Reviews for Naomi Knows It's Springtime

The average rating for Naomi Knows It's Springtime based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-12-05 00:00:00 John Dwyer Naomi sees the world differently than others because she is blind. She can tell the seasons have changed through the things she feels, hears and tastes, instead of by seeing the leaves change or the flowers blooming. For instance, she knows it is spring because she hears the birds making noises; she feels the blades of grass or grains of sand between her toes; and she eats chocolate ice cream again. Finally when people feel sorry for Naomi because she cannot see, she responds by thinking that it�s a shame that they cannot see things the way she does. This book aims to teach people, specifically children, that while people who are blind may not be able to see the things around them, they can still hear, smell, feel, or taste those things. Through the illustrations especially, the book shows that Naomi, and others who are blind, can do things and experience the world just like those who can see. For instance, the illustrations show Naomi playing on a tire swing, as wells as at the beach and the ice cream shop with her friends Thus, these illustrations portray Naomi as just any other kid. Yet, this can be a problem for others who are blind because they may not be able to relate to Naomi. For instance, none of the pictures show Naomi using a cane when she is walking. While almost all of the illustrations of Naomi also include her dog, it is not clear that this is a service dog. Furthermore, the book does not suggest that Naomi has some sight and does not need the aid of a cane or a dog because she also does not have glasses on in any of the pictures. Therefore, while this book does portray a person who is blind, it does not do so accurately. Nonetheless, the book sends the important message that people should not pity those with a disability, such as blindness. At the end of the book, Naomi�s neighbor comments that she wishes Naomi could see the sky. This remark represents the assumption in society that if someone has a disability they automatically cannot do something at all, and that having a disability is a bad thing. However, Naomi responds by smiling and thinking �If only Ms. Jensen could see the rainbow in my mind!� (31). This response shows that Naomi is actually able to see the sky; she just sees it differently than others. Furthermore, it suggests that not being able to do something can actually be a good thing because while people like Ms. Jensen who are not blind only see a blue sky, Naomi is able to think about a rainbow in the sky. In sum, Naomi Knows It�s Springtime tells readers that people with disabilities should not be pitied because they are still able to do most of the things that able-bodied people can do � they just do them differently. This book is part of the Larissa Gerstel Collection at American University located at

Review # 2 was written on 2016-09-25 00:00:00 Aleks Nikolic Naomi knows if spring - although she doesn't see the signs and signals, she knows by using her other keen senses.