Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Educational
Review: Adults and kids alike can learn a lot about "color blindness" (or, really, "color vision deficiency/CVD") by reading this book. It's written in a clear, friendly way and yet doesn't skimp on the details. Reading it, I learned so much about living with CVDs. I also learned the scientific information about how we see (or don't see) color. I think kids of all ages, parents, teachers, and medical professionals would benefit from, and enjoy, this book. Cute illustrations, too.

Rating:
Summary: An accurate insight into a challenging condition
Review: Most of us take the ability to see color for granted, but for those affected by color vision deficiency (CVD) life can be challenging.

In Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow Too, the book starts by illustrating the difficulties faced by a child, Joey Knight, who struggles to identify colors in the same way as other children. As a toddler, the color of shoes or crayons was a mystery to Joey, and as he grew older colored maps and clothing were tricky. Like others with CVD, Joey developed coping strategies, such as remembering that the red traffic light is always on the top, and the green on the bottom, to help him deal with everyday situations.

Joey's life provides an ideal introduction to CVD and sets the scene for the rest of the book. Arlene Evans, a registered nurse, takes readers through the key issues, from how we see shapes and colors and how we learn about them, to the ways and means of detecting, correcting and coping with CVD. Arlene writes in a clear and concise manner, making the book suitable for both youngsters, adults and teachers to understand, as well as highlighting the plight of CVD for both those affected and people keen to learn more.

There's a very handy glossary of key terms included at the back, which help explain some of the terminology associated with eyes and CVD. Overall, the book is an extremely useful introduction to CVD and is sure to prove essential for parents and teachers dealing with children who see the world in different colors.

Rating:
Summary: AuthorZone.Com Book Review
Review: The Review
This is a small work of 52 text pages, offered in 9 chapters. Joey Knight explains a little of what a child who has Color Vision Deficiency might face as they begin learning our world, enter school, and decide a life occupation. Writer Evans, a Registered Nurse who served as a school nurse for over two decades, offers an explanation of color and rainbows, how we see shape and color, as well as the importance of cones on the retina. Genetic traits which can be passed from one generation to another, and how Color Vision Deficiency carried by the x chromosome is passed from parent to child is explained in depth. A variety of testing methods are used to detect the condition. CVD is not correctable as is near sightedness or similar eye problems. People who have Color Vision Deficiency cannot explain completely to those of us who do not also have the condition exactly how they see. Evans goes on to point out that Color Vision Deficiency need not be thought of as 'the end of the world.' There are lots of jobs to be had for those who cannot see color, living in a color coded world is doable even for those who cannot really see the color. Evans relates that shopping for a person having Color Vision Deficiency may necessitate a little extra care. Dressing for the day is made easier when the color blind buy and wear same color socks for instance ... all brown, etc, or have their non color blind spouse, parent or room mate mark tags with the color word.

Writer Evans has produced an excellent, well written, easily read book in Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too. The causes for Color Vision Deficiency as well as some of the variants of the condition are explained in enough 'kid friendly' depth that much of the uncertainty facing those who have color blindness should be resolved. Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too is meant to aid parents, teachers as well as youngsters themselves who may have the condition. Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too is presented in short; easily digested chapters written in plain English, embellished with simple line drawings and a sample of common color blindness tests commonly used in the school setting.

Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too helps children with the condition realize they are not strange or insufficient, nor are they alone. Strategies for sustaining the child who may have CVD are offered so that parents and teachers can help these kids begin to see the colors around them in a different way and begin to adapt their environment to meet their very unique situation.

Seeing Color: It's My Rainbow, Too should prove to be an excellent resource/teaching tool for teachers and parents alike as they guide youngsters into an understanding of what CVD is and is not. The book is a read to for younger kids 5-11. Pre Teens and Teens alike will be able to read, understand and verbalize what they have learned.

Excellent read, happy to recommend.

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Reviewed by: molly martin