Misty Mole Gets New Glasses is an illustrated children’s book written by doctor Dr Yasmin El Rouby and illustrated by Ishy Walters. Together, they’ve managed to craft a beautifully written short story that highlights what it’s like moving through life as a kid with myopia, and the journey taken when you’re due your first pair of glasses.
Misty Mole starts off committing a few fumbles due to her poor vision, like tripping on a log or creating blurred paintings. She becomes disheartened and feels that these mistakes are due to her clumsiness, and she dreams of a world where she is invincible and does everything right!
Towards the middle of the book, we find out that she needs to get her vision tested, and we follow Misty Mole to the doctor’s office. The book highlighted how positive this experience was for her, clearly trying to show the reader that the doctor’s office is not a scary place. The doctor explained what myopia was to Misty Mole and gave her first pair of glasses.
As the book draws to a close, it highlights all the positive changes that occurred once she got the right pair of glasses, making her feel like the Super Mole she always dreamt of. Although I'm not the target audience for the book, I greatly enjoyed how the creators were able to showcase what myopia looked like through the illustrations, allowing short-sited children to relate to Misty Mole. This book is an age-appropriate way to introduce the concept of myopia and glasses to a young child. It would be a great read in a paediatric ophthalmology waiting room or at the optometrists. What better gift to accompany a child’s brand-new glasses than a book to help put them to use? Thank you to Dr Yasmin El Rouby and Ishy Walters. I look forward to sharing this book.
