Vision: My Story of Strength

by Precious Perez, Zainab Nasrati (Series Editor), Zoe Ruiz (Series Editor)

A young activist opens a window into her journey to become a professional musician and leader for the disabled community. Ever since Precious Perez was a child, she has loved to sing. Born and raised outside Boston, her family joked that she’d eventually study at Berklee College of Music. But when a high school music teacher advocated for Precious’s talent, her dream became a reality. Precious was born two-and-a-half months premature and weighed just one pound. Her eyes did not develop fully, and she is blind. Growing up, most people focused on what Precious could not do because of her disability. With her teacher’s support, Precious realized all the things she could do with her disability―starting with attending Berklee. With a voice that is both accessible and engaging, Vision brings forward an empowering first-person account of a woman finding strength and purpose in her disability. The I, Witness series delivers compelling narrative nonfiction by young people, for young people. Black-and-white spot art throughout

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Middle Grade, Disability

112 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 2023

Reviews

[river ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book, though short, describes the early life and and career of precious perez, the author who is a singer/songwriter, music educator, and disability activist.

she focused on something her doctors used to say: "she can't do this, she can't do that" and set out to prove them wrong, doing what she was told she couldn't do, and more. the journey and achievements of the author were very inspiring, showing that disabilities are only one of the many things that define each and every person.

the writing itself wasn't the best, but the point was to share the author's story, which i think it did. there were also some important points raised such as how body image and blindness are related, which is something that i've never thought about but makes so much sense.

something that confused/bothered me a teensy bit was that the tenses were a bit iffy, with a paragraph starting in present tense and ending with a "this is what is now happening".

all in all, i'd say this book is a good read that tells an important story many people need to hear.

[Katheryne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vision is part of a nonfiction book series called I, Witness, that tells stories of real life young people who have faced extraordinary challenges in their life. In Vision, Precious tells her own story of being born premature with resulting blindness. Music became an important part of her life, and she worked hard to build a life and career around it.
I love the format of this book. With short chapters and large print on the pages, it is accessible for multiple ages and abilities of readers. An introduction shares the heart behind the series. Supplemental sections include a question-and-answer style discussion, ideas to get involved, and a timeline of activism for the blind community. If you haven’t checked out this series for kids, I highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Misse Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motivational

Vision: My Story of Strength is a part of the I, Witness series which delivers narrative nonfiction for young people by young people. In this short story, we learn about Precious Perez's personal journey to becoming the musician she always believed she could be. Born two and a half months premature and weighing under one pound, her eyes did not develop normally. Precious is blind. Her life story has been one to the tune of everyone telling her what she can't do. While Precious focuses on the opposite: her love of singing.

When her high school teacher offers Precious an opportunity to pursue her dream she takes it and works very hard to accomplish her goals and do so against all odds. Later going on to become a professional musician and leader and young activist in the disabled community.

It's short and the messaging clear. I think the series and Precious' story is a great way to connect young people and have them share their stories of strength, resilience, and the power of faith and hard work.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an e-arc of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious Perez had many strikes against her starting with her premature birth which led to her blindness. Add being Latina, low-income and the future was not in her favor. Yet she was a determined girl and then teen, which led to good grades in school and discovering her musical talent. A teacher suggested she showcase her music by releasing an album, a thought which had never crossed her mind. With a great deal of work and help, this became a reality. And then she was accepted into Berklee College of Music, which she had considered an unattainable dream. Precious Perez shares her many qualities in this autobiography for children which will hopefully inspire many of them in their future plans and dreams.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Norton Young Readers through Edelweiss+.
Part of the I, Witness series.
Readers meet Preciou Perez as a child. She shares about her birth and the complications that led to her blindness caused by ROP (retinopathy of Prematurity). Perez is a fighter who accepts that life will bring challenges and is determined to overcome them. From middle school onward, she faced bullies and those who did not believe she was capable of accomplishing her dreams. She showed tremendous grit and persevered to become a recording artist. She acknowledges that her challenges are not done and her commitment to continuing her career.
Further informative text is provided as well as a timeline and challenging questions and prompts for readers to think about their own lives.

[Kasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly wonderful and inspiring story about Precious Perez, as told by her. This demonstrates the resilience and strength that she has to ignore and overcome the obstacles that others tried to place in her way and highlights her passion for music and her drive to not only follow her dream, but pave the way for others as she smashes through every glass ceiling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complementary copy in exchange for an honest review.