Readers will laugh along with the new picture book character Douglas as he chases a leaf that he mistakes for a squirrel, walks through wet cement because he can’t see the warning sign, and annoys the neighbor’s dog by mistakenly eating out of his bowl. And when Douglas’s owner Nancy finally takes him to what is clearly an eyeglass store and Douglas asks, “Why are you taking me to a shoe store?” everyone will be giggling.
After an eye exam confirms that Douglas needs glasses, and Nancy helps him find the perfect pair, readers will rejoice with Douglas as he sees all the amazing things he’s been missing!
Both kids and parents will laugh out loud—and may even recognize themselves!—while reading this utterly irresistible, hilarious picture book.
Reviews:
“Douglas the dog keeps busy playing with his girl, Nancy, but he is so nearsighted that when things get complicated, Nancy has to take him to the eye doctor for glasses. The vibrant and silly illustrations add to the fun as Douglas selects his first pair of glasses and discovers how amazing everything really looks. The two-page spread of photos of real kids wearing glasses clinches the deal, making this a perfect book for children — or anyone — who needs glasses.” —Joan Trygg, Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN – The Summer 2016 Kids’ Indie Next List (ages 4-8).
The title says it all, with one exception: Douglas is a dog. Nearsighted, he has been known to walk through wet cement. He has even gone into the wrong house and eaten food from a neighbor’s dog dish. When Nancy, the girl who cares for him, throws him a ball, Douglas fetches what appears to be a wasp nest instead. Later, at the eye doctor’s office, Douglas misidentifies a series of pictures on the eye chart. But after choosing the perfect frames, he walks out wearing glasses and is amazed to see his surroundings clearly for the first time. Kids who wear glasses will understand his reaction, and even those with 20/20 vision will enjoy the story, especially the funny sequence in which Douglas mistakes the silhouette of a squirrel for a dinosaur, a car for a flying saucer, and so on. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations enhance the story’s humor through cartoonlike figures within a colorful, imaginative setting. An appended double page spread features photos of 18 real kids wearing glasses. It’s a satisfying conclusion to an amusing picture book.—Carolyn Phelan, Booklist, May 2016
Douglas is a lovable little dog whose nearsightedness often gets him into trouble. He is unable to see important things like signs and squirrels, and one day a run-in with a beehive prompts his owner Nancy to take him to the eye doctor for glasses. After meeting the doctor and failing the eye test somewhat hilariously, Douglas picks out the perfect pair of glasses and is able to see all of the amazing things and people around him. The tale is light on text, and the blurry font is limited to the cover and title page; the pencil and watercolor cartoon illustrations are what make this book so delightful. Funky patterns and a playful use of bold colors enhance the story and the reading experience. VERDICT With photos of “Real Kids Who Wear Glasses” and a social media hashtag as back matter, this is a fresh recommendation for young readers nervous about getting glasses. A fun and useful purchase.– School Library Journal,Whitney LeBlanc, KIPP New Orleans Schools, LA, May 2016
What happens when you mistake a beehive for a soccer ball? Nancy and her dog, Douglas, enjoy all sorts of adventures until a disastrous game of fetch makes it obvious that Douglas, You Need Glasses! With this picture book that’s a glorious romp from start to finish, kids and parents alike will enjoy sharing a lighthearted look at Douglas’ serious vision problem, which gets him into pickles galore. Douglas is a good-natured, grinning canine who gleefully chases leaves instead of squirrels, walks right through barriers and signs warning of wet cement, and even ends up at the neighbor’s house, woefully unaware that anything is amiss. Nancy, his take-charge young owner, eventually hauls her pooch into the optician’s office, which will prompt many more readers’ chuckles as Douglas miserably fails the vision test and tries on a creative array of glasses frames. Ged Adamson’s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are bursting with colorful energy and personality; he is a master at simply conveying a myriad of facial expressions, bringing his cartoon-like characters to life. Look carefully at his attention to details, such as the cement on Douglas’ paws that leave footprints on page after page. Adamson cleverly includes an ending spread featuring photos of children wearing glasses, and encourages readers to post photos of themselves wearing glasses on his Twitter page. Whether young readers need glasses or not, this optical celebration will leave them yearning for a pair of their own. – Book Page, Alice Cary, May 2016
Everything looks great when a myopic dog gets glasses. Douglas’ poor eyesight interferes with his lifestyle. He chases leaves instead of squirrels, overlooks warning signs, and sometimes even goes “home to the wrong house.” After he mistakes a wasps’ nest for a ball, Douglas’ owner, Nancy (a white girl in a hunting cap with ear flaps), takes him to the eye doctor. Asked to identify symbols on the eye chart, Douglas sees a squirrel as a dinosaur, a cat as a crab, a car as a flying saucer, a bird as a horse, and a leaf as a squirrel. Trying on many pairs of glasses, Douglas finally chooses the perfect ones: “Wow! Everything looks amazing.” Perky, humorous illustrations rely on naïve pencil outlines, watercolor washes, and cartoonlike characters to portray nearsighted Douglas coping with a world he can’t see clearly, punting his way through the eye exam, and adopting different personas to match the glasses he tries on. The double-page spread showing Douglas’ sharp, detailed view of the world through the frames of his new glasses should feel familiar to any spectacles-wearing kid. Photos of “real kids who wear glasses,” with an invitation to “show us how you look in your glasses” by posting a photo on social media, complement Douglas’ life-changing adventure. A lighthearted introduction to the perks of wearing glasses. (Picture book. 3-7) – Kirkus, Feb. 2016
Rights sold:
Spanish language rights in the education market for US and Canada to Scholastic.
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