video he produced.
Very well done and worth reading.
September 26, 2025
Many thanks to Pernille Rip for recommending this nonfiction book by James Robinson which shines a light on his disability, strabismus. With heart he describes his life of whale eyes, and informs us what his life is like & I just loved his path to becoming a filmmaker with his video Whale Eyes & his journey with John Hendrickson & stuttering. A must read & the empathy this book builds is so important!
May 30, 2025
Super cool format...I hope tons of people read it. Loved quite a few things James said including, "We both knew what it meant to be on the wrong side of hurry up," and from the intermission...yes, the book had an intermission!!!..."I don't have a problem with the way I see, just the way that I'm seen." Quotes probably not exact, but they really hit my heart.
November 4, 2025
This beautiful and sensitive memoir is about so much more than seeing and being seen. Listening, understanding, familial love and devotion, writing, and, in a broader sense, creating. Also flying, not in a metaphorical sense, but really feeling your feet lift off the ground on a “good day for flying.” Very thought provoking.
January 9, 2026
Masterful design and writing to bring to clear understanding of an ophthalmic condition and the need for understanding and connection. A kid's book that felt very adult a lot of the time. I loved the Intermission to watch his short film about his condition. I'll be looking for his other films!
March 27, 2025
This was absolutely fantastic
May 8, 2025
This is the kind of book that makes me want to go through My Books and un-5-star a whole bunch of 'em because they're not *really* 5 stars; this one is.
May 30, 2025
Absolutely incredible 🩷✨
June 1, 2025
Really interesting book - I now want to watch the documentary. I especially liked (and found so powerful) the section on disability as protection.
November 30, 2025
Note: Must read in hard copy. If I could give this book a 10, I would! This is the first time I’ve experienced disability, otherness, special needs (take your pick) in a real way. The ingenuity of the physical changes to the words in the book are what makes it come to life. As a 504 / IEP / special needs parent, I have a strong understanding of my son’s challenges but this brought it to a new level of clarity. Thank you James for this gift of a book!
December 31, 2025
Incredible, amazing, insightful, touching.
January 14, 2026
Such an amazing and beautiful book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews