Whale Eyes cover art

Whale Eyes

A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen

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Whale Eyes

By: James Robinson
Narrated by: James Robinson
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About this listen

"A sincere reflection on childhood experiences of growing up in a world not built with him in mind."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A superb memoir that champions empathy and understanding on every level."—BookPage, starred review

"Lively, interactive...truly eye-opening."—Booklist, starred review

"Game-changing curriculum add for any teacher."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

From Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes a breathtaking illustrated memoir for middle-grade listeners (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 listeners in James’s point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.

Listeners 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 listeners of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.

* Whale Eyes is meant to be twisted, turned, and experienced. This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF with illustrations, experiments, photos, and interactive visual components. The PDF helps the listener experience the visual effects while they listen to author James Robinson read from a copy of the text.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 James Robinson (P)2025 Listening Library
Biographies Growing Up & Facts of Life Heartfelt
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Critic Reviews

"Exceptionally well-done...Robinson’s prose is conversational and seemingly light, yet it will leave readers with plenty of substance to ponder...A superb middle grade memoir that champions empathy and understanding on every level."—BookPage, starred review

"An accessible and immersive account of growing up with strabismus, a condition of eye misalignment...Robinson presents a sincere reflection on childhood experiences of growing up in a world not built with him in mind."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This lively, interactive...heartfelt memoir is truly eye-opening and will encourage readers to seek out his other works."—Booklist, starred review

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